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Great Central Walk Rugby

6.84 miles (11 km)

Ordnance Survey Map Open Streetmap This walk takes you along the Great Central Walk in the Warwickshire town of Rugby. The dismantled railway line is now a nature reserve which is open to walkers and cyclists. The trail can be picked up just to the south of Rugby train station and followed for just over 3 miles to Onley Lane. Here you leave the trail to follow the country lane down to the Oxford Canal at the southern end. The area is good for wildlife spotting with a variety of butterflies and birds to see along the path.
At the end of the route you can extend your walk by picking up the towpath of the canal and following it north to take you back to Rugby. See our Circular Walk Around Rugby for more details. If you head south it along the canal it will take you into Braunston.
Just to the west of the walk you will find the lovely Draycote Water where there's a nice waterside footpath to follow around the lake.

Great Central Walk Rugby OS Map Ordnance survey map - Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking

Great Central Walk Rugby Open Street Map Open Streetmap - Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking

Cycle Routes and Walking Routes Nearby

Photos

Looking north along trackbed of ex-Great Central Railway, Rugby - geograph.org.uk - 1691926

Looking north along trackbed of ex-Great Central Railway, Rugby

Rugby-Great Central Walk - geograph.org.uk - 1071963

The huge three arch bridge over the deep railway cutting at Ashlawn Road.

Rugby-Lower Rainsbrook - geograph.org.uk - 1296734

The dismantled bridge for the Great Central Railway over the road to Lower Rainsbrook Farm from Onley Lane.

Pytchley Road Bridge, Rugby - geograph.org.uk - 1121003

This bridge provides pedestrian access between Pytchley Road, on the Southfields Estate, and Percival Road, on the Ashlawn Estate, across the former Great Central railway. This saves pedestrians a considerable detour.

Great Central Walk at Onley Lane - geograph.org.uk - 1819346

Great Central Walk at Onley Lane

Old platform remains (geograph 5320500)

Old platform remains. Part of the old Rugby Central station platform still discernible through the vegetation.

Rugby-Great Central Walk - geograph.org.uk - 1227659

The Clifton Road Bridge in the foreground, and Bridge Street Bridge in the distance.

Nature Reserve, Rugby, Warwickshire - geograph.org.uk - 1972000

Trail view with bridge.

Video

GPS Files

GPX File

Grand Central Walk Rugby.gpx (On Desktop:Right Click>Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold>Download Linked File)

Memory Map Route

Grand Central Walk Rugby.mmo (On Desktop:Right Click>Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold >Download Linked File)