The path south of Trowell Street no longer takes the shortcut line across the field, which is now fenced off and flattened for development of some kind. From here we take a fenced path with a couple of stiles down to the fields, and a good field path takes us across to the Diamond Jubilee Wood, apparently the largest area of contiguous woodland in the National Forest. We go right a short distance along Coleorton Lane then take a very little used field path left....

Hugh Hudson

An enjoyable and safe route which weaves a set of thoroughly walkable paths together....

David Sanderson

Much of this route is shared with either IbsCoa two or IbsMar two, and a bit more was familiar from the National Forest Way, but the path round the north side of Cliffe Hill Quarry and the Penny Wakefield Community Woodland were new to me. We start from Markfield on the same paths as the IbsMar two route - heading east below Markfield Hill and over the M1 (a few minor issues with overgrown vegetation and tree branches), an easy walk along the wide Cliffe Lane and the good (if slightly muddy) path along the north side of Old Cliffe Hill Quarry that leads to the road just north of Stanton under Bardon. From here we head a short distance north along the pavement then left along the quiet Billa Barra Lane (named after the hill a little further north, but what was that named after?). A short walk along the pavement of the busy West Lane leads us back onto the IbsMar two route....

Hugh Hudson

A walkable route using excellent surfaced off road paths but also some field paths which can be muddy. The short section of road walking is fairly quiet with a verge, an old lamp standard suggests there may once have been a pavement, now lost in undergrowth. Crossing the road we take a stile and walk along what is becoming an overgrown but once wide surfaced path a green corridor between those sheds we had seen. After a short road link we enter another green space with surfaced paths. It’s now road walking but the route takes back street rather than the main road, although on the day of my walk it was perhaps quieter than usual as the road was closed....

Ken

Buses to Leicester, Loughborough and Swadlincote from Coalville....

David Sanderson

An alternative is the direct route along the pavements of Upper Packington road towards Packington. The suggested route exits the field onto Ashby Road, then almost immediately heads across the fields again, crossing Coleorton Lane and including a short walk on the grass verge along that Lane, before heading across the fields again towards Spring Lane. If the weather is not favourable, you can instead walk into Packington (where there is a good farm shop at the Northern end of the High Street), and out along Spring Lane....

davej-ashby

At Manor Road we join the National Forest Way, which takes us down Townsend Lane, then leaves the old lane on a path left, that starts over a stile into a horse pasture, then crosses a fairly wet riverside area with a couple more stiles to reach a bridge over the Sence. We then cross a field (recently ploughed, no sign of a cut path) to an old railway, where the trodden path now takes an easier line than the waymarked right of way, starting along the old railway then joining the old route where it starts to cross a large arable field diagonally....

Hugh Hudson

Starting at the square in Melbourne, we go west a short distance to find the path alongside the churchyard, then follow the lane left most of the way back to the Church Street. At the last bend left, follow what looks like an access path to the right hand house and you will find a gap under the upper floor of the houses that leads to an alleyway and the main village church. Just beyond the south end of the lake we leave the well trodden track to go straight on through the fields, with a few stiles, on a path that is well marked. An easy ford takes us across the stream takes us to the trodden but otherwise unmarked that leads up to Burney Lane, where we go straight across using two slightly constrained stiles. In the first field, an ungrazed pasture, the best trodden path is not the right of way, so look out for the stile to the left. The path south from Stoney Lane starts clearly enough, but I completely lost it in an area of horse stables and parked farm vehicles and ended up taking the lane left and climbing a locked gate to reach Bakewell Lane....

Hugh Hudson

A byway (little more than a footpath) leads us uphill through another wood to a clearing with a large granite outcrop, where a little path left takes us down to the footpath. Eventually we reach the edge of a field and turn sharp right, then left across three fields on a well marked footpath to Oaks Road. We then follow a footpath right uphill and left through fields with a couple of stiles to reach the entrance road of Mount St Bernards Abbey - even if not using the facilities Ken mentions it is worth a detour to see the church. We follow the access road back to Oaks Road and go right a short distance (both verges are walkable) to the signposted footpath to Shepshed via Blackbrook Reservoir. A short stretch through a grassy field takes us to the edge of the reservoir, where another fenced muddy path takes us right to the wider and better surfaced track that crosses the reservoir on a causeway/bridge and continues to Charley Road....

Hugh Hudson

Some lovely countryside and a good mix of paths lots of stiles, mostly good quality but quite high. I started from Coalville, taking the road that dips under the railway. There is a link from Wolsley Road but crossing here from the steps is not recommended. Another inn / restaurant on Rempstone Road then a section along this busy road which does have a good grass verge. Taking the next path we join the Ivanhoe Way but it’s not the best maintained Leicestershire promoted route. Crossing under the A42 the next road is quite busy and fast but again has a wide verge....

Ken

A scenic walk very much over fields and through some woodland, some small distances on roads until the walk into Coalville but that is on good pavements with pedestrian crossings so not in any way dangerous....

Frances S

This is a good direct route.Tracks and arable fields with asmall amount of safe pavement walking form the route which is generally straightforward to follow.There is plenty of evidence of past industrial activity,Ravenstone has some interesting buildings and history (hospital lane area)No access or obstruction issues,reasonable public transport links at either end....

J w ollid

This starts along a road, a pavement either side, parked cars on the left and a grass strip on the right both offer a buffer from the traffic. Taking a right then left at Donington le Heath, we miss the old Manor House museum but this way offers an excellent surfaced path avoiding the narrow lane which has no pavement....

Ken

Between Stanton under Bardon and Markfield at Markfield Lodge Farm SK 47401 09564 the route uses a track that is not public highway....

Ken

A short pavement walk and a safe road crossing lead into the village where Main Street has interesting houses. We left the road to take an invisible cross field path, this misses Packington but a visit to the village would be a road walk. The approach to Ashby is along the road then onto the wide footpath, Mount Walk with views of the castle remains....

Ken

Nice Pics !...

John Johnson

Mount Saint Bernard Abbey offers loos and benches about half way. Exit this by an enclosed path followed by a short section of road with no pavement but a verge if required. Take a detour of 400 metres left here to a tea shop or right and along the Abbey approach road, no entry after 7pm. The exit route offers good views north, stiles on the path can be avoided as a visit to the Abbey is a detour which you could miss using the road. This leads to a massive bridge over a not too busy road before a section on the pavement alongside a busy road into the former mining town that gave it a name....

Ken

This is a diversion to avoid the grassy roadside verges of Alton Hill, but the 'purple line' in some places does not correspond to actual footpaths, and the footpaths that are there are not well maintained (long grass, damp on the September day that I followed the trail). Overall, on the way back to Ashby I was much happier to walk along the Alton Hill verge!. 2) The exit from Corkscrew Lane is not where the purple line is on the map. There are a couple of places in that stretch where we can enter the wood, though, and there are tracks through the wood, which roughly follow the purple line. I eventually navigated through this and found myself walking beside the Alton Hill road, just the other side of a tall hedge. I would recommend you look at a map before walking this section.. 3) The purple line crosses the Alton Hill road at a point where there are 'beware pipeline' markings on both sides of the road. There is no proper hole in the hedge on the north side of the road here! The sensible exit seems to be a gate that can be climbed, a little further up the road towards Ashby. Then walk down the road to get back to the pipeline warning signs, where there is another fence on the south side that can be climbed to get away from the road.....

davej-ashby

Further along, the route takes a footpath from St Mary's Avenue to Frearson Road, but there isn't a footpath between these roads....

Midland Walker