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!

Map and details

Bradgate Park - Beacon Hill - Ulverscroft Priory - Newtown Linford

Walked on Monday 10 September 2012, with Barry, Gordon and Maureen.  Mostly fine.

We parked at the Newtown Linford car park, and took the low level path along the main drive by the river Lin, towards the ruins of Bradgate House, childhood home of Jane Grey, the nine-day queen.  The park has been a deer park from way back when, and there are still plenty of deer in this area.

There's a lovely stretch of river.

and some impressive trees.

Remains of Bradgate House and a moody sky

Uphill to the obelisk

Just before reaching the ruins of the house, we took the path uphill to the left to reach the War Memorial, where there was a keen cold wind.  We didn't hang around, but followed the path through the spinney to Old John.

18th century folly and great viewpoint

Who said down hill was easier?

We headed to the Hunts Hill car park on the north west side of the park.  The way ahead was over the crossroads to Benscliffe Road, and after a couple of hundred yards we turned right into Rough Hill Wood - the path went up slightly then downhill to a golf course. Part way through the golf course we crossed Joe Moore's Lane.  The golf course was busier on a Monday than it had been on a Sunday, but no problems and the way is easy to follow.
After leaving the golf course the path crosses a couple of fields to emerge on a track, then goes past some stables and a large garage, then swings left and comes out on Maplewell Road.  Here we turned right and followed the road towards Woodhouse Eaves.  We didn't take the first footpath signed to the left, but turned left at Mill Road. This turns into a track and climbs fairly steeply towards Windmill Hill.

Up towards Windmill Hill

Looking over to Broombriggs

The windmill with viewing platform - the stairs are under repair at present

We chose not to go up to the windmill on this occasion - I'll put it in the good intentions file.  When the mill was operational there were no trees surrounding it.

We came out at the car park for Broombriggs Country Park, cheaper but more remote than Bradgate.  We crossed Beacon Road, turned left along the cycle track, then right on to a path for walkers.  After about 100 yards we turned left again on the main path.  Dappled shade makes this a lovely walk, in spite of some traffic noise from the road.  

A great opportunity for posers?

We turned off the main path along the grassy track which leads to the summit, via the toposcope, which claims views as far as Boston Stump over 50 miles away. Not today - though there was a group of trees in the way.  

Great views all round, even so.

Like the earrings

The obelisk and Old John from Beacon Hill.

From here we followed the route down past the car park, turning right past the toilet block and down the path parallel to the road. 

At the charcoal burner we took the small path to the left which came out at the crossroads. We crossed over to the Copt Oak road - there is a verge, but not quite wide enough for comfortable walking. Luckily this is a short section and we turned left along a footpath on the drive to Black Hill Farm. After the trees stop the footpath heads off to the right along a hedge.  You're not likely to make a mistake here, as there is a warning notice on the drive.

The path is clearly marked, and takes you along field edges to Ulverscroft Lodge Farm.  Here we turned left to go round the house and meet the drive which took us to the ruined 11th century Ulverscroft Priory.   The cottage nearby is inhabited, and there has been scaffolding up on some of the ruins for years. 

Pond near the priory

Ruins of Ulverscroft Priory

The drive comes out on Priory Lane, and we crossed over to Ulverscroft Lane.  I'm hoping the resurfacing they've just done doesn't encourage a lot of traffic - it's pleasant and quiet at the moment. 

Just under a mile along the lane we turned right to take a footpath which leads through fields.  When the path opens out in a field you fork left after crossing a stile.  After this the path is clear and goes through woodland. This was a bit muddy.   There is no problem until you pass a ruined building on the left (Ulverscroft Mill). Here  you meet another path, and turn left and shortly afterwards right to cross a footbridge.  The path leads into Newtown Linford coming out near some thatched cottages.

We turned right along the main street, full of interesting very well-kept houses.   It's probably just over half a mile back to Bradgate Park, and nearby there's a selection of tea-shops.

