Explore Leicestershire's Countryside!

Walking routes around Leicestershire

Leicestershire Round
Price: £5
This 100 mile circular walk around the county encompasses many delights the Leicestershire countryside has to offer.

The guide book has been arranged in sections, focusing on villages as stopping points.  This means the route can easily be completed as a series of shorter walks, and of course is very handy when needing waterholes and resting places.

Midshires Way
Price for whole pack: £3.50 (This includes walks in 5 counties)
Free leaflet for just the main Leicestershire section.
Since its opening in 1994, The Midshire's Way has become a popular long distance walking and riding route stretching some 225 miles across Middle England.  From South to North, it crosses 5 counties: Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, Nottingham, Derbyshire, and the Peak District National Park, before reaching the Pennines near Stockport.

The Leicestershire section runs from the Northants boundary via Cranoe, Tugby, Tilton on the Hill, Ashby Folville, Brooksby, Shoby and Old Dalby to the Notts boundary.

Charnwood Round (not available online)
A challenge walk around the ancient Charnwood Forest which lies on high ground to the north-west of Leicester. The full route is 33 miles, but several options allow a shorter distance circuit. The route is through peaceful countryside, once quarried by Romans, settled by monks, criss-crossed with paths and full of interesting relics of the past.

The map-guide was published by Cordee in 1994. The Cordee website suggests it is still available at £2.95 (+ P&P) or contact Cordee Limited, 11 Jacknell Road, Dodwells Bridge Industrial Estate, Hinckley, LE10 3BS. Tel: 01455 611185.

E2 Atlantic - Mediterranean (not available online)
European walking route E2 is a 3030 mile (4850km) long-distance footpath that runs from Galway in Ireland to France's Mediterranean coast, via Scotland, England, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and France. It is one of a network of European long-distance paths.

The E2 is made up of sections of existing paths, and is generally only waymarked in its own right at major junctions. In England there are two alternatives routes; the eastern one includes the whole route of the Viking Way (see below). Some additional information is available on the website of the Ramblers Association.

Jurassic Way (not available online)
The Jurassic Way briefly enters Leicestershire at Bringhurst in the far south east of the county. The Jurassic Way long-distance footpath connects Banbury in Oxfordshire with Stamford in Lincolnshire. For most of its 88 mile (142 km) route follows the Northamptonshire Uplands, the Jurassic limestone ridge that forms the northern spine of that county.

The Jurassic Way, series of 3 leaflets with detailed guide and maps is available at 65p (+50p p&p) each from Northamptonshire County Council (a price list and order form is available for download). Otherwise contact: Countryside Services, Northamptonshire County Council, PO Box 163, County Hall, Northampton, NN1 1AX. For order enquiries please telephone 01604 237227 or fax 01604 236644

Macmillan Way
The fully waymarked main Macmillan Way is 290 miles in length runs from Boston on the Lincolnshire coast to the Dorset coast at Abbotsbury. It is called the Macmillan Way because all funds raised are donated to Macmillan Cancer Support.

A short section of the Macmillan Way runs through the south east of Leicestershire via Hallaton where it briefly overlaps with the Leicestershire Round.

Viking Way (not available online)
The Viking Way is a long distance footpath from the River Humber, through Lincolnshire and past Rutland Water to Oakham, a total of 235km (147 miles). The route follows the Sewstern Drift, an ancient trackway which forms much of the boundary between Lincolnshire and Leicestershire. Established in 1976, the route is way-marked throughout its length with a Viking helmet.

A guidebook is available for £2.50 (inc. p&p) per copy from:  Lincolnshire County Council, Highways & Planning Directorate, City Hall, Beaumont Fee, Lincoln, LN1 1DN. For order enquiries please telephone 01522 782070 or fax 01522 553149