Best bird watching trails in Leicestershire, England

A circular walk from the small village of Medbourne in Leicestershire. Having explored the centre of the village with its medieval Packhorse Bridge and pretty church, the route leads you out through arable fields to reach the nearby old mansion, Nevill Holt. The paths through the estate give you great views of the chapel, stable block and mansion, as well as the beautiful pieces of sculpture that are dotted around the grounds. The return leg follows a quiet lane which leads you back into the village. The route is incredibly peaceful and you will have lovely views throughout. The route has several long and steady climbs and descents throughout. You will be following a mixture of stone and grass tracks, field paths (which can get muddy) and tarmac lanes. The vast majority of the route is livestock free, ideal for dogs, with just one very short stretch through a sheep pasture so take care with dogs at this point. You will need to negotiate a couple of bridle gates and one kissing gate, and there are three stiles on route. The stiles have tight fence surrounds meaning dogs will need a hand over, but they can be avoided by taking a shortcut along a short stretch of lane. Allow 2.5 hours. Show more

A circular walk from the village of Thornton in Leicestershire. The route is a real countryside classic, starting with a circuit around Thornton Reservoir with lots of wildlife to enjoy. Leaving the reservoir behind, the route heads through the village, passing Thornton Mill and crossing paddocks and a railway line to reach a section of the National Forest. Manor Wood and Bagworth Heath Woods occupy the site of a former colliery and are now planted with a huge variety of native trees giving a wonderful wild effect. Beyond the National Forest, you join a simple enclosed path and then a short section across pastures to return to the village where hospitality awaits. The route has several steady climbs and descents throughout. Some of the paths are surfaced, but the unmade stretches can get very muddy. You will need to negotiate several kissing gates, some steps plus 7 stiles (3 of the stiles have adjacent dog gates, the other 4 have fencing gaps suitable for small dogs and are fairly low for larger dogs to climb. You will need to cross the railway twice, at official crossing points but without signals, so look and listen carefully for trains before you cross. Most of the route is free from livestock, but you will need to cross three paddocks, two pastures that may be holding cattle and one pasture that may be holding sheep. Allow 3 hours. Show more

This is a nice walk through mixed woodlands and in to the Heath and hills of Bradgate park with roaming deer , a stop for a coffee and a steady walk.Show more

A circular walk from the ancient site of the Burrough Hill Iron Age hill fort near Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire. This part of Leicestershire is known as High Leicestershire. It has particularly picturesque rolling hills and there are many points where the views are really beautiful so make sure you walk on a clear day. The walk gives chance to explore the fort before joining the Leicestershire Round long-distance path heading through pastures and fields down to the village of Somerby. The route then crosses over to the village of Burrough on the Hill before heading north through more arable fields to rejoin the Leicestershire Round for the journey back to the fort. There are several climbs and descents throughout and the field paths can be very muddy after periods of wet weather and in winter. You will be sharing the paths with sheep for lots of the route and there are also a couple of places (including the fort) where cattle are grazing, so take care with dogs. There are lots of gates on route plus a few narrow footbridges, a couple of flights of steps and three stiles (all of which have adjacent dog gates or open fencing surrounds so they shouldn't pose a problem for most dogs). There are public toilets at the car park at the start of the walk, along with several picnic benches. Allow 3 hours. Show more

A nice but tiring uphill stroll through the deerpark followed by a beautiful country village. Ends with a long and major road, but this leaves you back in the deerpark so not too bad.Show more

Fairly flat walk to the huge reservoir at Swithland.Show more

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is a linear walk that uses a steam train for the return leg. Services are usually limited to weekends and bank holidays plus selected weekdays in the summer, so check timetables before you travel. This 6.5 mile linear walk in Leicestershire runs through varied and attractive countryside, and offers a ride with style back to the start, courtesy of the Great Central Railway's steam hauled trains. It runs from the railway's Quorn and Woodhouse station, 2.5 miles south of Loughborough, to Rothley station. The first section of the walk runs alongside a delightful little river, and provides good views of the railway, while the latter part takes you through the mature Oak woodland of Swithland woods. Most of the walking is on paths and tracks, with 0.9 mile along roadside pavements. The riverside walk can get very wet and muddy after rain. There are 9 stiles on the walk, but none of them pose a barrier for most dogs. This is a good walk for dogs. Livestock is only likely to be encountered in a field in the first section, and another one in the last. Allow 3.5 hours for the walk, plus trainspotting time.Show more

Head out of Stathern and past the church before heading along the path leading to Combs Plantation. From here you pass through the Plantation before following a footpath passing broadly along its eastern perimeter. At the junction with Toft's Lane, turn right and follow the track until it joins Belvoir Road. Walk along the latter until you reach a crossroads. Turn left here and then join the Jubilee Way towards Reeded Cottage. Here, effectively double back on a lower track before rejoining Jubilee Way as you pass through areas designated on the OS Map as Barkestone, Plungar and Stathern Wood. Eventually the path reaches Toft's Lane where you will turn right and follow the track back into Stathern village and well-earned refreshments at the Red Lion PH.Show more