Groby Pool and Bradgate Park Bradgate House Lin and John A circular walk from Groby Pool via Anstey Village, Bradgate Park and Newtown Linford Village. Duration - 2 ½ to hours 3½ hours Distance - 9¼ kilometres ( 5½ miles) Circular walks around Leicestershire Written and published by Lin and John Blount.
Be safe walking - When ever you plan to go out walking it is a good idea to take some basic safety precautions as conditions can change during your walk and what may have started out to be a nice sunny day may turn out to be wet and cold. Make sure that you have the basics right Wear - strong walking boots that support your ankles plenty of layers of clothing (you can always take a layer off if you get too hot) Take with you - a compass and a map a waterproof jacket (preferably with a hood) a pair of waterproof over trousers gloves and a hat (a hat will keep you warm in winter and in summer it will protect against the sun) enough food to last your walk and take more than you think you need in case of emergencies a basic first aid kit, a torch and bivy-bag in case you or someone in your party gets injured. A mobile phone is also a good idea, just in case. You may never need all of these things but if you ever find yourself in an emergency you will be glad you took them with you. Although every effort has been made to ensure that this guide is accurate the reader should be aware that conditions can change and may vary with the season. 1
Directions from Leicester by car - Leave Leicester on Anstey Lane (A5630) and at the roundabout signposted for M1 south, leave at the second exit onto the A46. Stay on A46 for 0.68 miles and exit onto A50, fourth exit on the round about. Stay on A50 for 2.49 miles. Leave A50, signposted Newtown Linford and go straightforward onto Newtown Linford Lane. Groby Pool car park is in 0.5 miles. Directions from Leicester by bus - From Leicester St. Margaret's bay 8, take service No. 217 or 218 operated by Arriva Fox County (Ask for the Stamford Arms, Groby) and follow the directions given here. Unfortunately there is no direct bus link to Groby Pool, however you can catch a bus to Groby Village and it is a short walk from here to the starting point which is at Groby Pool car park. There is no need to go all the way to Goby Pool car park as you can start your walk at the gated road signed FISH4ALL Groby Fishing lakes (see page 5 photograph 1b). View of Old John Tower, Bradgate Park Gated road signed FISH4ALL Groby Fishing lakes Groby Pool Stamford Arms Pub Map of Groby Village 13 2
Groby Village ( Groby, pronounced Groby), Groby Pool, Anstey Village and Newtown Linford Village. Groby village has expanded vastly since the 1970s but the old village centre still retains some character, with some cobbled lanes and thatched cottages. The main church dates from 1840 and stands on the site of Groby Castle. No remains are left of the castle, other than a slight rise in ground to the east of the main church building. Historically, the village is noted for its connection with two Queens of England. Groby Old Hall was owned by the Grey family whose estate included Bradgate Park. John Grey, 7th Baron Ferrers of Groby married Elizabeth Woodville. After his death, in battle, she married Edward IV of England. Bradgate Park was the childhood home of Lady Jane Grey, who became Queen of England for nine days in 1553. There is no definitive explanation of the roots of the village's name, but its '-by' ending implies a link to Viking rule during the period of the Danelaw. Also, groo is a Viking word for pit, which may well refer to the quarry situated next to the village. Although Groby is noted in the Domesday Book there is no mention of a lake. The earliest recorded reference to it is in 1297 and there is evidence of a mill associated with Groby Pool from this date right up to the early 20th century, the last 27. At the yellow post (photograph 27a), cross the stile and follow the farm track down the hill and round the corner to the left, passing a yellow post on your right as you do so (photograph 27b). 27a. 28. Continue on the track through the opening into the next field, keeping on the track to the gate. Go through the gate keeping straight ahead on the footpath before you until you reach a yellow post. 27b. 29. At the yellow post turn right keeping to the footpath that meanders between the road and Groby Pool. Take care as part of the footpath uses the road for short distance. This will take you back to Groby Pool car park and the end of our walk. 28. Groby Pool 3 12
23. Go straight across the car park and make your way out through the main entrance. 24. At the entrance to Bradgate Park, turn right and cross the road (photograph 24). You are now in the village of Newtown Linford. Just before the Post Office tea rooms, look for the footpath sign (near the bus stop) which leads up to the left of the Past Office tea shop. 25. At the yellow post the footpath opens out into a field. Cross the stile and walk straight up the field, keeping the hedge on your left, to the next yellow post. 26. At the yellow post, cross the stile (care needs to be taken as this is the main road between Newtown Linford and Groby) then cross the road to the yellow post opposite. 11 24. 26. 