The county of Leicestershire has an abundance of breath-taking walks for you to discover. From the nationally renowned Bradgate Park to nearby Beacon Hill Country Park, we have some natural gems.
Outdoor website, AllTrails, has listed the most popular walking trails in Leicestershire – reviewed by its users. With driving directions, “curated trail maps and detailed reviews” they are a great way to gauge whether the walk could be for you.
Five of Leicestershire’s best have now been collated into this list. See if you want to take on a wintry walk in these locations.
READ MORE: I attempted Leicester’s ice rink – and tried my best to stay upright
1) Swithland Wood and Bradgate Park (8.7 km trail)
Swithland Wood
Beginning in the Swithland Wood north car park, the trail heads south through the wood alongside Cropston Reservoir. It then takes you around Bradgate Park and back to Swithland Wood.
Described by AllTrails as a “beautiful” route taking you “through mixed woodlands and into the heath hills where you can often spot roaming deer”, the trail is open all year around. AllTrails said: “Dogs are welcome, but must be on a lead.
“The trail tends to be muddy after rain, so come prepared with good waterproof footwear.” It said the trail takes an average of two-and-a-half hours to complete.
2) Woolsthorpe By Belvoir and Grantham Canal (8km trail)
Belvoir Castle
(Image: Belvoir Castle)
Starting at the small Lincolnshire village of Woolsthorpe By Belvoir, which sits on the county border with Leicestershire, the route “explores the village” before moving along a “stretch” of the Grantham Canal towpath. With Belvoir Castle “dominating the skyline” for much of the walk, the trail then returns “via an ancient lane and stretch of the Viking Way through Fanny’s Wood”, AllTrails said.
Described as a route with “a few gentle inclines” the paths are a “mixture of pavements, stone lanes and paths, grass towpaths, and field paths”. The trail passing through farmland used by grazing cattle, so walkers are urged to take care.
The AllTrails website said the walk takes an average of two hours and seven min to complete.
3) Beacon Hill (3.1-km trail)
Beacon Hill Country Park, near Loughborough
Beginning at the lower Beacon car park, the elevation gain is 119m up to the top of Beacon Hill. The route then comes back down and through the Beacon Plantation back to where you started.
With this walk, there are quite a few connecting paths which can be used if you fancy adding time onto your walk. Beacon Hill, especially the top, has a Game of Thrones feel to it with the rocks jutting out of the earth.
In this writer’s view, it could be a possible filming location for the next House of the Dragon season, George R. R. Martin! The trail takes an average of 57 minutes to complete according to AllTrails.
4) Bosworth Battlefield and Shenton Circular (10.1 km trail)
Bosworth Battlefield
(Image: Haunted Heritage)
Beginning at the Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre this route takes you along the Ashby Canal towpath and towards the village of Dadlington. The route heads across fields including the spot where Richard III is thought to have been slain, along some “quiet roads” around Shenton and across the Battlefield Line preserved railway.
You’ll also be able to see Shenton Hall, a Grade II listed country house. AllTrails described a “steep incline” from Shenton Station back to the heritage centre.
The trail takes an average of three hours and 16 minutes to complete. The elevation gain is listed as 425m for this route.
5) Beacon Hill, Old John and Swithland Wood Circular (15.3km)
Old John at Bradgate Park
This is the longest route of the list, described as a “challenging” walk by AllTrails. Beginning at Beacon Hill’s lower car park, this route heads south through Swithland Wood and cuts west across Bradgate Park, before coming back north through Lingdale Golf Club and through Beacon Hill Country Park.
The route takes an average of four hours and 33 minutes to complete. It has an elevation gain of 535m.
To find out more specific instructions on each route, head to the AllTrails website.