Croxton Kerrial to Melton Mowbray

Date: 2012-09-30

From: Croxton Kerrial

To: Melton Mowbray

Region: Leicestershire

Walk :  Linear

 OS Sheet: Explorer 247 & 246

Start Grid: SK 834 290

Distance: 10 ml, 16.1 km 

Height Gain: 481 ft, 146m

Height Lost: 651 ft,198 m

Walking with:

Notes: Largely on field paths and tracks a few short sections on road, a few stiles and a good few gates, muddy in parts.

Route

These notes are provided to enable the walk to be plotted on a 1:25,000 map.

From the Pub in Croxton take the path and track W to Branston, in the village turn left to Eaton.

Here pick up the Jubilee Way and follow it all the way to Melton Mowbray. I changed my route part way through the walk and diverted to Wycomb then along the road to Scalford, as shown on map.

Journey

Although this walk has been mapped out on the computer for several weeks the decision to go was a spur of the moment thing taken just 45 minutes before the number 8 bus left. In that time I had to change clothes, top up the rucksack, plot off the map, copy the route onto the GPS, grab  food and water and get to the bus stop. 

As with the other number 8 bus walks this one take place at the northern end of the Leicestershire Wolds laying between Loughborough, Grantham and Melton Mowbray. The previous walks have largely been across the valleys and along the higher land of the Wolds. This walk was different as it was mainly along the valleys and across the high land. Although I have to say, that sometimes, it was difficult to tell if I was on the high land or the low land, the occasional stream helped. However, the facts are that over the entire walk there were some more 200 feet in descent than climb.

When I set out on a walk I usually stick close to the route planned. However, just outside Branston I met George, who was converting a fallen tree into logs, and we had a good old chat. He lives in the village and knows the area very well. At one point we talked photography and he mentioned a number of photographic places among them the village of Wycomb, which was close to the planned route.

I plodded on through Eaton Grange, White Lodge. While in Goadby Marwood I had a look at the map and decided to leave the Jubilee Way and headed off towards Wycomb., In doing so I gave myself  two K of road walking from Wycomb to get back on route at Scaleford. But it was worth it, Wycomb is a village of   very pretty houses, barns and church  mostly built of orange yellow sandstone. I also hoped that by taking the road I might get to Melton in time to catch the 1440 bus home.

The walk fro Scalford down to Melton was alright but, four consecutive fields with young cows in took out much of the enjoyment. The final kilometer and a half is through Melton Country Park which was fine, a nice place with good variety of wildlife and public areas, gardens and lakes, sports pitches and flood control measures. Unfortunately the route from the park to the town center takes you into an industrial estate, I am sure it could not be helped and it’s probably the most direct route, I just felt a little let down that after 10 miles of walking through such wonderful countryside and a great park I ended up in an industrial estate. C'est la vie.

On the upside I made the bus with 15 minutes to spare

Woodhouse Eaves and Bradgate Park

Date: 2012-09-30

From: Woodhouse Eaves

Region: Leicestershire

Walk :  Circular

OS Sheet: Explorer 246

Start Grid: SK 530 145

Distance: 8.4 ml, 13.5 km 

Height Gain: 630 ft, 192m

Height Lost: 630 ft, 192 m

Walking with: Andy, Mrs G and Katie

Notes: Largely on field paths and tracks a few short sections on road, a few stiles and a good few gates, muddy in parts.

Route

These notes are provided to enable the walk to be plotted on a 1:25,000 map.

From Woodhouse Eaves take the Leicestershire Round E towards Swithland Reservoir, at the railway bridge take footpath S to Swithland. In village turn left E to bridleway on right S to Leicester Lane turn right then left onto bridleway. Then left S towards Hallgates, cross road into Bradgate Park. In the Park pick up the Leicestershire Round heading NNE and follow back to Woodhouse Eaves

  

Journey

Once again circumstances dictated our walk this weekend, if we wanted a walk it would have to be on Sunday, with a relatively late start. Andy drove over to us and we went out on a walk he planned.

