This leaflet can be used in conjunction with The National Forest Way OS Explorer maps 233, 245 & 246 The National Forest Way takes walkers on a 75-mile journey through a transforming Stage 1: landscape, from the National Memorial End Arboretum in Staffordshire to Beacon Hill Country Park in Leicestershire. Bradgate Park to On the way, you will discover the area’s evolution from a rural landscape, through industrialisation and its decline, to the Beacon Hill modern-day creation of a new forest, where 21st-century life is threaded through a mosaic Length: 7¼ miles / 11¾ kilometres of green spaces and settlements. The trail leads through young and ancient Start woodlands, market towns and the industrial heritage of this changing landscape. Burton upon Trent About this stage Swadlincote Start: Bradgate Park, Newtown Linford (LE6 0HB) Ashby End: Beacon Hill, Woodhouse Eaves (LE12 8TA) de la Zouch Coalville On this final eastbound section, the National Forest Way leads you through the craggy uplands of Charnwood. En route you will go through ancient woodlands and pass some of the oldest rocks in Britain. Heathland characterises the open summits affording stunning views of the surrounding countryside The National Forest Way was created by a and, in the distance, the city of Leicester. partnership of the National Forest Company, Derbyshire County Council, Leicestershire County Council and Staffordshire County The National Forest Company Council, with the generous Bath Yard, Moira, Swadlincote, support of Fisher German. Derbyshire DE12 6BA Telephone: 01283 551211 Enquiries: www.nationalforestway.co.uk/contact Website: www.nationalforest.org To find out more, visit: Photos: Jacqui Rock, Lesley Hextall, Martin Vaughan, www.nationalforestway.co.uk Chris Beech and 2020Vision (Ben Hall & Danny Green) Maps reproduced by permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of HMSO. © Crown copyright and database right (2014). All rights reserved. Licence number 100021056. Route directions: Eastbound Bradgate Park to Beacon Hill 1 Starting from the Newtown Linford car 6 Go through the large kissing gate park, go through the large ornate metal in the park boundary wall and turn 12 gates into Bradgate Park and walk along right towards a small gate. Go 11 the tarmac lane for about 1,000m, until you through the gate and walk straight approach the ruins of Bradgate House. ahead on the path between the 2 2 At the waymark post, turn left off the park wall and a hedge for almost tarmac lane and on to a loose stone 1,000m, passing through another gate on the way. surfaced path, which leads to the gate in 9 the walls around the ruins. Just before you 7 When you come to a gate back get to the entrance gate to the ruins, turn into the park (on your right), 10 left onto a grassy path and walk along it, turn left and go over the stile 8 with the wall on your right, towards a gap and walk down the track between this wall and another one coming until you reach a gate across from your left. After going through the the track. Carry on straight 6 gap, go straight ahead on the grassy path, ahead, going over the stile if passing the walled wood on your left. the gate is shut. At the end 7 3 At the junction of paths by a waymark post, of the track you will reach 5 keep walking straight ahead. Another path Roecliffe Road. goes across signed ‘Horse track’. Ignore 8 Cross over the road (with this and carry on ahead. care) to go through the 4 4 When the path splits, take the left fork gate opposite and onto 3 towards Old John Tower, visible on the the bridleway. hill in front of you. Follow this path past a 9 After about 200m, 1 small copse of trees and keep heading for turn right onto the the tower. When another well-marked path main bridleway into goes across your path, carry on straight Swithland Wood. ahead towards Old John, following the Follow this for 350m grassy path as it goes uphill sharply to the until you reach a 2 tower. clear junction of 1 5 When you get to Old John Tower take time bridleways. to admire the views (a viewpoint disc tells 10 At the junction, you what you can see from there) before turn left and heading straight down the other of the hill follow the bridleway, towards a large gate in the park boundary ignoring paths off to the right and wall. If you find the rocks a bit steep, bear left. When the bridleway starts to bend right and pick up another path that ends up to the left, turn off to the right and head in the same place. downhill on the ‘horse track’. Follow this track for a few hundred metres, ignoring a path off to your right. 