Leicestershire Charnwood Forest

SEE

ON PAGE 52 second highest point in Beacon Hill, which is the climbs to 248m/814 feet at many facets of the Forest and This circular walk explores one of the oldest in the world. famous Charnwood fossil is most ancient in Britain and the – the rocks are amongst the passion for fossils and wildlife Attenborough developed his is here that the young David unexpected character and it The area has a distinctive and a large ancient deer park. picturesque woodlands and with undulating rocky tops, Leicester and Loughborough, of countryside between FEATURE metres km 20 0 40 0 60 0 0 0 forms an upland tract Charnwood Forest ROGER BUTLER CHOSEN BY... 11 u Distance: 9½ miles/15km u 9½ miles/15km Distance: 2 CHARNWOOD FOREST LEICESTERSHIRE 4

6 distant Lincoln Cathedral. from the Peak District to John Tower, and views stretch the hilltop folly known as Old ruins of Ulverscroft Priory and the impressive 13th century features of interest, including Leicestershire. There are many 1 leading to next gate. Head and enter wood on wide path to footbridge/gate. Keep ahead turn L on grassy path leading old mill. Go through gate and 20m and take path on R past gates to footbridge, turn L for Continue through two more into field leading to small gate. L between houses. Cross stile After road on L take path on and turn R past village hall. Views west over patchwork GR ADIENT PROFILE From car park return to road Start fields from Beacon Hill. Time: 4½ hours u 4½ hours Time:

8 10 12 Grade: Moderate Grade:

ROGER BUTLER ROGER PHOTO: to farm lane lined by tall poplar T-junction at Priory Lane. Cross 2 and road. join track swinging R to stile across long field to stile and 14 Landranger 129 Maps OS Explorer 246; Bus 120 from Leicester d r o f n i transportPublic L n w o t toiletsPublic At start w e N n i r e t Refreshments Choice s e c i e Nearest town L PLANNING . t e e f 0 0 0 Stiles 10 1 / m 0 0 3 ascents totalling almost fields and woods, with paths and tracks through Is it for me? Well-signed SK523097 Linford, LE6 0HB, grid ref Bradgate Park in Newtown Start/parking Car park at ROUTE PLAN YOUR WALK YOUR PLAN Turn L and continue to 1½ miles/2.5km 16 A B

20 ➥

MIDLANDS ✁ this historic area. to make a pleasant circuit of ponds and through woodland surprisingly rural and passes closed in 1967). The route is named after (the railway colliery’s that our walk is helped to service the five Great Central Railway which follows the disused line of The tracks. The main trail mostly on well established paths and Pits Trail offer great walking 1 a track junction. Go ahead ‘Start of Trail - 200 metres’ and going R of entrance to sign for metres Exit car park at top end Start km 20 0 40 0 60 0 0 0

Park and The Five Grassmoor Country STEVE GOODIER CHOSEN BY… 12 u Distance: 2 GRASSMOOR & THE FIVE PITS TRAIL DERBYSHIRE 6¼ miles/10km 4

6 Nature Reserve’). (signpost for ‘Williamthorpe factory’s to track junction passing through offices/ road bridge. Rise slightly undulating track to pass under past Wolfie Pond R following junction of tracks. Continue stay L (straight ahead) at 2 (pylons/overhead cables). ahead to track ‘T’ junction bench/small pond R. Continue ahead at all times passing continue more levelly. Stay Stay ahead on track rising to through gap by stile/gate. Take track ahead passing passing under road bridge. at track junction (bench L) continuing on track. Curve L tracks of the Five Pits Trail. GR ADIENT PROFILE Easy walking on the good Go L for short distance to ¾ mile/1.25km u 8 Time: 3 hours u 3 hours Time: 10

Grade: Grade: 12

STEVE GOODIER STEVE PHOTO: Moderate passing through two barriers descent. Stay ahead at junction Slope’, curve L to make steep track. After sign for ‘Steep continuing on gently rising 3 14 ROUTE Landranger 120 Maps OS Explorer OL269; Nothing to start transportPublic toiletsPublic None Grassmoor/Chesterfield R Nearest town Chesterfield PLANNING Stiles 6 ascents/descents paths. Some moderate easy to follow tracks/ Is it for me? Well-marked grid ref SK411672 course, S42 5BP), Greenways, near golf Country Park at Phoenix Trail car park, Grassmoor Start/parking Five Pits PLAN YOUR WALK YOUR PLAN Go R passing past sign 1½ miles/2.5km efreshments 16