As I have said before the area south east of Loughborough, part of Charnwood Forest, is great for walking with hills, woodland, moorland and rocky bits all joined together by a network of roads, footpaths and bridleways including the Leicestershire Round. There a number of villages around the area but Woodhouse Eaves sit in the center.

Maize and Hay

On leaving Woodhouse Eaves we were straight into a country side of hedges and fields, some pasture land others clearly arable. The Great Central Railway fixes the eastern point of the walk. We wait in hope of a train appearing. Unfortunately when it came, it was a disappointment for some, as it was not a steam train merely a diesel.

Great Central Railway

Pressing on we entered Bradgate Park a wonderful gem of a place, very roughly 3 miles by 3 miles in size. The park is hilly, rocky, has open grassland, wooded areas and dense bracken making it an ideal home to the herds of deer contained there. Much of this area is open to the public with three main car parks and miles of paths.
Bradgate House, now in ruins was once the home of Lady Jane Grey. She was a cousin of Edward VI, who in his will nominated Jane as his successor to the Crown. On his death in 1553, she became Queen, only to fall foul of the political wrangling over religion and the Kings half-sisters Mary and Elizabeth. Jane was beheaded in The Tower of London in 1554.

Bradgate Park

Old John

From Bradgate we walked through a section of recently forested land, across a golf course and back to Woodhouse Eaves.

A very pleasing walk with plenty of interest.

Croxton Kerrial to Waltham on the Wolds

Date: 2012-09-09

From: Croxton Kerrial

Region: Leicestershire

Walk :  Linear

OS Sheet: Explorer OL24

Start Grid: SK 836 291

Distance: 11.1 ml, 17.9 km 

Height Gain: 430 ft, 131m

Height Lost: 361 ft, 110 m

Walking with: Andy

Notes: Road walking at start and finish then a fairly flat walk over fields and along tracks, quite a few stiles and gates, muddy in parts.

Route

These notes are provided to enable the walk to be plotted on a 1:25,000 map.

Take the A607 E, towards Grantham, at the bend keep right into lane, passed track to Tippings Lodge to track (Viking Way) on right heading SE. Follow SE around Airfield to just before a road is reached  take footpath on right W. Follow the path through woodland and part of the old airfield across fields and road to Saltby. Take the footpath from Saltby to Bescaby Oaks and Croxton Park, turn SE along track to Bescaby then take footpath by Racecourse Farm up to the Air Traffic Control Mast and into Waltham.

Journey

This was another Number 8 bus from Loughborough walk and Andy joined me to walk it. With clear blue skies and a gentle breeze it was a pretty much a perfect day for a walk

Viking Way

Apart from the road work out of Croxton to the Viking Way the whole walk was very enjoyable. The Viking Way took us some four K South East, crossing part of a decommisioned airfield on the way The track is broad and is earth and stone with grass verges and hedges. In places it is was scored by deep water filled ruts.

Muddy Ruts

As we approached the Airfield we could hear, then see tow planes and gliders. RAF Saltby was built and was operational during the Second World War and was home to British, American and Polish Air Forces. Among its roles was the dropping parachutists on D-Day and later into Arnhem.

Tow Plane towing Glider

Gliders

It is now the home of Buckminster Glider Club. The gliders are towed into the air by a small aircraft that climbs in broad circles until the glider is released to do its own thing, the plane lands to take up the next one.

Tow Plane

Memorial RAF Saltby

As we walked around the southern end of the airfield we met a large bunch of people standing around or sitting in an array of camp chairs. They were talking, waving papers about, looking at books, holding clip boards, all looking, to us, somewhat furtive and a little embarrassed by our presence.

Being bold we asked ‘what ya doing’.“There is a glider acrobatic competition here this afternoon and we are doing the scorering”. Was the reply. Not a lot we could say to that, so wishing them well we moved on.

NE from Bescaby Oaks

For a walk of over eleven miles it felt easy and seemed to go very quickly. It is not a walk to rave over but is a  good walk through largely arable countryside .