11 After passing an open area with a picnic table, ignore the first left turn by a stream 21 and take the second left towards a gate and a wall. Follow the path with the wall on 22 End your right. When the path forks, take the 4 right fork onto the well-used ‘horse track’ 20 and follow it to the road. 12 Go through the gap next to the gate, carefully cross the road and then turn 19 right. Take care here, as initially there is no footway next to the road. 18 3 15 13 After about 100m you will reach a road junction. Take the road to the left, 16 signposted to Woodhouse. 17 14 At the next road junction, turn left onto Brand Hill. Walk along the footway for 14 800m until you pass a sign saying ‘Church 13 Hill’ and come to a bus stop. 15 Turn left here and go through a small chicane onto a tarmac footpath between 19 Cross the road 12 houses. with care and go 11 through the chicane on the 16 At the end of the path, turn right and walk down Victoria Road to the end, where it other side. Go straight across the track on the other side of the meets Maplewell Road. Turn left and follow 2 the Maplewell Road for about 150m until chicane and carry on until you come to a T-junction in the paths. Turn left here and you come to the entrance to Broombriggs 9 Farm on your right. head up the woodland path. Keep following this main path up the hill, ignoring a smaller 17 Go through the gate into Broombriggs path off to the right by a carved wooden 10 Farm and follow the footpath straight head. 8 ahead. Carry on along the footpath through the next gate and along the edge of the 20 When the path curves right, you are field, keeping the hedge on your left. Follow approaching the top of Beacon Hill, carry this path round a bend to the right, still straight on towards the metal gate, ignoring keeping the hedge on your left. the path to the car park on your left. NOTE: If you turn right at this point, you will 22 Go through the next gate 18 When you come to the end of the second field, there are two gates on your left. Go reach a car park with public toilets. and carry on straight ahead downhill for 700m. Ignore paths off to your right and through the gate and the metal kissing gate 21 Go through the smaller pedestrian gate and then head diagonally right across the and continue straight ahead along the track left. At the end of the path, go through the field. At the edge of the field, go through past the top of Beacon Hill. Keep following gap next to the barrier and into the car the metal gate and then turn right along the the main path for about 700m as it bends park. tarmac drive and walk to the end where it right, ignoring a path off to the left opposite You have now reached the eastern end of meets a road. the information board. the National Forest Way. Useful Information Points of interest along this stage Parking 1 Bradgate Park 3 Broombriggs Farm Car parking is available at Beacon Hill and Bradgate Park is an historic Broombriggs provides a Bradgate Park. medieval deer park in the heart fascinating insight into of the ancient Charnwood the workings of a typical Please note that there is a charge for parking Forest. It retains much of Charnwood arable and at both sites and also be aware of car park its original wild and rugged livestock farm. Follow the closing times before setting off. landscape with dramatic rocky circular way-marked trail outcrops and gnarled oak around the farm and then take trees, many of which are well in the views across the Soar over 500 years old. Herds of Valley from the remains of the red and fallow deer still roam former windmill. Public transport amongst the bracken. Woodhouse Eaves is on the 154 Newtown Linford is on the 120 Coalville-Leicester bus route (Mon-Sat). 2 Swithland Wood 4 Beacon Hill Country Park Loughborough-Leicester bus route (Mon-Fri) Swithland Wood is an attractive Rising to a height of 245 and 123 Loughbrough-Leicester (Sat only). and atmospheric area of metres, Beacon Hill is the ancient woodland, a remnant second highest point in Change at Anstey to travel between the start of the original Charnwood Leicestershire. Look out for the and finish of the stage. Forest oak woods. Designated unusual rock formation, which For detailed information on timetables, call as a Site of Special Scientific has been dubbed the ‘Old Man Traveline on 0871 200 22 33 (charges apply).