Leicestershire Round

The Leicestershire Round book was last re-issued in 1996. Since then development or other changes have affected the route in several places. This page provides an update on these and some difficult locations referred to in the book. The notes follow the same order as the book, starting from Newtown Linford and working clockwise. To check the current routes of any of the paths referred to, go to the online Maps of Paths

Leaving Mountsorrel - (page 19) The left turn off Main Street, after the Grapes Inn, is now onto Little Lane, an area of new housing. There is a surfaced track which leads through to the recreation ground where it is now easiest to pass the club pavilion on your right. After the big willow tree the path turns right along a short stretch which is fenced-in and turns left to wend its way through a new housing development. Lookout for the several Leicestershire Round finger posts which mark the way.

Crossing the A6 Mountsorrel bypass - The book notes that original Round route crosses the dual carriageway on the level. The alternative route 400m south to the underpass is not very clear on maps as only some sections are official public footpath. On the ground the route is clearer. To the west of the bypass A6 there is a stoney path which parallels the road and the fence behind the housing development and then goes along the base of the embankment.

Alternative from Mountsorrel to Sileby Mill - There is a more pleasant and easier alternative route , onto which the Round may be diverted in future. From the Buttercross in the centre of Mountsorrel go north along Market Place then, opposite St Peters Church, turn right onto Sileby Road. At The Waterside Inn* turn right past the lock and follow the navigable River Soar along the towpath. This passes under the A6 bypass and over a footbridge over a branch of the river. A further footbridge takes the path over the main river and along the other bank. The Sileby Marina and Mill building are on the opposite bank. Just before the footbridge over the lock this route joins the original route of the Round. *Where the route leaves the road at the Waterside Inn, a Leicestershire Round sign has already been installed in anticipation of the change.

Public house in Cossington – contrary to page 22 there is now a pub in Cossington on the route of the Round. The Royal Oak (Tel: 01509 813937) re-opened some years ago having burned down around the time the book was last revised.

River Wreake between Rearsby and Hoby - (page 26) The brick bridge over the river just before Thrussington Mill is currently closed due to bad cracks which mean it is unsafe. 'Round' walkers may use a permissive path, opened under the Countryside Stewardship scheme, (click here for details) which starts from this point. Follow the path along the south side of the River Wreake until the path meets the Brooksby - Thrussington footpath (which has recently been diverted onto a new bridge east of the original unsafe one). Turn left onto this to cross the river, head left (west) across the field and, at the edge of the field turn sharp right to regain the normal route.

Mud in Owston Woods - (page 47) The book notes that the section through the Wood can be muddy at anytime of year. The path through the wood is slighten sunken but the earth banks either side may offer an easier route. The Forestry Commission, who own the Wood, have confirmed it is acceptable for people to walk off the path, into the woodland a little, to walk around the muddy sections - though the rest of the Wood is not open for public access as it is ancient woodland and a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Alternative route avoiding Owston Woods - If the weather has been wet, you may wish to take an alternative route. At the end of Main Street in Owston turn left rather than right. After 80m take the footpath on your right. This goes through two fields following the hedge on the left, then crosses an overgrown brook. It then continues in roughly the same direction uphill across a large open field. The path heads for the hedge 90m left of the corner of the field to your right. Through the hedge the path turns right, skirts the field turning sharp left at the corner then passing right into the adjacent field. The path now runs roughly straight ahead through one field, then angles slightly right, through the next, to meet the road. Turn right along the relatively quiet road for 1.25km. After the section through the woods at the T-junction turn left and walk along the busy Tilton - Oakham road for 80m. Then turn right onto the footpath that heads straight for the Withcote Hall farm building, in the midst of which you rejoin the 'Round' route. Note this alternative route does not have Leicestershire Round waymarks and, in a few places the route is not fully up to the same standard.

Drainage problems near Withcote Hall Lake - After passing through the farm (page 49) the footpath skirts the Withcote Hall Lake. Drainage issues and the geography of the area mean this stretch can also be muddy. If the mud is a problem you may go left up the field a little to higher ground but beware of trespassing. The only other alternative is to right or west, along the busy road towards Tilton then turn left onto a bridleway along a track which skirts the lake to the south before rejoining the existing 'Round' route.

Mud on Fosse Way section of the Round - Between Claybrooke Parva and Sharnford, in the SW of Leicestershire, the route of the Round follows a stretch of the Roman Fosse Way where it is a *green lane . Specifically this is from High Cross - where the A5 meets the A4114 to the Fosse Meadows nature reserve (see page 96). There have been reports of this stretch being heavily used by 'off road' vehicles and/or motor cycles, as a result of which the surface is damaged. A correspondent noted this section is difficult to walk when wet. *This stretch is marked on OS maps as an 'Other Route with Public Access'.

