Shelou two

Verified Slow Way

Verified by 100.00% of reviewers

I’ve walked and checked this route several times. It is accurate.

If cycling be aware that the path from just after Garedon Park to the bridge over the M1 (outside Shepshed) is quite gravelly so care needs to be taken.

Walked from Loughborough to Shepshed apart from parts of the towpath in Loughborough which were closed. A sound direct route but not a very exciting one.

Starting at Loughborough station, we cross the car park and walk along Nottingham Road to the canal, where we descend steep steps to reach the towpath. In normal circumstances the canal is a good route, as long as no shops are needed, but untoftunately a fairly long section from Nottingham Road to the bridge on Canal Bank was temporarily closed. This gave me the opportunity to explore some of the other places where the towpath can be accessed (the ones on Meadow Lane and Glebe Street are step-free), and having realised it was still closed beyond Meadow Lane I chose to walk down Toothill Street and go via the canal basin and the branch arm. This proved a wise decision as I could see another closure sign just east of the junction bridge.

Here I rejoined the route proper for a short section of canal, then up the steps to Belton Road, across the junction with Derby Road and through the housing estate out to Black Brook. I found the walk along Black Brook rather disappointing, as for most of it the stream is hidden from the path by a flood bank, and the road crossings involve steps or small detours (in one case avoidable by walking under a low bridge, which required a stoop. Beyond the houses the surfaced path ends and it gets a little muddy. We then cross an old bridge and follow Oxley Gutter south around the edge of Garendon Park, which is defended by a rather incongruous stone wall. The path along Butthole Lane (no sniggering at the back), which crosses wide open arable fields and is easy to follow apart from one junction where the left turn is unsignposted, is rather unexciting, and gets quite noisy near and over the M1 bridge. Beyond the bridge a surfaced track leads us through the edge of Shepshed to Loughborough Road, where we cross and go past the church to reach the meeting point at the Bull Ring junction.

Using sections of a cycle route, then following the Black Brook before a short section of pavement walking and using the canal towpath to reach Loughborough rail station. There are some annoying steps on an otherrwise straighforward and easy route. Potentially this Slow Way could be step and barrier free with some modification at the east side which I haven't investigated. No cattle and good tracks across arable fields.

The route starts very well from Shepshed, passing the stone built church to join cycle route 6 down a pleasant sunken lane. Adjacent newer housing has links. Even newer housing built alongside the motorway has a sound bund and fence but I wonder how effective this is.

The status changes, with no explanation, from byway to footpath but that fails to dissuade motorcyclists racing around on, I guess, unregistered machines. The tracks here are wide with a good surface through a pleasant piece of countryside.

After passing some derelict farm buildings alongside a minor water course which the map names as Oxley Gutter our footpath heads north. I guess that turning right on the cycle route would offer a step free link from Shepshed to Loughborough.

Meeting Black Brook cross over Stonebow Bridge and take the footpath on the north bank. It's easy walking alongside a high flood bank which made it feel like walking in the Fens, I did detour along the top of the bank in places but the surfaced path was easier. Steps from Buckingham Drive were the first I encountered, frustrating as a slope alongside did not link to the footpath. A large supermarket offers services on route and I guess there is a loo there if needed.

The Black Brook turns north but we must continue eastwards so it's over the bridge and onto estate roads for the final approach into Loughborough. A local Co-op before crossing the road at lights then along Knightthorpe Road and a variety of property and private roads that I found interesting.

More steps from Belton Road to the canal then more frustration with a sign that offers the rail station meeting point in one direction while the inviting town centre is a different path. Proof, if it were needed, that the meeting point in Loughborough could be better located.

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