Waltham-on-the-Wolds: St Mary Magdalene

Burton on the Wolds, Walton, Cotes, Hoton

Date: 2012-08-08

From: Burton on the Wolds

Region: Leicestershire, East of Loughborough

Walk :  Circular

OS Sheet: Explorer 246

Start Grid: SK 589 211

Distance: 8.45 ml, 13.6 km 

Height Gain: 357 ft, 109 m

Height Lost: 357 ft, 109 m

Notes:  The walk is mainly though fields and along farm tracks. There are several sections of road walking joining things together. No stiles, a couple of gates and two foot bridges.

Route

These notes are provided to enable the walk to be plotted on a 1:25,000 map.

From the mini roundabout, South along Barrow Road at top of hill, footpath on left to Walton on the Wolds. At road turn right, to footpath on right heading North West to the hedgeline at top of the ridge turn left to Nottingham Road. Turn right, to footpath on left, East to Burton Bandalls Farm. Turn left onto bridleway East to Cotes Road. Turn right to Loughborough Road left then right into Back Lane into Cotes. Cross the A60 into Stanford Lane to bridleway on right to Moat Hill and on to Hoton. Follow A60 South West through Village, turn left on road to Prestwold, at bend take footpath on left all the way to Burton on the Wolds.

  

Journey

This is the second of my walks based on the Number 8 bus from, and back to Loughborough. The previous Number 8 walk was from Harlaxton was the furthest one from home, this one from Burton on the Wolds is the nearest. 

Burton on the Wolds

The morning was warm and sunny with a cooling breeze which was great and walk was a nice steady stroll through very pleasant, well farmed countryside. Burton on the Wolds and Walton on the Wolds are both pretty villages. Walton probably the more so, as it is smaller and is not blighted by a main route to and from the A46 Fosse Way as Burton is. I can vouch for the quality of the beer and food in the pub in each village.

May Cottage, Walton on the Wolds

Clouds, Trees and Tracks

Shortly before reaching Burton Bandells you pass the Natural Burial Ground, a very peaceful location.

Burton Bandells is the home of Muggins Pottery. Muggins. http://www.muggins.com

As you walk from Cotes along Stanford Lane you are looking for the bridle way on the right. If it is as badly overgrown as in the photo above, just walk on another 100 metres or so and you will be able to join the path just as it starts to climb the slopes of Moat Hill and on to Hoton Hills. 

The path up and along the ridge, almost as far as Hoton, is broad and easy going. The views into the valley below and onto the hills beyond can be stunning. This path is just as good, possibly better when walked in reverse, from Hoton. Having said that, I have walked this route both ways, as a check, and I reckon as a route it is better walked this way round.

Stanford Church Tower

Standing prominent on the far slope is the imposing face of Stamford Hall. Please note its Stanford Hall, Nottinghamshire, not to be confused with Stanford Hall, Leicestershire. This Stanford Hall was built in 1774, and has passed through various hands since then, including Sir Julien Cahn, The Co-operative Union and two developers. It has now been purchased by the Duke of Westminster and is being converted into a ‘Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre’ (DNRC) where injured service men and others can be treated and rehabilitated, with I understand accommodation for their families to use when necessary. It is a wonderful location for this purpose.

Stanford Hall, Nottinghamshire

 Hoton was decorated with bunting and there were dozens of 4 pint milk cartons with their bottoms cut off, painted and decorated, filled with plants and strapped to lamp columns sign posts etc. I believe this was done for the Torch coming to the Village and has carried on through the Olympics. 

Milk Carton Flower Arrangements

Packe Inn Hoton

 In Route above I described the route I planned and walked. However there is an alternative route between Hoton and Burton on the Wolds which may be more to appealing. I like both. Instead of turning left at the cattle grid carry on South along Prestwold Road to the next footpath on the left at a gap in the wall, follow the path south from here to Prestwold Church through the next field and across the stream, turn left, East, along its south bank passing in front of Prestwold Hall and on to Burton on the Wolds. 

