Walks near Rugby by train
MapA day hike in the countryside is just a simple train journey away — explore the most charmingly located railway stations near Rugby and plan your next day of green.
Alternatively, view walks directly from Rugby.
Tring Circular via Ashridge Estate (Hertfordshire)
45 minutes from Rugby, with one change.
Beginner-friendly: It’s nearly all in a big National Trust estate that’s extremely well sign-posted. It’s completely fine to deviate from the route — explore and shorten as you like! The lunch options are simple cafés, so no messing around with booking a table in advance. The Ashridge Estate is very beautiful if you appreciate woodland, and covers more then enough ground to cover a day of hiking in itself. There are paths everywhere and you can wander freely. Ancient trees, rolling chalk downlands and lush meadows.
Woodland: half under tree cover.
Ashridge Estate (National Trust)
The Ashridge Estate Café (National Trust; 45 mins in)
Pitstone Common Woodland Walk (National Trust; 1h in)
Ashridge House: A grand former royal residence of Henry VIII, set in 190 acres of landscaped gardens (2h15 in).
2 lunch spots: the Ashridge Estate Café (45 mins in), or Ashridge House café (2h15 in)
1 end-of-walk reward: the Valiant Trooper
Warnings: Relatively busy. Take the minor paths to avoid the crowds. Can be muddy.
Source: Trains2Green.
Derby Circular via Allestree Park (Derbyshire)
1 hour from Rugby, with one change.
Parks, river and heritage trail.
Museum of Making (30 mins in)
6 lunch spots: Darley Park (1h15 in) — Darley Park Terrace Cafe, the Little Darley in the Park, the Abbey Inn, or the Darleys; plus the Joiners Arms (3h in), or the Orangery Café (4h in)
4 end-of-walk rewards: the Alexandra Hotel, the Brunswick, the Victoria Inn, or the Waterfall
Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.
Similar walk: North Staffordshire Community Rail Partnership.
Tring to Wendover (Hertfordshire)
45 minutes from Rugby, with one change.
Flat canal towpath, reservoir banks, open arable fields, wooded Chilterns hills and steep descents.
Woodland: a third under tree cover.
1 lunch spot: the Partridge (3h in)
1 end-of-walk reward: Wendover Woods Café
Warnings: Steep chalky descent.
Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 1.
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Reverse direction: Walk by Rail.
Derby to Long Eaton (Derbyshire)
1 hour from Rugby, with one change.
Waterways — River Derwent, Derby & Sandiacre Canal and Erewash Canal.
2 lunch spots: Canal Cottage Cafe (2h45 in), or the Navigation (3h15 in)
2 end-of-walk rewards: Peking House, or the Sawley Junction
Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.
Melton Mowbray to Oakham (Leicestershire)
1 hour from Rugby, with one change.
Rural countryside.
2 lunch spots: Little Spice Box (3h15 in), or the White Lion Inn (3h15 in)
2 end-of-walk rewards: the Railway Inn, or the Grainstore Brewery
Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.
Duffield to Derby (Derbyshire)
1 hour from Rugby, with one change.
Repurposed railway track along the Great Northern Greenway.
Duffield Castle: The remains of one of England's largest castles (National Trust; 30 mins to visit).
2 lunch spots: the Bell and Harp (1h in), or the Three Horseshoes (2h15 in)
4 end-of-walk rewards: the Alexandra Hotel, the Brunswick, the Waterfall, or the Merry Widows
Warnings: Follows a busy road for a sixth of the walk.
Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.
Nuneaton Circular via Hartshill (Warwickshire)
15 minutes direct from Rugby.
Parks, river, country park and canal.
Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.
1 lunch spot: the Stag and Pheasant (2h in)
5 end-of-walk rewards: the Lord Hop, the Felix Holt, the George Eliot Hotel, the Black Swan In Hand, or the Silk Mill
Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.
Atherstone Circular via Sheepy Magna (Warwickshire)
15 minutes direct from Rugby.
Canal and villages.
2 lunch spots: San Giovanni (2h45 in), or the Black Horse (3h in)
7 end-of-walk rewards: the Blue Lion, the Blue Boar Inn, the Old Swan, the Hat and Beaver, the White Horse, the Kings Head Pub, or the Clock
Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.
Lichfield Circular via Whittington Heath (Staffordshire)
30 minutes direct from Rugby.
Golf club, heath, woodland and Heart of England Way.
Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.
2 lunch spots: the Tame Otter (2h15 in), or the Red Lion (2h15 in)
2 end-of-walk rewards: the Horse and Jockey, or the Turnpike
Warnings: MOD firing range — check access.
Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.
Garston to St Albans (Hertfordshire)
1 hour from Rugby, with one change.
Common woodland, farmland tracks, river meadows, water meadows, quiet residential roads and historic city streets.
Woodland: a fifth under tree cover.
St Albans (3h15 in)
3 lunch spots: Moor Mill Watermill & Inn (1h45 in), the Overdraught (2h15 in), or Rumbles Fish Bar (2h15 in)
2 end-of-walk rewards: the Horn, or the Robin Hood
Warnings: Can be very muddy.
Adapted from: Time Out Country Walks Volume 1.
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Barrow-upon-Soar to Leicester (Leicestershire)
45 minutes from Rugby, with one change.
Flat and on decent paths.
Waterway: four fifths along the River Soar.
3 lunch spots: Birstall (3h30 in) — the Earl of Stamford, the Old Plough, or the White Horse
2 end-of-walk rewards: the Corn Exchange, or the Rainbow and Dove
Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.
Syston to Melton Mowbray (Leicestershire)
1 hour from Rugby, with one change.
Flat and footpaths.
3 lunch spots: Rearsby (1h45 in) — the Horse and Groom, or the Wheel; plus the Bell Inn (3h15 in)
2 end-of-walk rewards: Wild Bean Cafe, or the Boat Inn
Warnings: Winter flooding possible.
Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.