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 route out of Mountsorrel could be shortened easily, either by using the Castle Hill path or the path that goes up right of the church, but in any case the Leicestershire Round path is reached quickly enough. I didn't investigate the shortcut path just before Bradgate Lane which looks slightly shorter than staying on the bridlepath. There is also an option to take the path left around the Bradgate Park car park rather than walking through it (the car park has a toilet building a short distance off route). I am not convinced that using the Round west of John's Lee Wood is the best or easiest route into Markfield - there is a more direct route that involves crossing the A50 on pelican crossings (see Marlou two)....

Hugh Hudson

Eventually we reach a stile on the left where we join a well cut and popular field path that takes us to the edge of Woodhouse (the line through the final field is slightly longer than the right of way and is marked as a footpath on the OS 1:25000 map. Forest Road has a pavement on the left/south which we follow to the church, where we take the quieter lane straight on, then right through houses and up through fields and a sports field to reach Woodhouse Eaves, where we join the Leicestershire Round and follow more pavements to the edge of the village, then take the well marked path that crosses fields into a golf course. Beyond we turn right, crossing Launde Road and continuing onto Leicester Road, then using a fenced alleyway to reach Park Avenue, from where the rather undistinguished meeting point (no benches, and not much in terms of facilities) is a short distance down Main Street....

Hugh Hudson

This was a big enough safety concern for me to fail the route and submit a better plotted alternative (Marlou two)....

Hugh Hudson

Roadside walking does have pavement or a well walked narrow verge. I walked from Markfield, the pavement walk to Field Head is functional but the plotted route to cross the road is not advised. The derelict mill was a disappointment so I wonder if staying on the Round might be a better option especially as it would avoid the pavement walk alongside Sharply Hill. Opposite the large Bradgate car park at Hunt's Hill where there is a loo and may be ice creams a road verge is protected for walking by wooded posts before we head off, back on the Round, towards Woodhouse Eaves crossing a golf course on a fairly well signed path....

Ken

The walk avoids significant road walking taking a route through fields so a few stiles but mostly gates and potential for cattle. Turning to walk parallel to the busy road the signage was confusing but once into the open field it was straightforward to meet the road at Whittington Grange. A short walk on the road to cross the motorway convinced me it was worth the extra distance taking the field route....

Ken

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

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

Ken