From the bustling market town of Loughborough to the picturesque villages and countryside of rural Charnwood, there are plenty of opportunities to explore this beautiful borough on foot. Whether you’re looking for a gentle stroll, a family-friendly route, or a more challenging countryside walks, Charnwood offers something for everyone.
Home to the stunning Charnwood Forest, the iconic Bradgate Park, and the tranquil Watermead Country Park, the area boasts some of Leicestershire’s most spectacular landscapes and wildlife. Walkers can also enjoy a variety of routes and trails available through John Harris’s Walking in England, the Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust, and Leicestershire Country Parks, providing inspiration to discover hidden gems, nature reserves, and historic landmarks across the borough. So lace up your walking shoes and experience the natural beauty, heritage, and welcoming communities that make Charnwood a fantastic place to walk all year round.
This wetland haven is worth visiting all year around, but comes alive in the winter, when rafts of ducks, like wigeon and teal, gather on the lakes, and Barn Owls hunt over the meadows.
Syston Lakes nature reserve is a restored gravel pit alongside the River Wreake. A permissive circular footpath takes you around a mix of woodland, scrub, brambles and open water.
A network of scrapes and wet meadows, Wanlip is the ideal place to try your hand at birdwatching. The wetland supports a number of birds throughout the year.
Ownership of this reserves is split between the Wildlife Trust and the National Trust, however the Wildlife Trust has managed both areas since 1966. A real gem in the heart of Charnwood Forest, Ulverscroft offers a wide variety of habitats to explore.
This Mountsorrel & Rothley marshes is part of the Soar Valley floodplain system. Originally agricultural fields, harvested for maize, grazed by cattle and used as grassland in their recent history, we are now allowing nature to take back control.
One of the most magical things about visiting Wymeswold Meadows is the sense of seclusion you get when you step through the gates.
Tom Long’s Nature Reserve (formally known as Tom Long’s Meadow) is a narrow corridor of land approximately 600m in length and no wider than 75m.
Loughborough Big Meadow is just that – a diverse 45ha site of herbrich hay meadow. The meadow has been used for flooding as long as records exist, and this has led to a beautiful wildflower meadow, with interesting birds making their homes along the river.