➥

4 START 1 5 IN ASSOCIATION WITH OS MAPS OS lfto.com/cwroutes GET THIS WALK ON YOUR PHONE: of fallow deer, then head SE deer, of fallow gap in slopes to broad over Head towards wall. long stone ruins of Tudor magnificent cut across House, Bradgate path join riverside to pasture start. leading back to 2

3 7½ miles/12km into up track Walk take small gate and follow and follow small gate take L around Turn stile. to track gate. to edge of field down good R and follow Turn to golf course signage past straight Keep road. next cross stile/ ride to on up woodland and turn L to road at gate and car park. T-junction 5 Bradgate Park and head uphill Park Bradgate landmark the distinctive to as Old John Tower. known the herds out for an eye Keep

Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop

LEICESTERSHIRE FOREST CHARNWOOD 5¾ miles/9.25km R, then left after Turn Follow track to Beacon Hill, Beacon to track Follow 3¾ miles/6km OS Explorer map 246 u 200m on good track. At bend, At 200m on good track. R on path in wood leading in wood R on path join lane forking R. After 200m R. After join lane forking and small gate go through buildings with farm continue, then gates, two on L, through R via footbridge/ immediately two past track Follow stile. NE to and walk gates/stiles L for Turn lane. farm at stile then R to road, 250m to small gate Take crossroads. L, turn hedge on far through car park. to trees – look out for the large the large – look out for trees of an old moat remains watery ruined past on R. Continue Priory with fine Ulverscroft and decorative gothic arch ahead to Walk stonework. and shortly grid/stile cattle 3 4 past swathes of heather, and of heather, swathes past from views reaching far enjoy and viewpoint the trig point summit S from Drop indicator. path wide surfaced to rocks woods. through leading down on path take small gate, Pass and turn L at trees R through wide Follow T-junction. next on path 500m, take for path R soon leading to road. Cross Cross road. R soon leading to Broombriggs lane (signed to 100m take after Farm), on L by path permissive R across Veer walls. drystone gate first through pass field to reach 800m to and turn R for road. u 11

MIDLANDS ✁

4 IN ASSOCIATION WITH OS MAPS OS 5 miles/8km passing road, Cross lfto.com/cwroutes GET THIS WALK ON YOUR PHONE: 3 gate/kissing gate cut sharp gate gate/kissing to L soon curving R. Continue a gate. by via gate road reach 5 through gate by stile/gate. stile/gate. by gate through about for beyond track Follow Pond Wolfe by pass half mile to re-join junction track (R). At going L/R outbound route under bridge continue to car park. and R back to

5 carefully. Pick up The Trail Trail Pick up The carefully. for signpost again by and Woodlands’ ‘Holmewood a crossroad R on it. At curve L go ahead passing of tracks junction fields. At of playing ahead on main track L stay gate/ by gate through passing Go L and road. reach to stile R taking track/ road then cross on the other side passing Trail gate/stile. by gate through pass to on track Continue Slope’ sign. bench/‘Steep fork L at slope staying Descend Rise a dip/stream. over drop to next bench. At passing beyond go sharp of tracks junction ‘Grassmoor) R (signposted dip/stream over descending picnic tables rise and pass to At ahead on track. staying 2 Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop START

DERBYSHIRE TRAIL & THE FIVE PITS GRASSMOOR 3 miles/4.8km going carefully road Cross OS Explorer map OL269 u R over bridge. Go L (‘Five Pits Go L (‘Five bridge. R over Continue trees. entering Trail’) it and cross another road to u R/houses L. At end of houses R/houses L. At road. barrier) go L to (by ‘Five Pits Trail Sign’. Go R Pits Trail ‘Five ‘Holmewood’) (Signposted factory past track following on yourself to continue uphill continue to on yourself Continue on ‘wheelchair route’. and of tracks crossroad to to cross bridge. At crossroads crossroads At bridge. cross to ‘Holmewood go R (signposted track Follow Route’. Wheelchair to Ponds L of Williamthorpe all ahead at Stay trees. rise into Just junctions. any times at factory/green large before back L cutting barrier curve 4 12

MIDLANDS