Welcome to my Walks page...the selection of walks outlined here are intended to provide some interesting variants a little 'off the beaten track' in Leicestershire. Each one has an attached .pdf guide describing the walk in more detail which you can download and take with you. Please note also the recently opened Garendon Park footpath network to the west of Loughborough - you'll find more info on this, and how it's likely to develop on my Garendon page.
Enjoy........
Version Date 6.7.25
Leicestershire 4-Counties Walk: Chilcote and Netherseal
Leicestershire hosts an almost unique geographic phenomenon within the UK, and borders neighbouring Staffordshire directly over a distance of only about a mile.
In this small area to the west of the hamlet of Chilcote, Warwickshire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire and Leicestershire almost come to a point. County boundaries this short only occur at one other place in UK and the local geography around Chilcote makes it possible to complete a local walk using public rights of way and taking in 4 different counties and 2 English regions in under 2 hours.
Chilcote itself, around which the walk is based, is also something of a geographic curiosity, in that it is the only settlement in Leicestershire which cannot be reached by road without entering another county (see link to Chilcote Wikipedia entry).
Why not take the ‘4 counties in under 2 hours’ challenge yourself, and enjoy some healthy exercise in pleasant countryside…..?
Download the 'Leics 4 Counties Walk' .pdf file from the downloads page to find out how....
Leicestershire: Charnwood Forest NW: Blackbrook Reservoir Circular walk
This walk is set in the northwestern part of Charnwood Forest and is designed to provide a circular route round Blackbrook Reservoir, taking in Mount St. Bernard Abbey (http://www.mountsaintbernard.org) Shepshed’s recently upgraded Jubilee Walk and the Morley Quarry Nature Reserve. The walk starts and finishes at the Morley Quarry Car Park, Shepshed and provides some spectacular views of north Charnwood...and plenty of healthy exercise.
The walk covers a distance of ca 6.5 miles so would be suitable for a day’s excursion. A shorter route back from the Abbey, returning to Shepshed via Iveshead Road, and taking in St. Josephs Tea Room, is also available (total distance ca 4 miles) if required. This would be more suitable for an afternoon walk.
Download the full details from the downloads page using the link to 'Blackbrook Reservoir Walk'....
Leicestershire: Charnwood Forest NW: Bardon Hill Summit Circular walk
This walk is set on the western fringes of Charnwood Forest and provides a circular route round the Bardon Hill summit area, with a visit to the summit to view the surrounding East and West midland countryside and the main quarry workings.
The walk starts and finishes at Vercor Road , Agar Nook, Coalville and car parking is readily available in the local area. Public transport is available from Coalville centre. The walk provides some spectacular views of north Charnwood...and plenty of healthy exercise. Please note some sections are quite steep and can become waterlogged in rainy conditions. stout waterproof footwear essential under these conditions.
The walk covers a distance of ca 2.5 miles so would be suitable for an afternoon's excursion. A shorter route back from the summit is also available (total distance ca 1.5 miles) if required.
Download the full details as a .pdf file from the downloads page using the link to 'Bardon Hill Walk'....
Leicestershire: Round Shepshed Walk
This circular walk is designed to explore the countryside immediately adjacent to the town of Shepshed, and incorporates the recently upgraded Jubilee Walk, which follows a section of the old Loughborough to Ashby railway trackbed. It is largely off-road and follows the available public footpath network for much of its length.
The walk has links to the BlackBrook Reservoir walk; Morley Quarry nature reserve is also within 1km of its starting point. The recently opened Garendon estate footpath network will also be available to walkers via the Coach Road, and will be available once the new estate road construction project is complete and the M1 tunnel access to the estate from Shepshed is reopened. You can check on progress with this project and download a guide to the footpaths from my Garendon page
The Guide to this walk, which you can download using the link (Round Shepshed Walk.pdf), provides detailed maps and advice on how to track your progress electronically if you have a smartphone.
Update 2.8.25: Aproximately half way between RM1 and RM2 (Figure 1) the path crosses a small stream. This used to be bypassed by a diversion to the route including a small bridge, but a recent check has revealed that this has become overgrown and impassable. Please take care crossing the stream via the current path, as the improvised assemblage of branches placed across the stream is not particularly stable and could easily cause an ankle injury.