Swithland Woods - Bradgate - Woodhouse Eaves - Swithland Woods

Chris Payne

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Swithland Woods - Bradgate - Broombriggs - Beacon Hill - Woodhouse Eaves - Swithland Woods

The walk starts in the ancient woods of Swithland, once a local source of slate and now preserved as part of the Bradgate Country Park. Leaving the woods the walker ascends onto the dramatic moorland of Bradgate Park itself - a gift to the people of Leicestershire in 1928 and once the home of Lady Jane Grey. The park is maintained for visitors with a huge variety of footpaths. The highest point of the park, Old John, with its unusual folly, is the first of the three peaks. On leaving Bradgate the walk follows the Leicestershire Round, a long-distance footpath that traverses the county in a hundred-mile circle.

The second of the three peaks, Broombriggs Hill, is reached through the permissive footpaths of the Broombriggs Farm Country Park. The views from here are almost as stunning as those from Old John and the third peak, Beacon Hill. The walk between Broombriggs and Beacon Hill is short but with a sharp descent and ascent. Beacon Hill is itself at the centre of a country park, purchased in 1947 by Leicestershire County Council from the Beaumanor Estate.

The walk finally passes Windmill Hill, with the ruins of the old windmill, into the pretty village of Woodhouse Eaves, perched overlooking the Soar Valley. The village is well-served for public houses and small shops. The final leg of the walk descends back downhill into Swithland Woods.

England - Central England - Leicestershire - Woodland or Forest

Features

Great Views, Hills or Fells, Pub, Toilets, Wildlife

2/1/2012 - Diane Stewart

30/1/2012 An excellent walk for great views across the Charnwood area. The path up Broombriggs Hill gets quite slippy in winter.

8/1/2007 - TERESA Brown

An excellent walk with dogs, my two loved it. Wonderful views of Leicestershire from Old John and the top of Beacon hill.

9/21/2005 - Walkingworld Administrator

Thanks to Roy Davenport this walk was updated in September 2005.

5/31/2005 - Walkingworld Administrator

Navigating through woodland is always tricky. Walkingworld recommend a compass as GPS units often do not work under trees and a compass is the best piece of equipment to check your direction in these circumstances.

5/23/2005 - Eddie Cockayne

Excellent walk once we found our way through the wood at the start.