Walk for the Public: Leamington Spa

WALK DESCRIPTION: A circular walk of approximately 5miles around the parks of Leamington Spa. Please bring a drink and snack. This is a circular walk of approximately 5 miles through the parks of Leamington Spa where we should find snowdrops and other interesting plants and trees along our route. From the station it is a short distance to Victoria Park. Here, we should spot some snowdrops as we walk alongside the River Leam as we circuit the park into Pump Room Gardens. We will stop here briefly at the Information Centre where there are toilets. From here we use the rainbow crossing into the beautiful Jephson Gardens where we should find an abundance of snowdrops. Jephson Gardens is a beautiful formal Victorian park with flowerbeds, 140 species of trees, sub-tropical glasshouse, sensory garden and a lake as well as some interesting sculptures. It was voted “Best Park in Britain 2004” by the Royal Horticultural Society. Our walk takes us around the park, going through the sensory garden and crossing Mill Bridge over the River Leam. Pausing on the bridge, we can see the cobbled slipway where Sam Lockhart a circus performer is reputed to have brought his elephants to bathe in the river. Continuing over the bridge to walk around the Mill Garden where we can see the boating lake and boat house. Returning over the bridge into Jephson Gardens, we can admire the range of sub-tropical plants if the glasshouse is open. Our next stop, The Aviary Coffee Shop for a drink and comfort break before making away back to Leamington Spa train station.