Whether you’re a regular walker or simply looking for a new route, Knowle is a brilliant base for a walk. Public footpaths, canal towpaths, parkland and quiet residential streets all connect to create some lovely circular routes. We’ve picked four (four walks for four paws)  that start and finish on the High Street.

Best of all, Knowle is one of those places that genuinely welcomes dogs. Most of our pubs and cafés are happy to see four-legged visitors through the door, which makes the end of any of these walks something to look forward to.

Walk 1: The Canal Loop

Head down Kenilworth Road from the High Street and you’ll reach Knowle Locks on the Grand Union Canal — a series of five locks that’s a popular spot for locals. As Spring makes its entrance, you may spot a narrowboat making its way through the locks.

Join the towpath and turn back on yourself, passing under the bridge and continuing past Kixley Lane Bridge. You’ll soon come to a footbridge stretching over the canal. Cross this, and follow the public footpath back across the fields until you go through a gate. At this point, you have a choice:

• If you follow the right fork, you can follow the path onto Godwin Lane. Continue along this road before turning left onto Hampton Road to bring you back to the High Street. At this end of the High Street The Ale Rooms, The Greswolde Arms, Bistro Viola, Monica’s Bakes and The Vaults are well placed to serve you refreshments.
• If you follow the left fork you very quickly reach Kixley Lane. Once through the gate, turn right onto the lane and walk to the Children’s Field beside Knowle Primary School. Turn right into the field – this path will bring you to a path that takes you through the churchyard and back into the heart of the village. Perfectly positioned for Elderberry Blacks, The Bread Collection, Apple Pink (or Cobbles on a Saturday) for refreshments.

Keep an eye out for herons, kingfishers, ducks and swans along the canal stretch. Also look for the sheep and lambs in the neighbouring field.

Walk 2: Canal and Farmland

Start by walking down Kenilworth Road to Kixley Lane, Follow the lane all the way to the end, but instead of joining the canal, cross the bridge, continue a few more yards to pick up the footpath across Kixley Farm. There are often sheep and lambs in this field, so it’s essential that dogs are kept on a lead. Follow the footpath across the first field and along the edge of the second field to reach Elvers Lane. Turn right and take care walking along Elvers Lane as there’s no pavement. After a few yards, you’ll reach Kenilworth Road. Turn right back towards Knowle. Again you have a choice:

• Walk straight up Kenilworth Road, admiring the architecture and views over the church as you return to the village
• At the canal bridge, cross Kenilworth Road to join the canal. Turn right onto the towpath to go under the bridge to walk back towards Knowle along the canal. At the first canal bridge, leave the canal and walk back up Kixley lane all the way to the end. Turn right onto Kenilworth Road and follow it back into the village for refreshments at Loki Wine.

Keep an eye out for lambs in the fields and pheasants hiding in the hedgerows.

Walk 3: Hedgerows and Woodland

Starting at Solihull Music School on the High Street (opposite the Sweet Shop), turn down Hampton Road. Cross Hampton Road at the zebra crossing and continue walking, crossing over Arden Vale Road. Follow the path along the road until you come to a public footpath sign on the left (almost opposite Grimshaw Hall). Follow this pretty hedgerow path down to the gate, and continue straight on across the field – known locally as Thackers’ field. From here, continue straight on over the board walk – this used to be a pond but has been dry for a few years now). Cross Purnells Brooks on the wooden footbridge (dogs love a dip to cool down here) and continue straight on to get to Wychwood Avenue. You can the go the shorter way or the longer way back:

• For the short route, turn left down Wychwood Avenue and at the end, turn left onto the Warwick Road to return back to the start. If you cross the Warwick Road at the roundabout, you’ll be on the right side of the road to finish off the walk with an ice-cream from Knowle Traditional Sweet Shop.
• For a longer route, turn right onto Wychwood avenue. At the top of the hill, turn left at Broadfern Avenue and cross the road to be on the right hand side. You’ll find a public pathway between two houses, take this and follow this until you come out on the Warwick Road, opposite Copt Heath Golf Course. Turn left to walk along the Warwick Road back to Knowle Sweet Shop.

Walk 4: The Golf Course and Park

Head north from the High Street along Warwick Road towards Solihull. Just before Copt Heath Golf Club look for the public footpath on the left. This takes you across the course, so stay alert and keep a close eye out for golf balls. You’ll reach a few buildings where the path joins another public footpath. Take a left and follow the edge of the golf course along the path (the blossom is particularly nice in March and April). The path ends at the top of Longdon Road. Turn left and follow Longdon Road downhill back towards the village. At Landor Road, turn left and continue straight on before making a choice:

• After the flats on the left hand side, you’ll see the entrance to the nature reserve. Follow this path along the edge of Purnells Brook to the end where you can rejoin the park. Note – this path gets extremely muddy after lots of rain.
• Continue to the end of Landor Road to find the entrance to Knowle Park on the left. From here, follow the path through the park towards Knowle. Cross Lodge Road at the zebra crossing and follow the footpaths back onto the High Street. This walk takes you past Swan Yard – an ideal stop after a nice long walk.

Look out for Hawthorne blossom and birds in the path.

You can extend these walks even further by merging them – instead of walking back down Warwick Road to Knowle at the end of walk 3, continue across the gold course for a longer loop.

End every walk in style

Knowle has a good number of dog-friendly places to eat and drink, so there’s no reason to leave your four-legged companion outside. The Ale Rooms, Greswolde Arms, The Vaults and Loki Wine all welcome dogs. For something lighter, Bistro Viola, Monica’s Bakes, Elderberry Blacks and Swan Yard all welcome dogs, making them great options for a coffee and a cake after a morning walk.

Knowle makes it easy to combine a good walk with a good drink. Not sure where to stop for refreshments? Take a look at places to eat and drink in Knowle.