Burbage Common – After the railway underbridge and section through Sheepy Wood (page 102) the route emerges onto an open section of the Common. The route at this point is not very clear. The only waymark that is easily visible is on another path to the left. There a thin belt of younger trees which run across the common some distance away; head towards the right hand end of this area of trees. On the far side of the tree belt is an eastern finger of the golf course. There are two waymarks either side which show the Round.

Beyond Bosworth Battlefield visitor centre - (page 106) The battlefield centre has recently been re-developed. The route passes the west centre entrance, as noted, then skirts the northern edge of the buildings with the main car park now beyond the fence on your left. At the end of the buildings is the main entrance to the centre next to the north corner of the Ambion Parva medieval village enclosure. The official route goes straight ahead through some double gates into the field beyond the ‘village’ but the gates kept locked. To avoid this turn left into the outer car park, then beyond the hedge, turn right and head for the unmarked gap in the fence and hedge at the end of the car park. To your right you will now see a bridle gate and battlefield direction signpost in the hedge. This takes you into the field and back on to the official line of the bridleway.

A447 crossing NW of Nailstone - As noted on page 116, this is a fast road with limited visibility for drivers and walkers due to bends in either direction. The footpath meets the hedge at a stile then descends some steep narrow steps; there is only a small space at the bottom for walkers waiting to cross. Please be very careful at this point.

The Ordnance Survey Explorer maps are an excellent tool for following the route of the Round but there a few errors. The ones currently noted are:

Cossington Meadows Grid reference SK 599 139. Some OS maps have not yet been updated to reflect footpath changes in this area since the end of gravel workings (noted on page 22). A section of the Round route where it turns east away from the river was formerly a permitted path and is now a public footpath. Where the route turns south east towards Cossington the public footpath has been diverted to skirt the east edge of the field.

Ratcliffe on the Wreake Grid reference SK 639 150. Having turned east on to the Ratcliffe – Thrussington road the route takes the second path on the right heading south, which is the drive to Rearsby Mill. The Explorer map incorrectly shows the Round as taking the first footpath on the right. Also, this first path goes straight west off the road then angles south whereas the OS show it as heading south straight from the road.

Edge of Burbage Grid reference SP 447 931. Where the footpath across fields meets the housing estate the green diamond on the Explorer map suggests the path goes straight ahead through the houses. As the book notes, the route actually follows the curve of Sherborne Road and then goes right along Winchester Road until it meets the A5070.

Burbage Common Grid reference SP 445 950 Sheepy Wood has spread further north and east than is shown on the Explorer meaning the path is within the wood rather than skirting its northern edge. Where another footpath diverges south west, the official line of the footpath heading north west which forms the Round route is lost in the woodland. At the point where you emerge from the woodland follow the notes under Burbage Common given under current route advice above.

Route into Barwell Grid reference SP 439 962. After several fields, the footpath comes out between houses onto Waterfall Way. The OS map shows the path continuing straight over the road following the stream on the north side. For historical reasons there is no trace on the ground of this dead-end section of path. The Round route turns left into Waterfall Way, right along St. Mary’s Ave, right along Hinckley Road which becomes Mill Street, then left into Moat Way and through the industrial estate as the OS marks clearly.

Sutton Cheney Grid reference SK 417 004. The Almhouses tea rooms mentioned on page 108 are now closed. Having just entered the village there is a footpath sign on the right pointing towards an unsurfaced lane on the left. The Explorer map incorrectly shows the 'Round' as following the footpath along the unsurfaced lane. Whereas to the right, just before the lane begins, there is a handgate into the churchyard where the 'Round' follows the church path through to Main Street. Coming from the other direction may be even more confusing as the Explorer map shows shows the 'Round' going right off Main Street westwards, to the unsurfaced lane, along a footpath which doesn't actually exist on the ground.

Market Bosworth Country Park Grid reference SK 410 029. Approaching Market Bosworth the route goes through the Country Park (page 109). The footpath was diverted some years ago because of new housing adjoining the north west edge of the Park. The OS have moved the footpath but not the diamond showing the route of the Round. The Round should follow the Right of Way through the Park's arboretum, pass near the Bow Pool lake (to your right), then head straight for the north west corner of the Park, where the main road through the park becomes Rectory Lane.

Route into Markfield Grid reference SK 485 096. As the route comes into Markfield the book on page 124 offers two alternatives. The main route follows a footpath through a water meadow or an alternative up a farm track past Stepping Stones Farm. The Explorer map marks the farm track rather than the footpath as the main Round route, whereas the opposite is the case. The footpath which forms the main route is now much easier going since a board walk was installed on the final section. However, it is now quite muddy just before the boardwalk begins.

If you have any comments or information to add please email footpaths@leics.gov.uk