Local Walks AROUND WISTOW
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Local Walks AROUND WISTOW www.choosehowyoumove.co.uk Wistow is set in historic parkland and attracts many visitors with a wide choice of walks and good facilities. The old village has disappeared but Wistow Hall remains. Here Charles I sheltered after his defeat at the Battle of Naseby in 1645. The gently rolling countryside includes the solitary St. Wistan’s Church, the tranquil Grand Union Canal, and pleasant villages such as Kilby and Newton Harcourt. Famous for the Wistow Maze, the adjacent Rural Centre also provides a welcome break at its tearooms, garden centre and craft shops. START: Car park, Wistow Rural Centre, Wistow, Leicester, LE8 0QF NOTE: Walks 2 and 3 can be combined to make a longer walk of up Ordnance Survey: Grid Ref: SP639958 - Explorer Map 233 to 12.7km (7.9 miles), allow 3 hours. PARKING: Next to Rural Centre, free of charge, but check closing time. GETTING THERE: For more information Plan your journey on foot, by bike, public transport or car by visiting and to report www.choosehowyoumove.co.uk or calling Traveline on 0871 200 22 33 problems contact: (charges apply) for the latest public transport information. Tel 0116 305 0001 Email footpaths@ leics.gov.uk Local Walks AROUND WISTOW www.choosehowyoumove.co.uk Walk 1: A steady short stroll on grassy fields, From the entrance to the car C. Turn left along Glen Road and park turn right past Wistow Hall take the first road on the left, Easy quiet roads, and alongside a tranquil canal. and walk along the road for The Square. At the end of the 450m before taking the footpath road continue across the field START: 1 hour left of the church. This attractive to the Lock Keeper’s Cottage at Car park, Wistow Rural Centre, Wistow, Leicester, LE8 0QF 30 minutes small church was dedicated Newton Top Lock, (a good place Ordnance Survey: Grid Ref: SP639958 - Explorer Map 233 to St Wistan, a Mercian royal for a picnic) 4.8km prince who was allegedly 3 miles N D. Turn left along the canal martyred here in AD 849. towpath, passing under Newton Toilets at A. Go over the bridge beyond Bridge (No. 80). On the right Wistow C the church, and bear left across you will glimpse St Luke’s Rural Centre the fields towards Newton Church as you continue along Café at Wistow B Harcourt in the distance. At the canal bank to go under the Rural Centre the road, turn right to enter the next bridge (High Bridge No.79). village. You will see St Luke’s On this stretch you will get good D Church on the right and the views towards Wistow. attractive manor house, once a At the next bridge (No. 78) you dower house, on the left. This need to leave the towpath and was built in the early C17. cross over the canal to follow the Continue over the Grand Union footpath across the fields to St Canal and the railway line, and Wistan’s Church. Turn right at the immediately turn left along the road to return to car park. footpath to the School House (built 1866). A B. Turn right into Post Office START Lane and follow it to reach Glen Road. You will see opposite the For more information Octagon Cottages, which in the and to report past formed the toll-house where 0 km 1 km problems contact: 0 miles 0.6 miles drovers paid tolls for watering Tel 0116 305 0001 © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Leicestershire County Council. their cattle. 100019271. Published 2012 Email footpaths@ Key to map symbols see: www.leics.gov.uk/explorerkey.pdf leics.gov.uk Local Walks AROUND WISTOW www.choosehowyoumove.co.uk Walk 2: A walk to enjoy the understated charm From the entrance of the car C. Continue on Kilby Road until, park turn right past Wistow Hall opposite Wolsey Close, turn Moderate of this gently undulating, unspoilt countryside. and walk along the road for right into the footpath between 450m before taking the footpath fences. At Batchelor Road cross START: 2 hours left at the side of the church. and continue straight ahead, Car park, Wistow Rural Centre, Wistow, Leicester, LE8 0QF 30 minutes Go over the bridge beyond the passing a school on the right. Ordnance Survey: Grid Ref: SP639958 - Explorer Map 233 church and continue straight Cross the next street Coleman 8.2km 5 miles N A ahead towards the Grand Union Road and turn right. After 50m Canal. take the path left, between Toilets at A. Cross over the canal bridge, house numbers 68 and 70. Now Wistow go left down onto the towpath, follow the path across the fields. Rural Centre START turn to go under the bridge and D. When the path reaches Pub in Fleckney B continue along the canal bank. a wide farm track, then turn Village B. At Crane’s Lock cross over right. The track is a bridleway Café at Wistow Rural Centre the canal and continue on the which leads directly back to the footpath to reach the road. tearooms and car parking. Cross straight over and continue along the footpath to reach another road on the edge of Fleckney where you turn left. At the mini roundabout turn right D into Kilby Road (for the shops and public houses of Fleckney, at this point bear left along High Street). For more information C and to report 0 km 1 km 0 miles 0.6 miles problems contact: © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Tel 0116 305 0001 Leicestershire County Council. 100019271. Published 2012 Email footpaths@ Key to map symbols see: www.leics.gov.uk/explorerkey.pdf leics.gov.uk Local Walks AROUND WISTOW www.choosehowyoumove.co.uk Walk 3: A rural wander with wide horizons At the end of the outer car park and along a track. Just before furthest from the main road, reaching the Harcourt Stud the Easy then following the meandering canal. (and keeping the tearooms, path leads left to the canal bank garden centre and craft shops on and follows this to the road. 2 hours START: your left) follow the path along Car park, Wistow Rural Centre, Wistow, Leicester, LE8 0QF C. Turn left at the road over the 30 minutes the left edge of the open field. Ordnance Survey: Grid Ref: SP639958 - Explorer Map 233 bridge then, 25 metres north, on Note the pronounced ridge and 7.4km the left take the linkpath down furrow on your right. 4.6 miles N to the canal. At the towpath turn On reaching the next road cross left and go under the bridge. Toilets at over, go left to the cattle grid The locks along this stretch Wistow and gate, then turn right onto were built in the 1790’s and Rural Centre C the bridleway and continue renovated in the 1870’s but Pub in Kilby along the well-worn track. have been constantly maintained Village since those times. A. After 1200m, the track is Café at Wistow Rural Centre D crossed by a footpath. Turn Follow the towpath passing right here, onto the footpath, the Lock Keeper’s Cottage at and head towards Kilby, a small Newton Top Lock, then under village with a population of Newton Bridge and High Bridge. START under 300. On the right are good views back towards Wistow. Cross the fields to a farmyard, B passing through it to reach the D. At the next bridge (No. 78) road at a T junction. Turn right you need to leave the towpath and go along the road for 250m, and cross over the canal to then cross the road left to the follow the footpath across the footpath sign(s). fields past St Wistan’s Church. Then turn right at the road to B. Follow the right hand return to car park. footpath sign heading away For more information from Kilby, and towards Newton and to report 0 km 1 km problems contact: A 0 miles 0.6 miles Harcourt. The footpath crosses © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Tel 0116 305 0001 Leicestershire County Council. a footbridge over the River 100019271. Published 2012 Sence and passes through fields, Email footpaths@ Key to map symbols see: www.leics.gov.uk/explorerkey.pdf leics.gov.uk .