Burton on the Wolds (seen from the North)

Market Bosworth

Date: 2012-02-26

Region: Leicestershire
From: Market Bosworth

Walk :  Circular

OS Sheet: Explorer 232

Parking at: Bosworth Country Park

Grid: 412032

Distance: 8.10 mls, 13.00 km 

Height Gain: 400 ft,  122 m

Height Loss: 400 ft, 122 m
Walking With: Mrs G & Katie

Notes: Mainly fields and grassed towpath, few roads or stiles, some gates

Route

From the car park head west through the town to the School, turn right up the side of the school, left down the back, across the golf course to the railway bridge and on to the canal. Follow to the bridge south of Shenton, leave canal, over bridge to the Station, Ambion Hill, Sutton Cheney, the Lawns, north up the side of Spring Wood to Bosworth Park and back to car park

Journey

Sundays walk around Market Bosworth was a typical first proper walk of the year, decided at the last minute, too much gear packed in the rucksack, in case it was cold, got lost getting there, the cameras battery was flat and we (I) had several navigation faffs on a straight forward walk.  However, the sun shone, the sky was blue, occasionally, and the wind was not too cold. It was lovely to be out on something other than a dog walk around our local fields.

From the start we played spot the signs of spring, snowdrops , bunches of crocuses, one daffodil, buds on trees and hedgerows and a cheeky robin serenading us at lunchtime, golfers all over the golf course and barges were moving along the canal.

We parked at the car park on the edge of Bosworth Country Park a large area of what I would call heathland but others might call a park. Either way it must be a real asset to the residents and visitors to Market Bosworth.

The town centre is small and neat and the square was very full of traders and shoppers enjoying the sunshine, the banter, examining the goods, buying and selling and absorbing the smells of frying Angus burgers and onions.

Heading downhill we reached the school, walking along its side and down the track to its rear and into a golf course where we had the pleasure of watching a small plane taxi along a grass strip (not on the golf course) turn, and take off, flying south west.

I had a good look at the golf course as we walked and could not help but notice that it was undulating, but in an unnatural sort of way. Some humps were too high and too steep, plus the the transitions between humps and hollows and the flatter areas were unpleasing to the eye. Plainly it had been not built on the original fields, even if they had an industrial heritage. Later in the walk, a local confirmed that several million (!) tonnes of soil etc. had been shipped in to form the golf course.

Our route crossed over the Battlefield Steam Railway line, shame there’s nothing happening on it today,  then we crossed the Ashby-de-la-Zouch Canal and turned south along the towpath towards Shenton

Clearly the spring weather had bought people out walking and cycling and at every mooring point several of the boats had people on, most we assumed giving them a look over and tidy after the winter and getting ready for the season ahead, although one or two were moving on. We stopped and chatted to a few of the owners including those on a barge heading south, who kept pace with us for over half a mile as we walked and talked, mainly about our dog and their dogs.

 If you've read our only Blog in January, I mentioned that as I was being made redundant and taking early retirement we were thinking of getting dog, possibly a Labrador or maybe a Cairn Terrier. Well after much debate the Cairn won by a short head, and we picked up a rescue dog, Katie, from Glossop on a very, very wet and misty evening in early February. Katie is four years old, she has settled in very well, she’s friendly, usually quiet but with a loud bark. On the down side she gets car sick and we cannot let her off the lead, because if she gets out she is off at twenty miles an hour hunting every scent she can find. We have a lot of training to do.

In the past I have, on several occasions, stated that I do not like walking along canal towpaths, because they are boring and because they are so flat and so even that you walk faster than usual and every pace is the same length, resulting in sore muscles and possible injury. Yet here I am walking a canal towpath again. My only excuse is that in order to make a good walk of about the desired distance the only alternative route was along roads. So the canal was the lesser of two evils. Also it is grass, not paved and is rarely even.

