#OfftheBeatenTrack is NationalRail.com’s tribute to the tracks less travelled – finding hidden gems amongst towns and stations that don’t regularly attract the headlines or the limelight.
Today, we are looking at Warwick, historical county town of Warwickshire and home to the best castle in England.
So why not take the train somewhere new today? Remember, you can buy all your train tickets at nationalrail.com – so what are you waiting for? Book train tickets with us today.
Town/city: Warwick.
Population: 30,114.
By train: Warwick Parkway station is owned by Chiltern Railways, making it one of very few stations not owned by National Rail. It sits on the line between Birmingham Snow Hill and London Marylebone, so is well served by a frequent service.
Things to do: As with our recent blog on Hastings, Warwick is definitely all about the history, and it almost seems pointless to visit the town without visiting its famous castle, built by the Normans in 1068.
Warwick Castle is widely thought of as being one of the finest standing examples of a castle in Britain, and is home to a range of seasonal exhibits, including one of the world’s largest trebuchets. It holds the world record for the most powerful siege engine of its type, capable of throwing a 13kg projectile 249m at a speed of 160mph.
Other attractions at the castle include a bird of prey exhibit, archery displays, jousting and The Sword in the Stone show.
Don’t fancy the castle? Warwick is a beautiful town, packed with tight cobbled streets, amazing pubs and restaurants. It is full of small art galleries and antique shops. It’s definitely worth attempting to spend an afternoon there if you can.
Warwick has also lent its name to one of the UK’s top universities – but they don’t like to tell you that the University of Warwick is actually in Coventry!
Did you know? Warwick was destroyed by a fire in 1694. Although it only lasted for six hours, it decimated what was still a very small town. Were it not for a single stone wall that halted the fire, it’s believed the entire town would have been wiped out. The disaster led to the Fire Act of 1694, which established new nationwide rules and regulations on architecture.
Whetted your appetite? Return to our home page to book your train tickets to Warwick.
