Leicestershire

Leicestershire, part of the North Midlands, is a county of surprisingly varied landscape. Charnwood Forest is a wild jumble of crags, rocky outcrops, open heathland and undulating ridges. There is an untamed desolation to the scenery of this once densely wooded area. The area provides facinating and dramatic walking amongst the ancient pre-cambrian granite outcrops and remaining oak woods. There are fine views from the tops of Beacon Hill and Bardon Hill.

However, Charnwood Forest is not typical of Leicestershire's countryside. It is mostly undulating rich green grazing land on a clay soil, particularly in southern Leicestershire between Leicester and Market Harborough. Here there is a network of minor roads winding through the agricultural landscape and connecting sleepy villages, some of considerable charm; the Langdons, Hallaton and Horninghold are well worth including in walks. A particularly attractive feature of the landscape are the numerous small woods set amongst the undualting fields and hedgerows. These are not remnants of ancient forest, but were originally planted as fox coverts by the wealthy landowners who made Leicestershire famous for hunting with hounds.

A branch of the Grand Union Canal, which connects Market Harborough with Leicester, passes through some lovely, peaceful open countryside, making walking routes incorporating part of the towpath very pleasant on a warm sunny day.

	Guide Books: [For further information or to purchase]
	Village Walks in Leicestershire and Rutland by: Bryan Waites. The adjacent counties of Leicestershire and Rutland are justly proud of their villages. Within them or close by lies a rich heritage of great houses, timber-framed cottages, parish churches, village greens, rivers, canals, forests and footpaths. The twenty routes in this book introduce the walker to nature reserves, an Iron Age hill fort, a lost village, past and present industrial landscapes, an extinct volcano, and the home of Stilton cheese. The villages on which the routes are based have been carefully chosen for their interest and beauty. Among the most picturesque are Rearsby; Hambleton, on Rutland Water; Illston, and Shackerstone. The walks vary in length from 2 to 6.5 miles.
	Waterway Walks in Leicestershire & Rutland by: Paul Biggs. The 30 walks in this book are mostly circular and, with distances from 3 to 10 miles, are ideal for walkers of all abilities. They take you around the canals, rivers, reservoirs, lakes and streams of Leicestershire and Rutland. You can see where boats used to be (and still are) horse-drawn; Visit the magnificent staircase of 10 locks at Foxton; Stride across Saddington Tunnel; Explore the villages along the lock-free Ashby Canal; See the site of Bosworth Battlefield; Journey through the beautiful Vale of Belvoir along the disused Grantham Canal and marvel at Belvoir Castle. Comprehensive walking instructions are given for each walk, together with a hand drawn map.
	Pub Walks in Leicestershire & Rutland by: Bryan Waites. Walks around the rolling hills in the east, and amongst the rocky crags of Charnwood Forest in the west. There are waterside walks by the Grand Union and Ashby Canals and beside Rutland Water. Many of the routes pass through the area's pretty villages, which complement so perfectly the beautiful surrounding countryside. Locations are: Knipton, Old Dalby, Walton-on-the-Wolds, Hoby, Market Overton, Exton, Somerby, Langham, Empingham, Belmesthorpe, Barrowden, Lyddington, Bisbrooke, Wing, Braunston, Keyham, Billesdon, Glooston, Hallaton, Foxton, North Kilworth, Bitteswell, Burbage, Sibson, Stoney Cove, Newtown Linford, Mountsorrel, Copt Oak, Newton Burgoland, Appleby Magna.
	Walks in Historic Leicestershire & Rutland by: Bryan Waites. 20 circular routes include a visit to High Cross, once a Roman settlement where the Roman roads of Watling Street and the Fosse Way intersect; Bosworth Field where Richard III died in battle; Barrowden, a quintessential English village with green and duck pond where the founder of modern tourism, Thomas Cook, began his career; Ashby de la Zouch Castle where the novelist, Sir Walter Scott, set the tournament in 'Ivanhoe'; and Burrough where Edward, Prince of Wales, was first introduced to Mrs. Simpson in 1930. Other route locations are: Martinsthorpe; Flitteris and Cold Overton Parks; Launde Abbey; Bradgate Park; Oakham; Foxton Locks; Gaddesby; The Welland Viaduct; Pickworth.