We stopped at Shenton Station spend a good half hour sitting in the sunshine with a cup of tea and a Kit Kat admiring the Crocuses and listening to a disembodied voice describing how he and his mates were getting ready for the mornings battle, sharpening swords, preparing their armour and other things, over and over again. This was our introduction to Market Bosworth Battlefield.

As we proceeded up to Ambion Hill we listened to several more voices and read a bunch of explanation boards including a big one that said something along the lines of: We have told people for years that the battle of Bosworth (1485) was fought over there, now after a proper archaeological  study, the battle actually happen in a completely different direction. As a result some of the signs and explanation boards are being moved or replaced. While I found this mildly amusing,they are doing the right thing as this battle was an important English battle, a turning point in English history and even if a few of the details have moved, it is still the battlefield and Ambion Hill is a great place to see it and learn about it from. 

The walk back to Market Bosworth was spent talking as we walked with Tom and Pat, from Markfield. Tom and Pat are two charming and well travel people, with whom we had much in common.  It was a great pleasure sharing experiences, ideas and plans with them.

As I said at the start my camera battery was dead so I used the iphone for a few shots. I apologise for the lack of photos and the poor quality of these but whenever I pointed the phone to take a photo the only thing I could see was my reflection, very disconcerting.

Ivanhoe Way Day 3 Worthington to Stanton Under Bardon

Date : 11 September 2011

Area : Leicestershire

Walk : Ivanhoe Way Day 3

Start At : Worthington

End At : Stanton under Bardon

OS Sheet OS Explorer 245

Start Grid :4049 2060

End Grid : 4676 1115

Distance (M/k) :10.2 / 16.3

Ascent (ft) : 1080

Descent (ft) : 725

Route

These notes are provided to enable the walk to be plotted on a 1:25,000 map.

The Ivanhoe Walk is clearly marked on the map

Journey

We originally started out on this final leg of our Ivanhoe Way walk on Saturday 13 August but a couple of miles in a domestic problem brought the walk to a halt a rapid return to the car and a dash home. Thankfully things were soon sorted out but a day was wasted. Since then I have been embroiled in some fairly extensive decorating which has kept us from walking for nearly a month.

The first section from Worthington to Gelsmoor where we bailed out, was pleasant enough through a small housing estate across fields and along their edges until we came out on to the B5324, Rempston Road at Gelsmoor.


We resumed the walk by parking a car in the village of Newbold and wandered around to Rempstone Road passing The Gelsmoor Inn and joining the Ivanhoe Way at the first of the many, many stiles we would cross during the next 8 miles or so.

 In this first field there was a bunch of very curious blonde and red headed young ladies, who crowded us a little more than was pleasant and lead to the first navigational faff of the day, unfortunately not the last. Having sorted our mistake out, we pressed on passed Griffydam, around Peggs Green and across Swannington Moor towards Whitwick.

The land around these villages was for several hundred years the site of a half dozen collieries, plus the railway lines and industries associated with coal mining, we passed the headstocks from one of the pits as we walked. Indeed other than this remnant we saw little indication of the industrial past in the landscape, only fields, trees and hedges.

The numerous small fields, stiles and slightly strange waymarking caused several stops to check or correct minor navigation errors all of which slowed us down and broke up the rhythm of the walk which made this section of the walk less than enjoyable.

In Whitwick we walked down the wonderfully named Dumps Road to The City of Three Waters, which led us to the lovely Cademan Woods from here the walk took us through several housing estates and a stretch of woodland before skirting around Bardon Hill and quarry, across to Rise Rock Farm out onto the A511 and down to the the small car park to the north of Stanton under Bardon.

All in all we found much of this portion of the Ivanhoe Way walk disappointing and unsatisfying, but the dull, windy overcast day did not help. If I were to offer any advice to anyone contemplating walking the Ivanhoe Way, I’d say do it anticlockwise and possibly get the Whitwick, Ashby, Measham part done first.

