The Leicestershire Round

25th November 2006

Bagworth - Thornton - Markfield - Newtown Linford (6.5 miles)

Back To Bagworth

I started later in the day on this part, as it had been raining in the morning. The BBC Weather website told me it would clear up after lunch. Bagworth used to be a mining village. Apparently, there are cracks in the walls of many buildings where subsidence has occured. I quickly moved on...

Bagworth Church

Where the modern meets the ancient - a concrete church and aged gravestones.

A Feast For Flying Eyes

I have been going on about the productivity of berries and fruits throughout the walk, but I was amazed at the sight of this sheer red wall of haws. I predict that we will see a lot of bird footprints in the snow when (if?) it comes as the birds are going to be way too fat to even think about flying!

There is a large amount of land that has been reclaimed and planted up with new forests. Many of these are reclaimed spoil heaps from the mining era. These lands were once forest and shall be forest again. Nature will always prevail...

Who's Hungry?

Obviously there are some tasty woods growing around here. Something has been having a really good nibble at this gate. Are there giant wasps around here? Have the beavers moved areas due to global warming? Isuspect it was something larger with four legs... Elephants...?

A nice village set amongst fieldland, woodland and a nearby reservoir, with references going back to 1086. I was here once before on a walk with a school, stopping at the primary school just to the left of these houses. One of the best bits of education I have ever been involved in...

Looking from just behind Thornton Primary School to the fields and reservoir below. With all of the new forests planted beyond, it will look a very different sight in 20 years time.

Flanked by a larch tree, the reservoir extends quite a way in to the distance. My memories of Thornton Reservoir were of hundreds of ducks and swans that threatened to mob me for my sandwiches.

The recent heavy rain is helping to swell the reservoirs, some still below where they should be at this time of the year. The muddy water tells me that this water has probably run off from newly ploughed or planted fields.

The National Forest sign, a common sign to be found around here. My school was very recently involved with a tree planting day. It will be fascinating for all children involved to go back to the tress they planted when they are adults and think to themselves 'I planted that!'

The lunch of kings - jam sandwiches! Perhaps it is because I was brough up on jam sandwiches, or perhaps that it's because I can't be hassled to make anything else more extravagent, but I do enjoy a good jam sandwich! The M1 roars away in the distance.

Houses in Markfield. There were lots of them. The town is described as having an 'interesting mixture of buildings.' I wove my way through the streets of Markfield. I have nothing further to report on this matter.

Meeting Leicester Road on the other side of Markfield, I sought out my way to go. The subway shortly after this point was a colourful affair, although, due to language restrictions on this website, unable to reproduce here.

The fallen leaves created a fantastic natural mosaic, seen here in the woods parallel to the A50.

It must be great to have built a new building and then have the fun of naming it whatever you want, often inspired by the nature around you. What about 'Lumpy Stumps Farmhouse'? Or perhaps 'Snail Trail Farmhouse'? Please send in your own ideas and suggestions to...

I was again on a time quota on this walk as I quite fancied the idea of a cup of coffee at a friend's house in Newtown Linford. However, she was off at 2. It was 1:45 by this point. I will have my coffee - stomp, stomp, stomp. I will have my coffee - stomp, stomp, stomp...

I followed the path across the field. Sometimes this walk is made easier for the hiker. I could smell the coffee...

I have been to Newtown Linford many times, as it is a quaint (sorry for the Americanism) place to visit, has great eating places and is by the side of Bradgate Park, the outdoor area for Leicester city. I would like to live here. I am looking out for abandoned sheds to occupy, although I seriously don't think I could even afford that here!

I burned my way through the village and made it in time for a cuppa. It was nice to sit, relax and chatter away about the walk etc. before heading back to the city.

Only one more part of the walk left to do - a short one over the park and to the next village.