Bradgate Park circular via Ulverscroft Priory and Beacon Hill

Thu, 2014 Apr 24 10:46 AM BST

With Harry, Maureen, Stuart and Rita. A fine walk, and weather improved. Decent views. 11 miles, give or take a whisker.

More or less the reverse of these two walks 11 Sept 2012 and 2 Sept 2012. 

We parked at Bradgate Park car park in Newtown Linford, rurned right out of the entrance and walked away from the park along the village main street, taking the footpath on our left, about 70 yards after the junction with Markfield Road.

View to Bradgate Park

This takes us through fields and woodland, over the stream, past Ulverscroft Mill and through more woods, eventually meeting a track which leads out on to Ulverscroft Lane.

A path to avoid after a lot of rain.

We turn left along the road with its fine houses, past the 'lovely' Polly Botts Lane, until we meet and cross Priory Lane.

We go straight ahead along the private road/public footpath, past the ruined priory. We take the right hand fork (waymarkers are clear), behind Ulverscroft Lodge Farm, and turn right along field boundaries, which we follow until we reach the drive to Black Hill.  Here we turn left and walk until we meet Beacon Road.  We turn right, and walk along the verge,as far as the cross roads. We go through the gate into Beacon Hill Country Park. At the charcoal burner we join the path to the left which heads north west parallel to the Shepshed Road.

Look, we have shadows!

A gate at the end leads into a path under an avenue of trees, leading uphill and north east.  

Spot the Old Man of the Beacon

At the top of this we follow  our noses and paths to the Old Man of the Beacon rock formation, and on to the trig point and toposcope.

Time for lunch, and admire the view. The sun has come out too. And there are swallows.

Down from the top via the tracks in the country park, coming out opposite the Broombriggs car park.

Stitchwort

The viewing platform is open on Saturdays and Sundays

Next to this is our path, leading to Mill Lane and Woodhouse Eaves. From the junction of Mill Lane with Mapplewell Road we are following the route of the Leicestershire Round.

Dandelion days

Testing the technology

We turn left and walk uphill for a couple of hundred yards, then take the footpath on our left, down a lane, past garages and house, then into a field, across another and around and across parts of Lingdale Golf Course. All clearly signed! Across Joe Moore's Lane and a bit more golf course, before going uphill alongside Rough Hill Wood. We meet Benscliffe Road, where  turn left and walk to the junction.

The final climb

second lunch?

still smiling

On the other side is Hunts Hill car park, which takes us into Bradgate Park.

A short walk to the Old John Folly, where we have another break before going down to the ruins of Bradgate House, where Jane Grey spent her childhood, then along the path next to the river Lin.  Herds of red and fallow deer are in evidence.

The ruins of Bradgate House

Almost there!

In all around 11 miles.  Unfortunately we arrive back just as all the teashops are closing, and we are forced to buy ice cream instead. Shame!

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Bardon Hill and Beacon Hill

Thu, 2013 Jul 4 10:21 AM British Summer Time 

Led by me, with Barry and Gordon. Hilly, mostly good underfoot - some mud in woodland areas. Great views from Beacon Hill of course. Fine, warm, sunny afternoon. 1,161 ft of climbing. Around 13 miles including add-ons. Moving pace much better than over all pace - we did stop quite a lot, but - no way do I ever walk at 31 mph!

We - well, I, - suggested that we should try Shiela Dixon's Leicestershire’s three peaks challenge . In the event we managed  two.  According to our magic machines it was a twelve and a half mile walk, involving over 1 000 feet of climbing – not huge by Yorkshire, Lake District or even Derbyshire standards, but enough of a challenge for today.

The fact that it’s a good hour’s drive from home doesn’t help, and then I have to walk back to the car to park it in a much safer looking layby - the one Shiela recommends in her blog - at SK458120 on the A511 between Bardon and the M1. So it was 10.20 before we started. 

Walking alongside the A 511 isn’t a bundle of laughs, but there is at least a footway of sorts.  Back towards Bardon for 200 yds or so, our footpath leaves to the right, almost opposite Forest House. With all the leaf growth this year it is not exactly obvious.   Once we find it, it’s overgrown in places, but clearly marked – those lovely Leicestershire yellow posts.

moat and bridge reflections

On as far as Brook farm, where we walk past the regimentedly reverse parked cars, and then the moated Old Hall and turn left to walk close behind the house.  