Ivanhoe Way Day 2 Measham to Lount

Date 06 August 2011
Area :Leicestershire

Walk : Ivanhoe Way Day 2

Start At : Measham

End At : Lount

OS Sheet : Explorer 245

Start Grid : SK3347 1209

End Grid : SK3994 1847

Distance (M/k) : 12.9 / 20.7

Ascent (ft) : 764

Descent (ft) : 718

Route

These notes are provided to enable the walk to be plotted on a 1:25,000 map.

The Ivanhoe Walk is clearly marked on the map. Leaving the car park in the middle of Measham walk down the High Street picking up the track to Donisthorpe and follow the Ivanhoe Way through Moria, Ashby De La Zouch and on to Heath End where we went off route to Staunton Harold Hall up to the B587 and along the road to the car park at the New Lount Nature Reserve.

Journey

What a difference a week makes, the first third of our three sections walk around the Ivanhoe Round, last week, was a very rural walk with big fields and long views. In this second section we seemed to spend a lot of the walk plodding between two lines of trees with few chances to see much beyond them. This was a great shame, as what we could see was attractive. I am definitely not advocating mass tree removal, but the occasional glimpse to the countryside would be nice.

Large parts of the walk are in the old Leicestershire Coalfields, as well as the New National Forest. At the end of the rail path we entered an area of new woodland covering what was the old spoil heaps and lagoons of Donisthorpe Colliery. Having seen several old pit sites in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire before reclamation I am well aware of how awful some of these areas were. Now to see the new young woodland where so much mess existed is truly wonderful.

I have to say, I was never a supporter of the pit closures and despite the very obvious and wonderful improvements to the scenery and the atmosphere I cannot help but  feel that the closure of all those pits was at best premature, at worst unnecessary.

Having read the notice boards at the entrance to the Donisthorpe Woodland Park, together with the very detailed descriptions from the web pages of another walker, Matthew, I know that the the reclamation of this area was a mammoth piece of work with several major muck shifts, engineering works, new footpaths and much planting. Its impressive.

From Donisthorpe we went on along the way, turned a corner and stepped into a super little area containing a land locked section of the Ashby Canal, the remains of the Moira Furnace, a bank of restored Lime Kilns and a Museum all set in a very pleasant area of open grass land, almost a park, it was busy and attractive. On the canal tow path we saw a short black post which I assumed was an old mile marker for the canal. Only, on stopping we could see it marked the Mine, the seams worked and their depth below where we stood, it made us think.

We will have to come back here and have a good look around and hopefully take some better photographs than on this fleeting visit.

Crossing the canal we walked down the towpath, across the road and into a short section of woodland coming out in Moira, where the railway passes under the Ashby Road and walked towards Norris Hill. Eventually, we turned south off the Ashby Road and into an area of new woodland, which had sheep in it, before we trundled over the fields to the outskirts of Ashby De La Zouch.

The walk down into Ashby was fine and quickly the town centre came into view. It was noticeable that after the quiet of the countryside just how noisy the place was. On this stretch as thoughts of lunch loomed, I realised that although I had packed the food and brew kit in my rucksack, I’d forgotten to pack the coffee and milk. Black looks and hard words were duly received.

A plan was hatched, we would stay on the main road through Ashby, missing out the backside of the industrial estate, stop off at Tescos, for elevenses and I could do the necessary shopping.


Refreshed and provisioned, we did a bit of map jiggling and were quickly back on course, from here it was a lovely walk through new woodland and open fields passing Old Parks Farm. We eventually stopped for lunch sitting by the side of the path. When, just as the water boiled and I was juggling cups and hot water pot, spoon and sandwich, the only walkers we saw all day stopped to chat.

Reaching Heath End we left the Ivanhoe Way and swung right, south east, toward Staunton Harold Hall with its garden centre, tea room, art galleries toilets etc. had a look around and a spent few minutes sitting in the sun, out of the breeze, eating ice cream.

We walked on through the estate from Staunton Harold Hall to the road junction on the B587, north of Lount where we passed under the A42 into Melbourne Road and along to the car park at the New Lount Nature Reserve where we had parked my car on our way to Measham that morning.