Swithland down to the river

On Sunday I was able to add another section to my circumnavigation of Leicester. I noticed a few weeks ago that my wanderings through the Charnwood Forest all looked, when plotted on google earth like I have been trying to circle the city in a series of small connected loops. I then decided to make it deliberate and try and circumnavigate Leicester using the footpaths. One extra rule was that I was not to use the Leicester Round long distance footpath. I would make a new route!

So the next section to tick off was from Swithland down to the A6 at Quorn and then back to my car at Mountsorrel. I parked where the conveyor belt crosses the Leicester road. I then walked into Mountsorrel to the bandstand and then up past that monument that you can see from the A6. The path then followed the Leicester round (unavoidably) up past the the quarry rock processing plant and then back down towards Swithland reservoir. The picture above shows the approach to Swithland with Beacon Hill to the top right.

This view, a little further down Kinchley Lane, gives you an oblique view of Bradgate Park. Its always fun to think that you have covered the distance between distant hills and where you currently are.

After walking around the dam you then keep going for a bit before taking the footpath on the right just before the bridge over the Great Central Railway. This path takes you through woodland and pasture land and finally follows the stream that drains from Switherland, Cropston and Bradgate itself.

This time of year the meadows are full of buttercups and the woodland floor with wild garlic.

When you look at this walk on a map you notice that you have spent the whole time walking around Leicestershire's largest quarry Buddon Hill but you never see it and you could miss it entirely if you didn't know it was there.

The walk finishes at Quorn and follows the road back to the car. This last bit is a bit of a slog but unavoidable really if you want to save the river segment for another day.