Lost Villages of Leicestershire: Wistow

Richard Hardy

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A fantastic walk which starts from the Wistow Rural Centre with its shops and tea room. It begins by taking you through rolling Leicestershire countryside with clear indications of hundreds of years of interaction between the farmer and the land; many fields have well-defined ridge and furrow, for example. There is however, in Coal Pit Lane an early indication of the impact the Industrial Revolution would play. Soon the walk passes through Fleckney, where you can stop for a drink in one of its pubs or pick up a picnic in the shops before heading down to the towpath of the Grand Union Canal (Leicester Line), another striking example of how the Industrial Revolution touched this landscape. After passing the Kibworth Locks the walk finally takes you through the quiet meadows that once were the medieval village of Wystowe before you arrive back at the start.

England - Central England - Leicestershire - Canal Walk

Features

Ancient Monument, Church, Food Shop, Gift Shop, Good for Kids, Mostly Flat, Pub, Tea Shop, Toilets

8/8/2013 - Richard Hardy

Re-walked yesterday as a result of Jills comments. The formal right of way after waypoint 4 has become very very overgrown and a well trodden path has evolved on the landwoners side of the low single strand wire fence, parallel to the formal right of way. I have amended the text to take note of this, though the general instruction to follow the edge of the field to reach the still existent way marker post and then turn right remains

8/6/2013 - Richard Hardy

Walk amended to take account of comments about Baptist Church.

8/3/2013 - Jill Willis

We walked this lovely route on 3/8/2013 in very good weather.The concrete bridge at 4 is now bypassed by the footpath and is hidden by the hedge as you go past it. Instead, you come to a corner where the field opens out to the left and if you look behind you you will see a waymarker post pointing back through the bushes to the bridge. At this point, veer slightly right to cross the field on the earth path (which is no longer waymarked)ahead. You can see the hedge gap in front of you. We were slightly confused at 5 as there is a Baptist chapel a few yards before the end of Wolsey Lane as well as the Baptist church mentioned at 6.

7/23/2013 - Richard Hardy

Lots of off lead walking especially along the canal and at the beginning of the walk. Some exposure to livestock possible around Wistow Church, and obviously on lead walking along roads