‘Kissing Gate’ turn right on to the road. Stay on this road passing Newton Harcourt Harcourt Newton passing road this on Stay road. the to on right turn Gate’ ‘Kissing

next road turn right to meet a footpath near an old school house. Turn left. At the the At left. Turn house. school old an near footpath a meet to right turn road next

To continue the Two Steeples Walk turn left on a path next to house No.3. At the the At No.3. house to next path a on left turn Walk Steeples Two the continue To

canal to Kilby Bridge and then back along the A5199 to ). to A5199 the along back then and Bridge Kilby to canal

to cross the bridge over the railway and fi eld to the canal. Turn right and follow the the follow and right Turn canal. the to eld fi and railway the over bridge the cross to

(For a shorter walk of about 6 miles you could continue straight ahead at this point point this at ahead straight continue could you miles 6 about of walk shorter a (For

In Newton Harcourt cross the road and go straight ahead into the road opposite. road the into ahead straight go and road the cross Harcourt Newton In

Approx. 3 miles 3 Approx.

Newton Harcourt to Kilby via Wistow via Kilby to Harcourt Newton

(This track is muddy in winter). in muddy is track (This

follow the track to Newton Harcourt. Harcourt. Newton to track the follow

Section 4 Section

Approx. 3 miles 3 Approx.

hedge at the top. Turn right here and and here right Turn top. the at hedge

Kilby Bridge to All Saints Church Saints All to Bridge Kilby

of the next fi eld to cross a stile in the the in stile a cross to eld fi next the of

right. Walk uphill through the middle middle the through uphill Walk right.

Section 3 Section

Approx. 1 mile 1 Approx.

the fi rst fi eld with the hedge on your your on hedge the with eld fi rst fi the

Kilby to Kilby Bridge Kilby to Kilby

this well marked track and go down down go and track marked well this

across open countryside. Turn on to to on Turn countryside. open across

Section 2 Section Approx. 3 miles 3 Approx.

there is an open gateway and views views and gateway open an is there

Newton Harcourt to Kilby via Wistow via Kilby to Harcourt Newton

second footpath sign on your right where where right your on sign footpath second

Turn left and walk along the lane to the the to lane the along walk and left Turn

Section 1 Section Approx. 3 miles 3 Approx.

red posts until you reach Mere Lane. Mere reach you until posts red St Wistans Church to Newton Harcourt Newton to Church Wistans St

course. Walk close to the yellow posts and the white and and white the and posts yellow the to close Walk course.

path turns left and then right over a stile onto Glen Gorse golf golf Gorse Glen onto stile a over right then and left turns path

Follow a marked footpath with a hedge on your right until the the until right your on hedge a with footpath marked a Follow

Follow a grassy path marked ‘Meres Walk’ to its end. its to Walk’ ‘Meres marked path grassy a Follow

19.

the wall to Mere Road and then turn right on a path next to No. No. to next path a on right turn then and Road Mere to wall the

follow Church Nook into St Wolstan’s Close. Go through a gap in in gap a through Go Close. Wolstan’s St into Nook Church follow

From St Wistans church in Bull Head Street (now the A5199) A5199) the (now Street Head Bull in church Wistans St From

Approx. 3 miles 3 Approx. St Wistans Church to Newton Harcourt Newton to Church Wistans St

Wigston Magna is unusual in having two churches. Since the time of Henry VIII the village has been known as Wigston Two Steeples. This circular walk of ten miles starts at St Wistans church in Wigston Magna and

follows fi eld paths and tracks to Newton Harcourt, Wistow and Kilby before ending KILBY BRIDGE at All Saints church in Wigston Magna. Steeples The route is entirely on established Rights of Way. Included in the walk is a stretch of the with a crossing over the canal via lock gates. Although the complete walk is ten miles in length, shorter sections could be followed by walking back along the road, by using public transport or by leaving a second car at some point along the route. There are opportunities for refreshments at Wistow tearooms, the Dog and Gun at Kilby and the Navigation Inn at Kilby Bridge. This leafl et has been produced by the Stepping Stones Project with County Council. KILBY via WISTOW The Two Steeples Walk was developed by Mary D Essinger, Colin Hames and other members of Wigston Civic Society to celebrate the year 2000.

