A stretch of path beside the Nature Lake was flooded, so I went the long way round and crossed a brilliant footbridge poised over a weir. I watched wildfowl being fed beside the Mammoth Lake, then followed a securely fenced path past the Leicester Marina. I wasn't able to complete the one mile of towpath and the road-walk into Syston, and the photos will give you an idea of what things look like once the water gets onto the paths....

Paddy Dillon

If you do the walk starting at Kibworth then there’s one bit where there is a fence with a narrow road/trackto the left and fields to the right. The answer btw is to climb the gate on the left and then round the corner hop over the wire fence into the field....

Tod Wood

The pavement walk out of Mountsorrel drags a bit, and I used the riverside path between the A6 bridge and Cossington Lane/Syston Road. There are a few steps up to the road, and we use the road bridge to cross the canal then continue on the towpath. We cross the river Wreake at a footbridge and head south under the Leicester bypass, then cross the canal using the road bridge on Wanlip Road. Eventually we cross the Soar on a footbridge to join the main riverside track, passing the National Space Centre and the ruined Abbey....

Hugh Hudson

Firstly there is no shortcut through the allotments east of Queens Road - there is a locked gate at the Queens Road end (picture 4) and an impenetrable hedge at the other. The pavement walking is fine as far as Great Glen but the pavement ends before the main road junction, and though there is a narrow marked path alongside the A6 (picure 12) it is not a relaxing walk, and the farm lane connecting it with the path from Burton Overy is not marked as a right of way, and though the locked one bar gates (picture 13) are easy to duck under, I can't really recommend this with a clear conscience. At the far side we turn left on a good if slightly muddy bridleway to reach the A6, then follow the old main road through Great Glen (with a brief interlude through the churchyard) to return to the A6....

Hugh Hudson

Nice mix of town and country....

David Griffiths

As Ken says, the path out to the A50 underpass is further east than the right of way line. The Leicestershire Round path has more wet and muddy sections and a few stiles, so some may prefer the more direct route out of Markfield (see Marlou two). A band of new houses is passed on a sandy path and we then follow a tarmac path right of the cemetery over Rothley Brook and under the A46....

Hugh Hudson

The northern section is a country walk which has three stiles, the only ones on the whole route, there could also be cattle in the fields here. The River Soar is also a navigation so there is a towing path alongside but the high quality cycle track surface stays with the river where there are twists and turns that may extend the walk. Plus it would avoid the enclosed path around the marina and perhaps offer a better surface along the cycle track....

Ken

Crossing into the city it's mostly quiet street walking passing a number of school / colleges which is a good thing. The busy road needs care crossing to the footpath alongside the bungalows. The walk along Gwendolen Road is interesting offering an interesting mix of housing and old factory sites when workers lived next door to their place of employment. After crossing the railway I made a mistake opting for the direct road crossing which took me into the busy Granby Street rather than a mix of crossing points on the plotted route into less interesting Charles Street.,...

Ken

Eventually we come to a bridge just in front of a lock, which we cross and follow the path across fields, then straight on along the edge of the housing estate to reach Cork Lane, where we turn right and follow the path/cycle track over the canal and the Sence and under the railway bridge to reach Winchester Avenue (an industrial estate). It is probably easiest to cross Enderby Road here, we then follow it then turn left up Victoria Road, then right along Station Street to find the path left along the edge of Whetstone....

Hugh Hudson

I have created NARLEI 4 as an alternative route that is easier when the river is in spate and is the same length, and since this one already has several good reviews and lots of pictures, I will post the detailed review and pictures there and just use this review to illustrate the problem, which is probably only an issue after prolonged rain or melting snow....

Hugh Hudson

The eastern half is good and quite pretty if a little muddy at times, but I rather suspect there are nicer routes through the east of Leicester, and as Ingrina says, the Evington Park section does not work as drawn. We follow the road down to the right to the edge of the fields, then take the diagonal path across arable fields. If I were to change the route, I would stay on the main track that passes Evington House, and probably also use the car park entrance to the park in the south east corner. We follow this road around to the right and straight on for some distance up to the T junction on East Park Road, where there is a pelican crossing opposite our path through the park....

