Swithland Woods, Cropston, Ansty, Groby Pool, Newtown Linford and Bradgate Park

Date: 21 May 10
Area: North Leicestershire. South of Loughborough
Distance: 9.8 Miles 15.8 k
Start Location: Swithland Woods, south car park
OS Sheet: Explorer 246
Grid Ref: SK 5369 1180
Outline: Swithland Woods, Cropston, Ansty, Groby Pool, Newtown Linford and Bradgate Park

This walk is a local one for me, it is a mish mash of the miles of paths and roads that I frequently mix together to make walks of between 5 and 15 miles.

The walk is through woodland, fields and wild park land, with some road walking, which is inevitable in an area such as this. There are good viewpoints of Bradgate Park, Cropston Reservoir and Lady Jane Greys house at Bradgate and I could see Leicester simmering in the haze. Groby Pool was alive with twitchers.  I managed to spot three pubs, and in Newton Linford two cafes, plus a shop selling a wide range of ice creams (I had a scoop of red cherry and one of pistachio).