Transport: For public transport information Traveline on 0871 200 2233. For information on other walks in Leicestershire please contact Stepping Stones (0116 305 7221 / 7264) or for Parish Walks contact the NEWTON HARCOURT Rights of Way Team (0116 305 8160 / 7655)

The Stepping Stones Project is supported by Leicestershire County Council, Blaby District Council, Charnwood Borough Council, Council, Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, and Wigston Borough Council. ST WISTANS CHURCH ST WISTANS

Designed by the Leicestershire County Council, Creative Services H0495 10/2009

H0496 Two Steeples Walk Leaflet.indd 1 01/02/2010 15:03 church on your left. Just before the road crosses the River Sence turn left into a fi eld. Kilby Bridge to All Saints Church Approx. 3 miles With the river on your right follow the well walked path to cross the wooden bridge next to Wistow church and then follow the footpath to the road. Turn right up the road, cross the cattle grid and turn left with Wistow Tea Rooms on Cross the road and descend to the towpath by the side of the canal. Do not turn your left. Follow the path through a car park to another cattle grid at the top of this right under the bridge but follow the canal to the second set of locks. This is Double fi eld. Rail Lock where you cross the canal using the extra rails to help you over the lock Cross the cattle grid and turn right onto the bridle path. (This long track is muddy in gates. winter). After the electricity pylons and when you are almost at the top of the rise, Cross the fi eld diagonally under overhead cables down to a kissing gate in the cross the stile in the hedge on your right. Follow the footpath signs towards Kilby. corner. Then keep the hedge on your left till you cross the footbridge over the From this point there are excellent views of the two steeples of Wigston. All Saints London railway line. church, the fi nishing point for this walk, can be seen slightly to your right. Immediately after the bridge turn left on the path between houses on to Britford After the fi fth fi eld enter Halford Avenue. From Britford Avenue turn right along Amesbury Road, cross Launceston Farm yard over a stile. Walk through Road and then walk along Bodmin Avenue, which is to the right of a block of shops. the farmyard and down the Main At the T-junction turn left then right onto a footpath next to 21 Truro Drive. Follow Street, Kilby passing the Dog and this path downhill between houses then left and right to the path beside 47 Gun on your left. Falmouth Drive. On meeting Davenport Road turn left then right up the rough track At the bottom, where the road turns of Gas Lane. You have reached All Saints church and the end of your ten-mile walk. sharply left, cross the stile in front Well done! of you and enter the fi eld. The Kilby If you need to return to St Wistans church follow Long Street and then turn right in church of St Mary Magdalene is to Bell Street. over to your right. N.B. There is a bus route back to Wigston from Kilby and Kilby Bridge. Details from Traveline Tel 0871 200 2233.

Kilby to Kilby Bridge Approx. 1 mile

Keep the stream on your left for three fi elds then cross it by the footbridge and turn right. Follow the signs, passing a farm over on the left and then diagonally cross a big fi eld to a gate on the A5199. Turn right keeping on the grass verge to avoid traffi c and follow the road towards Kilby Bridge and the Navigation Inn.

All Saints Church St Wistans Church All Saints Church was built between 1280 St Wistans church, dating from the 13th and 1320 in the Decorated or Late Gothic century, was named after a Mercian Prince, style. Built of Enderby granite it has a tall murdered at Wistow. His body rested here on recessed spire of limestone. the way to burial at Repton in Derbyshire.

Oadby & Wigston District The Meres The Meres, an ancient boundary between the Fishing Lakes parishes of Wistow and Wigston, is thought to be part of a prehistoric road between Soil was dug from here and transported by Stow-on-the-Wold and Burrough-on the-Hill. rail to build the Wigston to road over the railway, a quarter of a mile Newton away. Harcourt

Newton Harcourt Double Rail Lock St Luke’s Kilby Bridge In St Luke’s churchyard there is a tombstone in the shape of a church. In winter the churchyard is full of snowdrops and in the nearby woods there are acconites.

Wistow

Kilby Wistow The church, farm and hall are the remains of the medieval village of Wistow. There is a legend that human hair grows through the churchyard grass on June 1st each year, the anniversary of the murder of St. Wistan in 847. Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Leicestershire County Council LA076724/00/03.

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