This was the first Slow Ways walk I did and was a bit apprehensive about walking into a city rather than going somewhere in the countryside. However, I was very pleasantly surprised. The route goes through farm fields, old railway tracks converted to nature paths and some local meadows, so remains natural and green most of the way into the city....

Karl Percival

Generally very pleasant, particularly along the Great Central Way and canal towpath - very peaceful and well used while being very green and lots of flowers. I would vary the route through Leicester to avoid Castle Gardens, which is closed at night, but to route through the De Montfort University Campus which is always open, well lit and a large landscaped pedestrian route. I'd hoped that this route might be more accessible, given the amount of paved traffic-free routes, but much of the canal towpath is awkward and steep....

Sam PV

A mix of track, field and road walking not direct but perhaps the best on offer if you need to walk between Earl Shilton and Narborough. The field edge bridle path has recently been fenced and is used for tractor access so is rutted, not good for horses or walking. From here it’s tarmac all the way along Earl Shilton Lane. The path then crosses a sports field and again the path is obstructed not only by the in use marked pitched but a tall netting fence, all this forced me to walk around the edge, should I fail it?...

Ken

Walked from Narborough to Earl Shilton on a fine winter day after a wet week. A good route, but quite wet and muddy in these mild winter conditions. Earl Shilton Road is a quiet single track road with a lot of twists and turns....

Hugh Hudson

This route is long but mostly very easy and simple to follow, though there are a few steps on the canal towpath and a few stiles on the path out of Kibworth Beauchamp. When we reach the canal the towpath is gained by going a few steps north into a field then through a gap in the trees. Beyond Newton Harcourt the canal meanders through quiet arable fields, and the towpath soon crosses to the south bank....

Hugh Hudson

I walked this route from Narborough to Leicester. Leaving Narborough Station you turn left away from the level crossing and cross to the right hand side of Riverside Way where there is a shared cycle/pedestrian path....

Malcolm

We then follow a good wide track until just before the old railway, where steps take us up to the left and a path leads through fields back down to the lane. A good bridleway, which looks potentially muddy in places, takes us to Forest Road, and another takes us over the M69 to Croft Road (the second field north of the motorway had no cut strip but has a path around the edge). Croft Road was busier than I expected and has no pavement - a field shortcut path could have cut out most of this section....

Hugh Hudson

The walk starts well from Broughton Astley with a bit of pavement that takes us through the local shops of Primethorpe, a suburb of Broughton Astley. This disappointing lack of compliance persisted all the way to the road at Littlethorpe so could spoil an otherwise fine walk had there been standing crops....

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

There is no evidence that anyone has tried to assert the right to cross the first field directly recently, and the longer route around the edge seems well trodden....

Hugh Hudson

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

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

Mary Oz

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 left option has no steps or ramp and is a drop down to the road. Seemingly minor, but if not corrected and the correct option not made more obvious, future walkers will ask why no one mentioned it before!...

David Sanderson

As you leave the village, you follow a the main road which has no pavement, but the road is straight and the verge is wide. Having crossed a bridge over the A47 you then leave Thurlaston Lane to walk along Earl Shilton Road, a quiet lane with no pavement but with great sight lines and is relaxing enough to able to enjoy the open countryside....

David Sanderson

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

The parts of the route along roads had very good footpaths....

Nick Grain

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

Overall this is an enjoyable, relatively long walk through countryside and villages from Narborough to Kibworth but there is one dangerous section alongside a busy road. I would have rated it higher but for a 500m section at Foston, which follows a narrow verge alongside a busy winding road. All in all, a good walk that was let down by a short walk alongside a busy road....

Mike Sweeting