Map and details

Bradgate Park to Beacon Hill and back via Ulverscroft Priory

With Harry. Weather a bit grey to begin with, fine drizzle, then muggy, then cleared. Great views but hazy. Muddy in woodland. Just over 10 miles (with our detour!) Just over 1000 feet of climbing - not all at once.

I hope it's crystalline in clarity next time I do this walk!

We parked at Bradgate Park in Newtown Linford, and after a kick-start cup of coffee, went through the main gate to the drive, took a path immediately to the left and headed up hill towards Tyburn Copse.  From the right hand side of this copse the obelisk monument to the dead of the two World Wars is visible directly north.

Onward and upward to the memorial obelisk - a hazy, misty start to the walk.

Misty landscape behind Harry

And more mist behind 'big boots'!

We followed the path to the right of the copse and up to Old John, the tankard-shaped 18th century folly at the highest point of the park.

Scaling the heights

There's a toposcope here which claims views as far as Nottingham Castle and Burrough Hill.  On a clear day . . .
We left Old John and walked downhill to the north-west corner of the park.

Downhill from Old John

We continued past the toilets, downhill and through the car park, to a road junction.  We took Benscliffe Road for a couple of hundred yards, before turning right along a footpath waymarked 'Leicestershire Round'.  This goes downhill through Rough Hill Wood, then continues on to a magnificent golf course.  The path is clearly marked as it crosses several fairways.

A fine crop of crab apples

The sweep of the greensward

I hope the ducks manage to dodge the golf balls

After the golf course, the path is quite clear as it goes over a field and on to a track.  The track joins a road where we turned right and walked downhill toward Woodhouse Eaves.
There are two possible routes from here - I think we chose the one where it's easier to wander off track.

We took the first footpath off to the left. It leads up and along the edge of two fields, before cutting diagonally across a grassy meadow.  By one of the hedges I spotted my first serious blackberry pickers of the season.  The path comes out at a road and this is where we made our unintended diversion.  I blame lack of looking at the map, and being distracted by an obvious gate and continuation of the path just opposite.  

We visited the Broombriggs Farm trail, which is well supplied with benches and decent views to the east - and cattle.  

Wot? No kitchen sink? Snack break at Broombriggs.

We returned to the entrance and turned along the road (left this time). At the T-junction with beacon Road we crossed the road and a track to join the wide path which leads gradually to the summit.

Trig point on Beacon Hill - great views all round

Another peak conquered
forget the car park 100 yards down hill!

Radcliffe power station in the distance?

Cattle grazing near the summit

Blooming heather adds to the moorland feeling

We went downhill to the car park, and turned right, past the toilet block.  The gravelled path forks left and heads downhill through the woods.  When we reached a rusty charcoal burner
we walked round behind it and took a narrow short path which comes out at a crossroads.

We crossed over and took the road towards Copt Oak.  A few too many cars, but it's a short distance.  After 300 hundred yards we turned into a lane just before a wood.  There's a remote-operated gate for cars, but a path for walkers at the edge.
When the wooded area ends, the path forks off to the right and heads south-west along the edge of several fields. When we reached Ulverscroft Lodge Farm, we turned left along the path which joins a drive leading past Ulverscroft Pond to the remains of Ulverscroft Priory, with its moat and fishponds.

The drive continues until it reaches a road junction.  Here we crossed over into Ulverscroft Lane.  This was pleasant walking, as it is quiet and shaded by trees.  Continue past the wonderfully named Polly Botts Lane.

After around three-quarters of a mile, there is a footpath sign for Newtown Linford. The path  leaves the road on the right hand side, then you take the left hand fork across a field just after a stile. It was very muddy in places, especially through the woods, but easy to follow.

The only slightly tricky part, is just after you pass a ruined building to the left.  Here you have to turn left and very soon go over a footbridge then head for Newtown Linford which can be seen ahead.  This is an exceptionally attractive, well-kept village.  We walked through, past the pubs and back to Bradgate Park and a large pot of tea with cake.

Thanks to James Rhodes and Walking Britain for info about this walk Map and details