Local Walks AROUND BARROW UPON SOAR www.choosehowyoumove.co.uk These walks include the loop of the River Soar as it curves from Barrow to Quorn, the canal, surrounding wolds countryside and Charnwood Hills. The parish comprises the village, the River Soar, Grand Union Canal, working railway, Barrow Gravel Pits, one of oldest surviving valley pits in the county and a derelict willow osier bed (grid ref 580158), Barrow Hill, disused lime pits and hedgerows rich in wildlife and flora route linking Leicester with the Trent and Mersey Canal. START: Public car park at Old Station Close at south end of High NOTES: Do not attempt walks 3 and 4 when the river is in flood, or for Street. Nearest postcode LE12 8QL, Ordnance Survey Grid Reference several days afterwards. For details visit www.environment-agency.gov.uk. 457452 317352 - Explorer Map 246. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: With thanks to the Ramblers, Britain’s PARKING: Public Car Park, Old Station Close. walking charity, who have helped develop this local walk. For more For more information GETTING THERE: information and ideas for walks visit www.ramblers.org.uk and to report Plan your journey on foot, by bike, public transport or car by visiting problems contact: www.choosehowyoumove.co.uk or calling Traveline on 0871 200 22 33 Tel 0116 305 0001 (charges apply) for the latest public transport information. Email footpaths@ leics.gov.uk Local Walks AROUND BARROW UPON SOAR www.choosehowyoumove.co.uk Walk 1: A walk to Barrow Deep Lock and From the car park turn left over E. Turn right over the railway railway bridge into High Street, bridge and right into Breachfield Easy Millennium Park with views of the river and then left along Cotes Road to Road. Follow this around two countryside. the footpath on the left, after bends to a signed footpath on the 1 hour no. 29 known as Barrowcliffe right between nos. 58 and 60. 30 minutes Jitty. Follow the path to cross the START: Public car park at Old Station Close at south end of High Street. F. Cross a stile and Fishpool railway footbridge and down the 5km Nearest postcode LE12 8QL, Ordnance Survey Grid Reference 457452 Brook then go slightly right up steep descent to Bridge Street. 3 miles 317352 - Explorer Map 246. the bank to another stile into a I N A. Cross with care, take the path large field that is usually cropped. Cafés in through the green space between Follow the path diagonally right Barrow Upon Proctor’s Park Road and the river. and pass through a gap in the Soar J Follow the path to a slope and hedge to the railway fence. Pubs in cycle barrier next to the canal Barrow Upon G. Turn left uphill with the bridge, Turn right over this, and Soar START hedge on the left until a clear then left on to the towpath by footpath crosses. Turn right Barrow Deep Lock. Follow the towards a yellow waymark post towpath to Mill Lane Bridge. and a gap in the hedge. B. Go up the steps and turn H. Turn left through the gap left over the bridge, past the down to the Fishpool Way/ H Navigation pub then right F Melton Road roundabout. Enter into Ribble Drive. Turn almost Millennium Park opposite and immediately right into Welland A continue ahead to emerge onto E Road, then round into Avon Road. Fishpool Way at a junction with C. Between nos. 37 and 39 a bridleway. D on the right, turn into the jitty I. Continue ahead along Fishpool which twists and turns up to G Way to a tarmac path then turn Sileby Road. For more information C right over Fishpool Brook to D. Turn left up the hill along Sileby reach the end of Brook Lane. and to report B 0 miles 0.6 miles Road, between nos. 9 and 11. problems contact: J. Go uphill to join Babington 0 km 1 km Turn right up a couple of steps to a Tel 0116 305 0001 © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Leicestershire County Council. Road, then along North Street 100019271. Published 2012 jitty which bends round alongside Email footpaths@ and High Street to the car park. Key to map symbols see: www.leics.gov.uk/explorerkey.pdf the railway to Grove Lane. leics.gov.uk Local Walks AROUND BARROW UPON SOAR www.choosehowyoumove.co.uk Walk 2: A route that takes in fine views of From the car park turn left over D. Cross Melton Road with care railway bridge into High Street, and follow the enclosed lane for Moderate open wolds country and Charnwood Hills. then left along Cotes Road past 150m to the point where it is Humphrey Perkins School to the crossed by the footpath to Seagrave. START: Public car park at Old Station Close at south end of High Street. 