H0496 Two Steeples Walk Leaflet.indd 1 Leaflet.indd Walk Steeples Two H0496 01/02/2010 15:03 01/02/2010 H0495 10/2009 Services Creative Council, County Leicestershire the by Designed ST WISTANS CHURCH ST WISTANS Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, Oadby and Wigston Borough Council. Borough Wigston and Oadby Council, Borough Bosworth and Hinckley Blaby District Council, Charnwood Borough Council, Harborough District Council, Council, District Harborough Council, Borough Charnwood Council, District Blaby The Stepping Stones Project is supported by Leicestershire County Council, County Leicestershire by supported is Project Stones Stepping The Rights of Way Team (0116 305 8160 / 7655) / 8160 305 (0116 Team Way of Rights NEWTON HARCOURT or for Parish Walks contact the contact Walks Parish for or contact Stepping Stones (0116 305 7221 / 7264) / 7221 305 (0116 Stones Stepping contact For information on other walks in Leicestershire please Leicestershire in walks other on information For For public transport information Traveline on 0871 200 2233. 200 0871 on Traveline information transport public For Transport: members of Wigston Civic Society to celebrate the year 2000. year the celebrate to Society Civic Wigston of members The Two Steeples Walk was developed by Mary D Essinger, Colin Hames and other other and Hames Colin Essinger, D Mary by developed was Walk Steeples Two The KILBY via WISTOW County Council. County This leafl et has been produced by the Stepping Stones Project with Leicestershire Leicestershire with Project Stones Stepping the by produced been has et leafl This Kilby and the Navigation Inn at Kilby Bridge. Kilby at Inn Navigation the and Kilby There are opportunities for refreshments at Wistow tearooms, the Dog and Gun at at Gun and Dog the tearooms, Wistow at refreshments for opportunities are There second car at some point along the route. the along point some at car second followed by walking back along the road, by using public transport or by leaving a a leaving by or transport public using by road, the along back walking by followed Although the complete walk is ten miles in length, shorter sections could be be could sections shorter length, in miles ten is walk complete the Although of the Grand Union Canal with a crossing over the canal via lock gates. lock via canal the over crossing a with Canal Union Grand the of The route is entirely on established Rights of Way. Included in the walk is a stretch stretch a is walk the in Included Way. of Rights established on entirely is route The Steeples Steeples Magna. Wigston in church Saints All at KILBY BRIDGE ending before Kilby and Wistow Harcourt, Newton to tracks and paths eld fi follows This circular walk of ten miles starts at St Wistans church in Wigston Magna and and Magna Wigston in church Wistans St at starts miles ten of walk circular This village has been known as Wigston Two Steeples. Two Wigston as known been has village Wigston Magna is unusual in having two churches. Since the time of Henry VIII the the VIII Henry of time the Since churches. two having in unusual is Magna Wigston St Wistans Church to Newton Harcourt Approx. 3 miles From St Wistans church in Bull Head Street (now the A5199) follow Church Nook into St Wolstan’s Close. Go through a gap in the wall to Mere Road and then turn right on a path next to No. 19. Follow a grassy path marked ‘Meres Walk’ to its end. Follow a marked footpath with a hedge on your right until the path turns left and then right over a stile onto Glen Gorse golf course. Walk close to the yellow posts and the white and St Wistans Church to Newton Harcourt red posts until you reach Mere Lane. Approx. 3 miles Section 1 Turn left and walk along the lane to the Newton Harcourt to Kilby via Wistow second footpath sign on your right where there is an open gateway and views Approx. 3 miles Section 2 across open countryside. Turn on to this well marked track and go down Kilby to Kilby Bridge the fi rst fi eld with the hedge on your Approx. 1 mile Section 3 right. Walk uphill through the middle of the next fi eld to cross a stile in the Kilby Bridge to All Saints Church hedge at the top. Turn right here and Section 4 Approx. 3 miles follow the track to Newton Harcourt. (This track is muddy in winter). Newton Harcourt to Kilby via Wistow Approx. 3 miles In Newton Harcourt cross the road and go straight ahead into the road opposite. (For a shorter walk of about 6 miles you could continue straight ahead at this point to cross the bridge over the railway and fi eld to the canal. Turn right and follow the canal to Kilby Bridge and then back along the A5199 to Wigston). To continue the Two Steeples Walk turn left on a path next to house No.3. At the next road turn right to meet a footpath near an old school house. Turn left. At the ‘Kissing Gate’ turn right on to the road. Stay on this road passing Newton Harcourt 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 South Wigston 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.