Love Leicestershire footpaths.

Our path goes north east, and we turn left along the Ivanhoe Way when we meet it in less than half a mile.  We’ve been climbing gently from the farm, and continue to do so towards Bardon Hill Wood.   

Chicken of the woods, I'm told, but
I'm not brave enough to try it

 

We cross a quarry road and now climb more steeply through rocky scrub, up to the radio mast near the summit.  But where is the top?  

View - avoiding the large industrial estate to our right.

We don’t find the trig point, in spite of using a magic machine to show our altitude – we must be almost at the summit – I don’t realize until later that there is a trig point and rocks.  I’ll have to go back another time. Will Barry and Gordon accompany me??

Barry checks out the accommodation

The way down is simple – follow the road behind the mast until we meet the quarry road,  then turn just after Kelhams Farm – there’s a diverted path clearly marked which more or less follows the power lines.  The OS map has a path marked going further to the left, but this has been discontinued.   No matter, we arrive at the road at Upper Greenhill Farm by a slightly roundabout route.

We cross over and take the bridle way past Charley Mill farm.  Just before entering Burrow Wood is a nature reserve with a bench – do we want to have a break?  You betcha. 

Well-earned break

We walk through Burrow Wood, and then take the right hand path when it forks off.  This joins a small road to go past Woodleys,  Charley Hall and Rock Farm.  At the T-junction we turn right and go under the M1.  We follow the road for almost a mile alongside woodland, and over the crossroads at Bawdon Lodge – this was surprisingly busy! 

A little further along and at a house marked on the map as Bawdon Cottage Farm, and on the house as Charley Chapel, a footpath goes off to the left.  This leads down a little way then we begin our long gentle climb to Beacon Hill. We meet the road from Shepshed - and turn right. What a delight! 

Lovely quiet road!

The road is closed to traffic for resurfacing - this is much better for us!

After a couple of hundred yards we turn left along an avenue of trees planted in memory of one of the early members of the Leicestershire Footpath Association.

The path climbs very gently - and about halfway along is a platform with a view.

We admire it briefly, then continue to the end of the avenue where we turn right.  The approach to Beacon Hill from this side is impressively craggy.

None of the climbing is too severe and we are soon close to the summit.

The Old Man of the Beacon.

There's an info board about the formation of these hills - volcanic activity from around 600 million years ago and folding about 400 million years ago, then erosion. 

Bardon Hill on the skyline

 

You got something good to eat??

After bagging the summit, we have another snack break.  Is it all downhill from here? 
We go down past the toilet block in the car park, then follow the path past the charcoal burner to the cross roads.

Easy walking again - no traffic today. Is this what royalty feel like?  The road straight on is clear and quiet, and we turn off along the drive towards Black Hill Farm. A quick wave at the security camera, as we take the proper footpath along the drive a bit, then to the right towards Ulverscroft Lodge Farm. 
We have a little difficulty finding the correct footpath here, as the signs disagree with the map.  When we eventually find it we discover that it has been diverted - a sign at the start of the diversion would have been mighty helpful. 
We carry on over the footbridge then up through woodland and alongside Poultney Wood, climbing steadily up to Copt Oak.  It's only later that I discover this is the highest point of the M1, and a famously excellent spot for Radio Leicester's transmission mast.  Almost as high as Beacon Hill. Perhaps we can count this as our third peak?

 

The church is an attractive building, and there are a few gravestones made of the local stone. 
After this we walk through part of the village, past the former Youth Hostel, and the Copt Oak pub, then turn left and walk along a busier road over the motorway.  After a short distance our path is to the right - almost hidden by vegetation again, but clearly signposted afterwards.  We meet the tarmac road to some houses, and take this rather than the overgrown path, but have to negotiate a barrier to return to this when the roadway finishes.  After a couple of fields a path goes off to our right and we follow it to Brook Farm and Old Hall Farm - with the moat.

Now it's just a case of retracing this morning's route for three quarters of a mile, and we're back at the car.  