	Walking Close to Rutland Water by: Clive Brown. A local walking guide booklet which admirably achieves its objective of getting you out in the countryside amongst beautiful scenery on carefully chosen routes full of interest. The directions are clear and precise and the pencil drawn sketch maps are particularly attractive as well as practical. This guide focuses on the around Rutland Water with nine varied and interesting circular walks, mainly about 6 miles in length. The walk locations are: Manton, Brooke and Egleton; Lyndon; Manton, Preston and Wing; Manton, Brooke and Martinsthorpe lost village; Whitwell, Cuckoo Spinney and Empingham; Exton and Fort Henry Lake; Braunston in Rutland; Oakham, Egleton and the Swooning Bridge; Empingham and Shacklewell.
	Walking Close to Uppingham by: Clive Brown. Another local walking guide booklet to get you out in the countryside amongst beautiful scenery. The directions are clear and precise and are complimented by pencil drawn sketch maps. This guide focuses on Eye Brook near Uppingham with nine varied and interesting circular walks, mainly about 6 miles in length. The walk locations are: Allexton Park; Eyebrook Reservoir and Lyddington; Uppingham and Stoke Dry Wood; Great Easton, Blaston and Nevill Holt; Hallaton, Cranoe and Hare Pie Bank; Uppingham, Bisbrooke and Seaton; Wardley Hill; Hallaton and Crackbottle; Hallaton, Horninghold and Blaston.
	Waterside Walks in Leicestershire & Rutland by: Bryan Waites. 20 circular routes between 2 and 5.5 miles. The walk locations are: Saltersfoot Valley; The Ashby Canal and the Battlefield Line; The Battle of Bosworth and the Ashby Canal; Around Thornton Reservoir; The Grand Union Canal south of Leicester; Fleckney and the Grand Union Canal; the Saddington Tunnel; Foxton Locks and Debdale Wharf; Along the Grand Union through the Laughton Hills; The River Soar and Zouch Lock; Barrow upon Soar and Quorn; Cossington Mill, where the Wreak meets the Soar; King Lear's Lake at Watermead Country Park; Frisby and Kirby Bellars; Grantham Canal and the Vale of Belvoir; Rutland Water - Barnsdale; Rutland Water - Normanton; Eyebrook Reservoir; Ketton; Tinwell - a Welland walk.
	32 Short Walks on the Leicestershire Round compiled by: Leicestershire Footpath Association. The 32 walks are based on the Leicestershire Round long distance path and are between 4 and 8 miles. Locations include: Woodhouse Eaves, Broombriggs, Beacon Hill, Quorn, Rearsby, Hoby, Brooksby, Frisby, Gaddesby, Ashby, Folville, Barsby, Thorpe Satchville, Twyford, Burrough on the Hill, Somerby, Owston, Belton, Leigh Lodge, Allexton, Horninghold, Hallaton, Cranoe, Glooston, Stonton Wyville, The Langtons, Foxton, Gumley, Saddington, Arnesby, Fleckney, Shearsby, Bruntingthorpe, Willoughby Waterleys, Ashby Magna, Leire, Frolesworth, Claybrooke Parva, Claybrooke Magna, Sharnford, Aston Flamville, Burbage, Sapcote, Sutton Cheney, Market Bosworth, Bosworth Battlefield, Carlton, Shackerstone, Odstone, Barton in the Beans, Nailstone, Bagworth, Thornton, Markfield, Linford.
	Leicestershire & Rutland Walks with Children by: Paul & Sandra Biggs. 20 walks all suitable for family excursions. Along the way, there are snippets of information to occupy young minds, plus quiz questions (with answers) to turn every walk into a game. Locations are: Long Whatton; Loughborough and the River Soar; Woodhouse Eaves and Beacon Hill; Rothley; Anstey and Bradgate Country Park; Watermead Country Park, Syston; Bosworth Battlefield; Breedon on the Hill and the Cloud Trail; Burbage Common and woods; Thornton Reservoir; Lubenham and Foxton Locks; Hallaton; Old Dalby; Ashby Folville; Frisby on the Wreake; Burrough Hill; Burton Overy and Great Glen; Great Bowden; Brooke; Rutland Water and Empingham.
	Short Walks from Pubs in Leicestershire & Rutland by: Charles Whynne-Hammond. 20 walks chosen with care for simplicity and spectacle. All of them are less than 5 miles in length. Many of the routes are centred on or near particular places of scenic or historic interest. From the canalside village of Shackerstone you can take a train ride to the Bosworth Field battle site. A stroll around the shores of Rutland Water can be followed by a visit to the old town of Oakham, with its castle and farm centre. And at Redmile, you can follow the towpath of the Grantham canal as it winds its way through the Vale of Belvoir. Locations are: Shackerstone; Market Bosworth; Castle Donington; Dunton Bassett; Walcote; Arnesby; Gumley; Church Langton; Great Glen; Woodhouse Eaves; Rearsby; Ashby Folville; Knossington; Waltham on the Wolds; Redmile; South Luffenham; Manton; Hambleton; Greetham; Clipsham.