25. being a saw mill located in Sheet Hedges Wood. Groby Pool and the surrounding area was notified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1956 because of the wide range of plants and animals to be found there. Anstey Village dates back to Angle origins, when it was known as Hanstige, meaning a narrow forest track. Local industry included hosiery, boots and shoes, box making, and wallpaper some of which survive to this day. Whilst developing the site for the new co-op store in 2002 archaeologists were called in and found remains dating back to the 12th Century. These are the earliest discovered remains, although the village is recorded in the Doomsday book. A plaque recording this has been placed on the wall of the new shop. Famous past Anstey residents include Ned Lud (machinewrecker, whose name was appropriated by the Luddites), and Snooker player and commentator Willie Thorne. Newtown Linford boasts a large number of old cottages with a lot of character - especially between Groby Lane and Markfield Lane. At the end of Groby Lane is the village Cricket Pitch. There is a church next to the cricket pitch, but the village cemetery lies at the top of the hill on Groby Lane. The villages name originates from the re-location of people when Earl Grey turned Bradgate into a deer park. The people who lived within the estate were moved to the "New Town" - or hamlet as it would have been then, at the ford of the river Lin. There are two pubs in the village, The Bradgate and The Linford. The Bradgate is a modern gastropub which serves a range of French/Italian inspired cuisine. Newtown Linford is also the main entrance to Bradgate Park. The River Lin runs through the village, before flowing through Bradgate Park and joining the reservoir at Cropston. 4
Map - Ordnance Survey 233 N Map not to scale 25 27a 26 23 24 22 Bradgate Park P Newtown Linford Bradgate House 21 20b 20a 19 18 Cropston Reservoir 17 16 marker that can be seen on the post where there is a gap in the fence (photograph 20a). Continue up the rise of the hill to the next stile (photograph 20b). It s worth stopping here for a moment to admire the views of Bradgate house, home of Lady Jane Gray, before crossing the stile and descending the hill aiming for the gate in the drystone wall ahead of you. Yellow Marker. 27b Key - PC P 28 Groby Pool A50 to M1 Quarry 29 P Groby Village Public Convenience Car Park Church Route Direction Trees Railway line Quarry 1a 4 5 6a 6b 2 3 1b 5 A5 6c A46 to M1 7 8 Map Reference 1, 2, 3, etc. (References to descriptions in the guide) View Point Built up area 9 Groby Vil & Groby Pool A50 Leicester Anstey 15 Village 14 12 11 10 A46 13 20a. 21. Go through the gate, entering Bradgate Park, and continue along the track towards Bradgate House, crossing the bridge over the river Lin. 22. After crossing the bridge, turn left and follow the park road as far as a rocky outcrop on your right (photograph 22). Here you can choose to continue along the park road to the main entrance of Bradgate Park, or 22. ascend the ridge to the right at this point, where it is less busy. If you ascend the ridge, continue along the top of the ridge parallel with the park road, and at the end of the ridge bear right and go down and around to your left to meet up with the park road at the main entrance of Bradgate Park. 10 20b.
15. Turn right into Long Close and continue to walk up the hill (photograph 15), keeping to the right of the houses on Long Close, along a bridle track, rising up the hill. 16. At the top of the hill the bridle track continues on passed the houses and bears left to a gate (photograph 16). 17. Go through the gate and turn left following along the line of the fence to the next gate and stile (photograph 17). Cross the stile and keep straight ahead, the fence on your left. 16. 17. keeping The walk - 9¼ kilometres ( 5½ miles), allow 2½ to 3½ hours. 1. From the car park entrance (photograph 1a), turn right out of the gate and walk 250 metres before crossing the road and going through the gated road signed FISH4ALL Groby Fishing lakes (photograph 1b) and follow the footpath sign along the tarmac road. 2. Where the road becomes a rough track and divides into two, continue straight on bearing left as you go. 1a. Car park entrance 1b. FISH4ALL gate. 18. When you reach the corner of the field, go through the opening and head straight across to the yellow post opposite (photograph 18). 19. At the yellow post follow the direction of the yellow arrow across the field aiming for the large tree opposite and yellow post (photograph 19). 20. Cross the stile and walk straight ahead to the yellow 9 18. 19. Aim for the large tree. 3. Just before you reach the ford crossing the stream, look for the yellow post and turn left here (photograph 3) continuing along the path with the fence on your left and the stream on your right. 4. When you reach the footbridge over the stream, cross over it and head to the yellow post opposite. (photographs 4) 5. At the yellow post (photograph 5) cross the stile and follow the direction of the yellow arrow, walking straight up the hill, heading for the gap in the trees ahead of you 6 3.
(photograph 6a). As you reach the summit of the hill you will see the yellow post in front of you 6. Go through the gap between the hedge and follow the direction of the yellow arrow to the right of the field keeping the hedge on your right as you go down the hill (photograph 6b). Continue following the hedge around the 4, 5 & 6a. field, don t go through the gap in the fence that is at the bottom of the field (photograph 6c), instead keep following around the boundary of the field you are now in, with the hedge on your right until you reach the yellow post. 5. 6a. 9. At the yellow post (photograph 9), cross the stile and on entering the field keep to the right following its boundary to the next yellow post. 10. At the next yellow post, do not turn right, but keep going straight up to the top corner of the field you are in (photograph 10). 11. At the gate, cross the stile and in 10 metres cross the opposite stile (to your left) and follow the path down to another stile (photograph 11). 9. 10. 10 & 11. 11. 6b. 6c. 7. At the yellow post (photograph 7), cross the stile and walk straight across the field heading for the gap in the trees opposite and yellow post. 8. Go through the gap into the next field (photograph 8) and walk straight across, aiming for the yellow post opposite. 7 7 & 8. 8. 12. Cross the stile and following the hedge on your right, make your way down the hill to the gate and yellow post. 13. Go through the gate and the path opens out onto Anstey Green (photograph 13). Keep to the left boundary of the green until you come to Bradgate Road. 14. Cross Bradgate Road and turn left, walking up the hill to Long Close. 8 13. 15.