Coventry 2

Walk Details:
Date: 13/11/2004
Total ascent: 15m/ 49ft
Total distance walked: 0.8miles
Walk difficulty: 0.5/10
Enjoyment rating: 1.5/10
Best bits: Windmill converted into lovely house right next to the "top"; pleasant village
Worst bits: No views; doesn't feel like a "top" at all
Car Parking: In the triangle in the centre of the village outside the Bull & Butcher pub

Top details: Coventry
Name: Corley Moor
County top number: 22 of 207
Grid reference: SP 27658 84866 MAP
Height above sea level: 167m/547ft
How nice was it?: 2/10 for the top, 1/10 for the ascent
Description/Notes: One of the two debated highest points in the Unitary Authority of Coventry, the other being Keresley House

The Walk:

Fresh from our high speed "ascent" of the Keresley House top, we were eager to get this one ticked off quickly too and move on to bigger, better hills. However, we'd been cooped up in the car for a long time on the way to the Midlands and fancied stretching our legs a bit, getting some fresh air and enjoying the bright sunshine, crunchy leaves and clear blue sky of a simply perfect autumn day!

There's a spot point of 162m on the road to the south-east of Corley Moor, and according to the grid reference on Simon Edwardes' website this road ascends to 167m as it approaches the village. Driving along it, we found the road to be several metres lower than this, which may have been due to GPS errors/differences in calibration. We parked the car in the Bull & Butcher pub in the centre of the village and set out to investigate other likely spots.

We headed north-westwards down Wall Hill before turning left into Windmill Lane. After a slight ascent we came to the building from which the road took its name - a former windmill, sadly stripped of its sails and converted and extended into a rather wonderful house. I'd rather have seen it in its former use, but at least a building of some character had been preserved this way.

It was difficult to judge from our Library-loaned pink OS map exactly where the county boundary crossed (strange to have one running smack through the middle of a village!). We felt it was just after this former windmill, where we briefly attained an altitude of 167m - equal to Keresley House.

With the job done, we could complete our mini circular walk via Green Lane and Watery Lane. Every house was very neat and prosperous, and even at this late stage of the year the gardens were full of colour. Corley Moor seemed a very nice place to live!

Conclusion:

Corley Moor is a pleasant enough village, but for hill bagging purposes this top will be of interest to county top completists only.