As we return to campus for term two, you may find that Warwick has so much to offer which you might not have discovered yet. Emily shares her five favourite hidden gems of Warwick you may not have heard about before and why they should be a must on your Warwick to-do list!
By Emily Alger.
I studied at Warwick for five years, and it is safe to say that I have practically done it all at Warwick. As I graduate and move on, I want to pass my five favourite hidden gems of Warwick for you to enjoy whilst at Warwick
One: Walk to Kenilworth
It wasn’t until the COVID lockdown that I decided to walk to Kenilworth from campus, however it is something I wish I discovered earlier. Warwick campus covers over 700 acres of land, with beautiful woodland and lakes. My favourite walk on campus was to Kenilworth, a local town just ten minutes by bus. The 5km walk, starting from Cryfield pavilion, follows the old railway line and maintains wildlife corridors for protected wildlife along the greenway.
The walk takes around 50 minutes. I found that whenever I wanted to leave the campus bubble, I would walk to Kenilworth, get a drink at a local café and take a bus back to campus. It’s the perfect walk to take when you arrive at Warwick to explore the local area, or to take whenever you need a break from exams.
A walking guide is available here: https://hampton-walking.jimdofree.com/2016-12-11-hike/
Two: Cinema
I wouldn’t say I am a film buff but Warwick had the most accessible cinema I could imagine.
In 2021 Warwick Arts Centre completed a £25.5 million refurbishment which included the installation of two new cinemas. The Arts Centre often showcases new cinema releases with reduced ticket prices for under 26s. In my experience, no local cinema can beat the Arts Centre on price for new releases, no need to leave Warwick to catch a new film! You can take a look what’s on here.
If you don’t mind waiting a few months before catching up on a film, then check out Warwick Students Cinema. This society, run by students, projects films in lecture theatre L3 nearly every night of term using industry standard equipment – the real deal! Tickets currently are as low as £3 a film if you’re a member. The schedule for term two is available here.
Three: Cleverduck’s Pub Quiz
Warwick has its own pub on campus called the Dirty Duck which is the haunt of basically every society after rehearsal or practice. Like any good pub, the Duck also has its own quiz! Run by students, the quiz is a weekly occurrence and contains niche and general knowledge rounds alike.
The quiz runs in the evening and is always packed. If you would like to get involved, then I would encourage you to get to the duck two hours early and save yourself a table. Take it seriously because there are always prizes to be won (and Quiz society to beat).
Four: University House
This is a practical suggestion for the hours when you will be studying (which will be often). As term goes on and exams becomes more impending, seats in the library can become scarcer and scarcer. When I studied, I found that I didn’t like the intense silence in the library or the possibility that there may not be a seat for me at all. My friend told me about University House in second year and I never looked for another study space again.
Though University House is the main building for university administration, it has two dedicated learning grids for students which are manned daily. I would often spend the day there from 10am-5pm. There are sofas for relaxed study, whiteboards, and a café on site to pick up drinks and food during the day. As it’s a bit of a hidden secret in terms of study spaces around campus it’s rarely full – perfect for revision on campus at exam time!
Five: Bread Oven
If you’re looking for lunch on campus, then try out Warwick SU’s own sandwich bar. The joy of SU outlets such as the Bread Oven is that all profits go back into the SU. That means that often prices at SU food outlets are cheaper than other food options around campus.
Bread Oven also offers “Meat-free Monday” options, a vegan or vegetarian special every Monday which you can’t get any other day of the week. When term starts again, look out for meal deals including a baguette, drink and snack to make your student loan stretch even further! They’ve even started doing jacket potatoes, perfect for the winter!
Writing up these hidden gems has made me nostalgic and hold a lot of memories for me. I hope you enjoy these suggestions as much as I did during my time at Warwick.
If you enjoyed hearing about things you can do around campus, have a read of our post on why it’s OK to take a break or how to add pauses to your PhD.
What is your Warwick hidden gem? Let us know on Instagram @warwicklibrary, by tweeting us @researchex or by emailing us at libraryblogs@warwick.ac.uk
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