Measham, Donisthorpe, Moira and Oakthorpe, 27th July 2025

Starting at the car park behind Measham Library, Sue and Dave took six members on an 8.4 mile trip through the heart of the Leicestershire Coalfield along Ashby Wolds Way, the Ivanhoe Way and Ashby Canal to the Moira Furnace, visiting the sites of Donisthorpe, Moira and Oakthorpe Collieries and Conkers Discovery Centre.

Ashby Woulds Heritage Trail, formerly the Ashby and Nuneaton Joint Railway is now a multi-use trail in the heart of the National Forest

Group outside the site of Donisthorpe Colliery (1871 – 1990)

Ashby Canal Mine Underground seam marker-posts located on the Ashby Canal towpath indicating: the Mine Seam; the Seams Worked; Metres Below Ground

Donisthorpe Woodland Park, a 36-hectare former colliery site in the National Forest

Remains of a railway semaphore signal base structure

Moira Junction, formerly a railway junction and train depot, was transformed into a nature reserve starting in 1991 and designated a Local Nature Reserve in 1994
One of four sculptures located at key nearby industrial sites - Moira Junction South, Bath Yard Basin, Hicks Lodge and Thorpit Pit

Unusual triple-gated Moira Lock near the termination of the Ashby Canal

Moira Furnace (1806) one of the best-preserved blast furnaces in the country

Bridge near the end of the Ashby-de-la-Zouch Canal which connected Moira with the Coventry Canal. It was opened in 1804 and a number of tramways were constructed at its northern end to service the collieries.  Around 9 miles passes through the Leicestershire Coalfield


Examining one of the two plinths where Oakthorpe Colliery shafts are capped

Returning to Measham across the A42

Start point: Measham Library, SK331119