EAST CHESHIRE RAMBLERS
Charnwood Forest THE long walkers of the East Cheshire Ramblers recently spent a weekend exploring Charnwood Forest in Leicestershire.
Two long walks were undertaken on Saturday and Sunday and even the wet weather and extremely muddy conditions underfoot didn’t dampen the spirits of the group.
Saturday’s walk commenced from Beacon Hill car park for a 13-mile ramble via the 830 acre Bradgate Country Park, a large area of open heath land and undulating hills pierced with small rocky pre-Cambrain rock outcrops. These rocks are among the oldest rocks in England.
At the highest point within the park is Old John Tower, which is modelled on the folly on Mow Cop in Staffordshire.
On one side of the round tower there is an archway from which at some angles resembles a tankard. On a clear day the view would stretch many miles, but it wasn’t to be on this occasion.
After a visit to the prominent war memorial nearby, the group descended to the ruins of Bradgate House. This is said to be the birthplace of Lady Jane Grey, who was Queen for just nine days before being overthrown by Mary I.
The house was one of the first unfortified houses in England and one of the earliest examples of the post-Roman use of bricks. A pause for picnic lunch was made within the ruins before continuing the walk via field paths and passing through the attractive villages of Cropston, Swithland and Woodhouse Eaves.
The long walk on Sunday set out from the attractive village of Newtown Linford and followed the National Forest Way and passed through Martinshaw Wood and Ratby Burroughs, where there was a prolific display of bluebells to reach Thornton Reservoir. A picnic lunch was had in the sheltered village churchyard.
The walk headed next to Markfield where a detour was taken to visit the Hill Hole Quarry.
Quarrying has gone on in the area since the 16th century and the centre of the hill has been hollowed out. Granite has been quarried in the area for several centuries at four locations and there are active quarries today which surround nearby Bardon Hill.
The return to Newtown Linford was again via field paths but mud proved rather an issue at some locations. At the end of the walk there was at least a choice of three tea shops and reflect on two days of great walking despite the weather.