Meriden Shafts

Two brick tower structures rising from the Warwickshire woodland - that's Meriden Shafts, and they're decidedly odd in the best way. Built in the 1820s as ventilation shafts for a coal mine that ran deep beneath the forest floor, these cylindrical monuments now stand as oddball reminders of industrial heritage that most visitors to Coventry completely miss.

The shafts themselves aren't massive - you're not looking at dramatic ruins here - but they've got character. Walking through Meriden Forest around them gives you a proper sense of how the landscape has reclaimed what was once working industry. It's the sort of place that appeals to industrial history types and anyone who likes spotting the quirky bones of England's past. Kids might manage twenty minutes of interest before the novelty of two towers wears thin, unless they're the sort to get excited about coal mining.

The forest itself is the real draw. Peaceful woodland walks, decent for an afternoon ramble from Coventry, and the shafts make for a good focal point rather than aimless wandering. Access appears to be free and unrestricted - it's forest, after all. Allow an hour if you're combining the shafts with a proper walk through the trees.

If you're staying at Somers Wood Caravan Park just 2.2 miles away, this is worth a morning visit to break up the park routine. Not a destination in itself, but a solid addition to a Warwickshire forest break.