Unique Indoor Golf

Babbs Mill Lake

Fordbridge · 11 miles

A man-made lake within Kingfisher Country Park serves as a balancing feature for floodwater from the nearby River Cole, and lies close to the Fordbridge area of Solihull. The water body, also known as Kingshurst Lake, gives its name to Babbs Mill Park, a space created to mark the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in 1977. In 2002 the site was formally recognised as a Local Nature Reserve, reflecting its value for wildlife and recreation. Since August 2019 the lake has been the venue for a weekly Parkrun, offering a 5 km route that circles the water and provides a regular community exercise opportunity. The surrounding parkland supports walking and bird-watching, while the lake itself remains accessible to the public without a charge. Planning permission granted by Solihull Council in March 2016 allowed the construction of 52 houses on roughly seven per cent of the reserve, indicating ongoing development pressures on the area. A tragic incident occurred in December 2022 when ice formed on the lake’s surface, leading to the deaths of four children. An inquest later concluded the deaths were accidental. The lake continues to be managed as part of the local green network, with access via the surrounding footpaths and proximity to the Fordbridge settlement. No admission fee is required, and the site is open year-round for visitors.

Statue of Lady Godiva

Coventry · 12 miles

A bronze equestrian figure of Lady Godiva stands on a Portland-stone plinth in Broadgate, the central commercial area of Coventry. The monument, recorded by Historic England as a listed historic feature, presents the legendary rider in the act that gave the city its name. The plinth bears excerpts from Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s poem “Godiva” together with a dedication from the original patron, William Bassett-Green, to both the lady and the people of Coventry. The work was first commissioned in 1936 by the local businessman William Bassett-Green. By 1940 a scale model had been produced by the sculptor Sir William Reid Dick, who continued to develop the design throughout the Second World War. After hostilities ended, the full-size statue was cast, set on a plinth whose design was influenced by Sir Edwin Lutyens, and unveiled on 22 October 1949 by Peggy Zinsser Douglas, wife of the American ambassador Lewis Williams Douglas. Originally oriented to face south, the figure was turned westward in 1989 when the Cathedral Lanes Shopping Centre was built; a protective canopy added at that time was later removed in 2008. Located on a public thoroughfare, the statue can be approached directly from the surrounding streets of Broadgate. No admission charge applies, and the site forms part of the open urban landscape, allowing visitors to view the sculpture and its inscriptions at any time without the need for specialised facilities.

Town Wall Nature Reserve

Bonehill · 5 miles

Local community nature reserve on the site of the old town wall

Atherstone War Memorial

Atherstone · 0.1 miles

Side Pound

Grendon Common · 0.1 miles

back-to-back housing

Atherstone · 0.6 miles