Wembrook Trail, Nuneaton (NCN Route 52)

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The Wembrook Trail is a shared-use route connecting the Whitestone and Attleborough areas to the south of Nuneaton to the outskirts of the town centre. An off-road, lit route surfaced to tarmac, it is potentially useful for providing a route to the town centre via the leisure centre – but it is noteable for being probably one of the most obstructed routes in Nuneaton, posing significant accessibility issues.

The route is named after the Wem Brook, a tributary of the River Anker. It is approximately 3km (1.8 miles) long with various feeder routes and branches, though it is not without interruption. Cyclists will find one part in particular where the route crosses Avenue Road to join The Pingles where they will need to choose to ride on the road across the junction and through the leisure centre car park; dismount and walk on the non-shared footpath, crossing Avenue Road at the pelican crossing before re-mounting at the shared-use path; or break the law by riding on that pavement and across the crossing.

Tracing the route roughly from south to north, starting from either Mill Close (off Lutterworth Road) or Magyar Crescent, it passes through the Maple Park estate before taking a wooded, winding path parallel to Marston Lane. After continuing through Marston Fields, it crosses a main road and runs through Donnithorne Woods before emerging at the Gala Fields sports field. At the car park, the shared-use route stops as noted above, but continues after crossing Avenue Road, still on a shared-use path passing The Pingles leisure centre. Crossing the railway using a very narrow and dingy (but lit) underpass, it emerges into the town’s main park – Riversley Park. The route concludes by the Museum and Art Gallery, but after a short and quiet on-road section, it joins the general shared-use space on the ring-road, connecting to the town centre or other destinations.

Nuneaton Museum and Art Gallery (Spring)
North End of the Route

The Wembrook Trail is also designated as part of the Sustrans National Cycle Network, forming a branch of Route 52. An on-road connection to the primary route along the Coventry Canal is available by following Dunn Close and Triton Way where, at the end of the latter road, there is a narrow, restricted access to the canal towpath.

Users of the route should be aware of significant access issues in the form of restrictions primarily (but not exclusively) found on the south section through Maple Park. These are mostly in the form of chicane barriers which may be difficult to pass and hinder progress. There are some bollards in use too, some of which have narrow spacing less than the recommended minimum width of 1.5m. Additionally, users should be aware of some locations that pose visibility issues with the potential for conflict with other pedestrians and cyclists (noteably crossing Donnithorne Avenue, and passing an alleyway in Gala Fields). A sign advises cyclists to dismount at the narrow railway underpass between The Pingles and Riversley park – but this is advisory only.