2 hours end of a granite wall which fronts Pass through the handgate and Nearest postcode LE12 8QL, Ordnance Survey Grid Reference 457452 30 minutes the gardens of Strancliffe. leave the bridleway immediately 317352 - Explorer Map 246. 8km A. Turn right up the surfaced at the waymarker to the right. Follow alongside electric tapes to 5 miles N C bridleway, known as Strancliffe Lane. Follow the track across a waymark post and kissing gate. Continue downhill across a large Cafés in Willow Road to reach Nottingham Barrow Upon Road (the dips in the lane and field to two stiles in the corner. Soar surrounding fields are the remains E. Follow to some steps and B Pubs in of small limestone quarries used a handgate then bear right to Barrow Upon to produce mortar). the skyline (the view ahead is Soar B. Cross the road with care and dominated by the Charnwood turn left for 100m along the verge Hills). Continue along the ridge to the footpath on the right. Go to reach a broad ride then go through the handgate and over the straight through the gap in the A hedge and continue downhill to a D stile then walk diagonally across the field towards a solitary tree on large cropped field and follow the the horizon. Pass through the next footbridge onto Breachfield Road. handgate to join the bridleway F. Turn left to a jitty on the right E along the edge of two large fields. between nos. 59 and 61, which C. Turn right at the end of the leads to Melton Road. Cross START slightly right into New Street. G F second field along a farm track (the village of Walton-on-the-Wolds G. Follow another jitty straight is a few minutes to the left here). ahead, passing the Hall Orchard For more information Follow the track to Fishpool Brook Primary School to Church Street. and to report in the valley below and continue 0 miles 0.6 miles Turn left, passing the church on problems contact: 0 km 1 km uphill along the bridleway. Pass the right, and the Roundhouse Tel 0116 305 0001 © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Leicestershire County Council. through the handgate and onto the 100019271. Published 2012 lock-up and Old Men’s Hospital Email footpaths@ lane. The buildings on the left once on the left, then turn left into Key to map symbols see: www.leics.gov.uk/explorerkey.pdf leics.gov.uk belonged to the Quorn Hunt. High Street to the car park. Local Walks AROUND BARROW UPON SOAR www.choosehowyoumove.co.uk Walk 3: A walk following the River Soar through Note – do not attempt this walk D. Turn left and cross straight when the river is in flood, or for over the mini-roundabout (a Easy water meadows from Barrow to Quorn. several days afterwards. Roman settlement has been found For details visit www.environment- near here) then continue for 150 START: Public car park at Old Station Close at south end of High Street. 1 hour agency.gov.uk. m. At the footpath sign, turn left Nearest postcode LE12 8QL, Ordnance Survey Grid Reference 457452 30 minutes through the handgate and walk 317352 - Explorer Map 246. Turn right from car park into down to the river. Keeping the 4.65km Bridge Street which leads to a 2.75 miles river on the left, follow the path N narrow bridge over the River through a succession of stiles and Soar. gates (all waymarked) to pass Cafés in A. Cross the bridge and Barrow Upon A under the new A6 (these are the Soar START immediately turn left through ‘water meadows’ which still hold the handgate onto the ‘Slabs’ Pubs in water in times of flood and are Barrow Upon B G footpath (originally paved in excellent for grazing cattle and Soar the 19th century to give a dry producing hay). path from Quorn Hall to Barrow E. Continue ahead to the railway station). C handgate which leads to an B. Cross the long footbridge over enclosed surfaced path. Cross the A6 then pass through the the footbridge then follow small field onto a lane leading to the enclosed path between F Meynell Road. paddocks to a lane. C. Turn left and follow the F. Turn right towards the canal road to the right, into Soar then turn left down the steps Road which borders the river. before the bridge. Follow the D E Continue left into School Lane towpath to Barrow Deep Lock. to the T-junction with the old G. Cross the bridge here and A6, Leicester Road (the main immediately turn left through For more information road through the Soar Valley for cycle barrier into public open centuries).