Leics Round 6 - Mkt Bosworth to Bagworth

With Marta.  We deviated from the route a couple of times, and altogether walked perhaps two miles more than planned.  A fine day, but with the cold north/ northeasterly wind still blowing. Snow lay on the ground in sheltered places, but there were also plenty of muddy and boggy patches. Most of the fields we had to cross were fairly dry.  About 12 miles in all. A surprising amount of uphill, though none steep.

We park at the Country Park. More info about Market Bosworth Country Park and walks from there, and information about the memorials to horses in a nearby field. 
We walk into the town centre - it looks old-fashioned with its veg shops, cafés and pubs, and is still commemorating the Battle of Bosworth.

More info about Market Bosworth Country Park and walks from there, and information about the memorials to horses in a nearby field.

We walk down Back Lane, past some interesting buildings 

and fairy-tale gardens.

 Then we go across a field, making our way to the far right corner, where we meet a lane and turn left.

 The next section of reclaimed land is being developed as a golf course. The path keeps fairly close to the left hand edge, and continues in the same direction until we turn right over a footbridge.

The path crosses the bridge - not sure why the sign points left

The simplest way from here is cutting the corner of the field to where there is a waymarker part way along the hedge. Signs are a little confusing, though not seriously misleading. The path leads directly to the edge of Carlton village, which we can see over the fields.

When we reach the road we turn left, then right along Shackerstone Walk, past the old school.

Sir Wolstan Dixie, of Market Bosworth appears to have endowed several schools. One of these baronets was a 'colourful character'

We walk past the green, and follow our footpath as it turns left behind some huge barns. At the end of the field we turn right and walk along the field edge to a footbridge, then uphill. 

Colourful characters of the ovine kind

The signs are clear along by some hedges until we reach some very open fields - again the path is clear, and the mud is fairly dry today. We reach Keepers Cottage on the road, and this is where our diversion to avoid the closed footbridge starts.

It would save hassle if the diversion was posted up here to help walkers who may not have consulted the Leicestershire Round website for updates.

Turn left and follow the road over the railway line and take a footpath to the right just beyond.

We stopped at Shackerstone for a much needed lunch. Walking was quite tough today, because of the wind, and the occasional muddy sections.  

We liked the roof!

The Ashby Canal at Shackerstone

Better than a guard dog?

We walked for a short distance along the canal, then turned right as instructed and crossed the disused railway line, then it's over the stream, and under a second railway line. We follow the waymarkers and the hedge and join a muddy field road. We turn right here.
The field road carries on for a fair distance, climbing gently but persistently until it passes Odstone Hall, with it's fenced ha-ha, perched high with wide views.

We pass the hall and Ivy House Farm and come to the road to Barton in the Beans - I love that name. The road goes downhill for about 400 yards, and wings to the right. Just here there's a footpath to the left, and another field track/mud-bath leading up. There are electricity pylons mentioned in the LR book, but they may have been rerouted - we saw none.  
We have a slight problem with signage here - and walk two sides of a field to reach the footbridge down to our right. When we've crossed that all is crystal clear again as we follow signs through fields and uphill until we see Nailstone Church spire directly ahead of us. 
It's just a question of aiming for that - but the paths are obvious - and not wet.
We decide we deserve another break after the last three huge and windy fields, so we take shelter by the hedge before we cross the A447. 
This road does need care - partly because the steps down through the hedge are worn and seem to want to throw the unwary straight on to the carriageway! 
Over the A447 and along Vero's Lane - the name is marked at the other end. We pass Nailstone Church, and are almost tempted to walk along the footpath opposite. For once we're awake, and realise we need to turn left and then right at Manor Cottage. 
The way is clearly marked and the book's instructions are good. 
After a couple of miles we pass the Underhills Wood scheme where land is being reclaimed under the auspices of the National Forest.

Nailstone church is still visible on the skyline.
A short distance to go and we're back in Bagworth.

Bagworth church - no, it doesn't really bend.

This wasn't the most exciting stretch of the Round,  though the wind may have prejudiced us slightly!


Map and details