Hugh Hudson

A section of pavement alongside a busy road before quiet roads, a cycle route and a short riverside path before crossing the river onto the busy city centre streets. The first path and crossing of the busy road is well signed but not quite as shown on the plot which is on the definitive line as shown on Ordnance Survey. Crossing the road the path alongside the cemetery is even better being an excellent tarmac surface and kissing gates indicate, for walkers only. A tunnel provides safe passage under the busy road, the surfaced path is inviting but the public path forks right or a walked path continues along the field edge after the surfaced path turns into the houses. Meeting the road there is a shop at the filling station opposite but crossing the road is an issue and the large traffic islands mean a less than direct but safe passage on foot....

Ken

Some nice eating and drinking options in Mountsorrel along the route as well if walk from Leicester to Mountsorrel....

Ingrina

We walked this wonderful route with the @Muslim.Hikers and had a wonderful time, saw a space centre, beautiful bridges, a lovely park, the autumnal sunshine and lots of soothing water ways. There were forms of pathways for the majority of the route, comfy walking boots or trainers recommended. Toilet at the starting point and also at the finish....

ZAHRA ROSE

Transition to the city centre is dramatic and overwhelming, but would make a lovely way to escape the centre of town on the way out of Leicester....

andy_mackay

A very pleasant route with long sections alongside the river and the canal as well as lakeside walking. An easy-to-follow route, which is well signed and easy walking. Plenty of opportunity for wildlife spotting and virtually all traffic free outside the City....

Tim Ryan

I am also aware that the people who reviewed route Two during the November 2022 Swarm actually walked route Three....

Mary Oz

After a short road section (with a narrow pavement) the field paths were not as good, and mostly ran along field edges which had been planted up to the edge. Then a residential road of very nice houses led into Kirby Muxloe and a good deli-pub lunch at the Royal Oak. Going into the centre of Leicester there were various points of interest including the remains of the Great Central Railway South goods yard horse stables, Newarke Road Bridge, Trinity Hospital, The Newarke Houses Museum, De Montford University, Newarke/Magazine Gateway, the Cathedral, King Richard III visitor centre, many shops, and finally the Clock Tower....

Mary Oz

Full review to follow....

Tim Ryan

We walked along a road and onto a footpath beside a field for the first part of the route, before using the Great Central Way and through Whetstone....

Lynn Jackson

The path was not overgrown for us and we didn't face the same challenges as Jess, but we think the route makes use of a track which is not marked as a right of way....

danravenellison

We'd not have known if we'd not had the OS paid app, and it feels unlikely it'd be contested by anyone as it runs straight from a well-used footpath through turnip fields to the main road....

Hannah

I'd definitely walk it again and recommend that everyone (who's able) who lives in Desford gives it a go. There are a handful of stiles, a couple of narrow bridges and on the day we walked it (today)......

danravenellison

This new route was great - Slow Ways Dan and I added a new section at the Desford end to stick to footpaths and avoid a short stretch of track that wasn't a right of way....

Hannah

You can also expect to find some toilets and resting spots at Evington Park, about halfway through the walk. One tiny adjustment (in photos) at the Evington Park section: After entering the park and going SE, the route marks a left perpendicular turn towards NE before a right perpendicular turn towards SE, which actually ends up hitting a fence....

Ingrina

Crossing the Park the path follows the River Soar along wide flat pathways past Leicester Outdoor activity Centre and past Belgrave Hall Gardens with a museum and café. Abbey Park had a small model railway, the park closes at 6pm (in November) but is easily walked around....

Strider

Lots of trees and also industrial entry to Leister....

Clare

The first 2k went along roadside pavements but there was a nice mini diversion near the start, into a park. After passing the Abbey remains, we diverged from the other group again, and crossed the river to walk through Abbey Park....