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Leics Round 7 - Bagworth to Woodhouse Eaves and Beacon Hill

Fri, 2013 Apr 19 10:05 AM Western European Time 

With Marta. Fine with the odd shower and occasional sun. We saved the hills for the end of the walk. Garmin off for about a mile. Total around 12 miles. 1,129 feet of climbing.

We start with a short diversion to the Bier House, to look at something I'd seen last time.

Up past the church and through the churchyard, for a sobering start to today's walk.

Then through the recently planted (1996/97) Bagworth Heath Woods, which are part of the National Forest. It seems an excellent way to heal the scars of the mining industry. I idly googled Bagworth colliery and found an interview with some ex-miners from local pits. Desford Pit had seams running under most of this land. Today it's pleasant walking and we get quite warm in the sheltered parts of the path.  

We cross the road and continue - the way ahead is clear, and takes us over the Leicester to Swannington single track of railway line.

We cross a stream and a small field with a couple of donkeys.  the stream was the old mill race for Thornton Mill. The mill was built in 1847 and functioned until the 1930s. The daughter of the last miller still lives in the mill house, and the house next to it was converted from the mill itself.  

There's a man sitting in the sunshine mending a table.  

"So, this used to be a mill?"

"Oh yes - if you go up here you'll see where the pond used to be. Come and have a look."

We walk past a table and seat made from an old millstone and up to the wall where a tiny trickle of a stream now runs.

"There was a big stone at the top end to stop more water coming in. Maureen's dad used to keep a boat tied up here and he'd go up by boat instead of walking there."

Then he showed us a brick dated 1847 on the side of his house. A wooden beam with words carved "Christian built this mill in 1847" used to be in the mill, now it's above an outbuilding.

We thank him and wave to the women in the mill house garden.  He says it's a shame so many walkers just keep their heads down and don't stop to look around more often. Guilty as charged on occasions.

The footpath here is very well marked and we arrive at a modern housing estate on the edge of Thornton. We wander up a couple of dead ends before finding our way to the main street.

The path goes alongside the school and downhill over a ridged and furrowed field. We can see Thornton reservoir glittering in the bottom of the valley.

We walk past the end of the water and a field of shetland ponies and some sheep and along the side of Browns Wood.  There are wide views in both directions here.   The noise of the heavy traffic on the embankment of the M1 makes conversation difficult.  With some relief we take the path underneath the motorway, and ignore the footpath on the left almost immediately afterwards.  Instead we carry on for a short distance to a path which goes through three fields. We walk past some  houses,  and along Croft Way and turn right along  Forest Road, then soon left into Main Street, Markfield.

It's a conservation area, but there is still evidence of post-industrial decline.

At this point we are in heads-down-and-can-we-stop-for-coffee-soon mode, so miss out the church and the Altar Stones picnic site and Nature Reserve, which has good views over Charnwood Forest. One for another walk?

We leave Markfield and go underneath the A50 by a subway. Then we take a path alongside, screened to some extent by the trees. They don't have many leaves yet.  Coffee is by now essential, so we use this dilapidated picnic table.

Inviting, no?

We follow the Round way marks with no problem as far as the village of Newtown Linford. 

Then it's through to Bradgate Park, a sandwich at the café.

Striking trees

Atmospheric ruins

We walk by the river, past the mighty trees, and the ruins of Bradgate House, up the hill to the War Memorial and Old John.  

Marta clambering on the rocks

Grand wide views, if a little misty.  We leave the park and take the path along Benscliffe Road, through the edge of Rough Wood, and over Lindale Golf Course to Woodhouse Eaves.

We turn left along Mill Road, walk uphill past the windmill, and the car park for Broombriggs.

We cross the road, and walk up (again) to the top of Beacon Hill. An extra just to include the view from there. I really feel these hills at the end of today's walking.  About 12 miles.

They are filming something - time travel perhaps with medieval peasants and modern army types with automatic weapons?  Beacon Hill's a great place for it.

We saw one swallow, heard an insistent cuckoo in Bradgate Park - Marta saw a woodpecker - we both heard one drumming earlier. We saw a jay fairly close by as well.

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