Mary Oz

Easy walk through variety of settings (villages, suburbs, fields, river, canal) mainly on the flat with a few places on the canal to sit for a break....

Mary Tyler

The route clearly ask you to leave the road to go through a residential area....

David Sanderson

I also walked this route as part of the November 2022 swarm and the addition of a delightful tea room puts it in the 5 star category for me. The path along the canal was pleasantly quiet for a rather mild Saturday in November. I actually re-walked about an hour of this route the following day, leaving the path at the Aylestone Boathouse site to reach Fosse Park where I picked up a bus back to London....

LondonIn360

The route only had a short part that went through residential housing but it was possible to walk on pavements and find crossings across roads when it was needed. The rest if the route was flat and easy for a gentle walk....

Lara

A very nice, very offroad walk between Narborough and Leicester using a combinations of footpath, towpath, riverside and old railway....

David Sanderson

There is some cycle track before reaching the canal towpath at Gee’s Lock. It would have been possible to get straight onto the cycle track before Gee’s Lock, but the canal adds variety and wildlife....

Mary Oz

Was safe and with plenty of Riverside and lakeside paths. Much of it on tarmac....

Tim Ryan

This route goes straight on to the edge of a park, where we follow a surfaced path left back to Melton Road, which we follow past the railway station, turning right onto Wanlip Road, which we follow past three small roundabouts to the river (note that it is easiest to stay on the north side all the way, because the pavement on the south side does not continue all the way. We cross a bridge over a side branch of the Soar half left and another shortly afterwards over the main part of the river, then follow the surfaced path that follows the east bank. We then follow it past the National Space Centre to Abbey Park Road. Here we chose to ignore the short continuation and double-back along the river path (possibly a plotting error?) and cross the bridge into Abbey Park, turning right along the east bank of the river and left up Cave's walk by the model railway. We cross the bridge and go straight on up Abbey Walk and Watling Street, turning right onto Canning Street then taking the path left into St Margaret's churchyard....

Hugh Hudson

A lovely varied walk. Full review on its way....

Slow Ways Darren

The detour from the south starts at Cossington Lane at SK 954 129 and goes down the steps (shown in the first photo) onto the riverside path, continues north with the river on the right until after 300 m you pass through a gate and then go diagonally left to a yellow marker by the A6 underpass where you re-join the route out onto Loughborough Road. This takes you down to the riverside path, continue to Cossington Lane and back on route. However, this was an otherwise excellent route, easy to follow, easy to walk with riverside and lakeside paths....

Tim Ryan

The rest of the journey was a straight line into Leicester, walking along the maple-lined Great Central Way....

Lynn Jackson

Just before this section, in Blaby, we took a minor diversion through the Winchester Avenue industrial estate, rather than a 3-400 yard stretch by the busy dual carriageway - it was a Saturday, so the industrial estate was quiet....

Nick Grain

The actual route of Narlei One is lovely, but the GPX file of the route has an unacceptable glitch in it - a spur that would take you off-road, wading through streams and back again before you return to the correct path. Of course, people wouldn't do this in real life, but if you are relying on the GPX using the Slow Ways mapping app it would lose the enjoyment by trying to figure what you should do next. Narlei Two has lost the glitch and tidied up an area to enable safer road crossings....

Lynn Jackson

I haven't walked this route but making a pre-walk assessment I'm confident that the crossings of the A6 and A46 are unsatisfactory. The route could be amended to use a nearby bridge for the A46 but I see no solution for a safe crossing of the A6 dual carriageway at the location proposed....

Ken

I walked from Leicester to Desford but was unable to walk the final mile or so because the path is so overgrown and there's no clear route between fields. This route also goes past a slaughter house which is pretty unpleasant. There are some very secluded paths on this route that I wasn't comfortable walking on my own....

JessGreen

There are a couple of places I wouldn't feel safe walking as a woman on my own, an under pass near Abbey Park (although you can choose to cross the dual carriageway instead) and a long, very isolated and industrial path along the marina, but it would be possible to avoid this by going through Birstall instead....

JessGreen