The Walks Programme has been updated with all available information up to 23rd June 2026. Would all Walk Leaders please check for accuracy?
The start points for all these walks can be found on this interactive map. Pan and zoom to check the information.
Note that there are some gaps. Please inform Gail if you are able to fill them. Help and/or training can be given to members who are not fully qualified as Leaders.
From the playground in Sutton Bonington, Elaine took ten members on a 7.6 mile walk past Sutton Bonington Hall and round the back of St Michael's Church to reach and cross the bridge over the Midland Mainline. The route then took us across fields to West Leake for a coffee stop at the church and then down Kingston Brook to Kingston on Soar for lunch and a visit to see the extraordinary Babington Monument in St Winifred's Church.
After crossing under the Midland Mainline, we reached Kegworth Shallow
Flood Lock and then followed the Grand Union Canal / River Soar until we came
to the path back to Sutton Bonington.
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| The start in the car park |
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| Midland Mainline |
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| DHL cargo planes to/from Cincinatti, Leipzig and other places |
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| The Star on Melton Lane |
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| First crossing of Kingston Brook |
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| Ascending the ha ha near St Helena's Church, West Leake |
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| Coffee stop |
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| Kingston Hall - now luxury apartments |
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| Weir and sluices to provide a feed into an ornamental lake (The Pool) in the grounds of Kingston Hall |
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| St Winifred's Church |
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| Part
of the impressive Babington Monument,
erected by Sir Anthony Babington and completed by his son John in the 1530s as
a burial vault for his family. At the top are the arms of Henry VIII which contains the rose and crown supported by a greyhound and dragon. Below are the Babington arms in the form of a wyvern |
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| Lunch on The Green |
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| About to pass under the Midland Mainline |
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| You'll miss it when it's gone |
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| Kingston Shallow Flood Lock, used as a normal lock from October to March. At other times, the gates are fastened back except in abnormal flood conditions |
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| Kegworth New Lock on the Grand Union Canal. This lock used to called Kegworth Deep Lock on account of its 12 foot rise but after several narrowboats sank after getting caught on the cill at the upstream end, it was renamed Kegworth New Lock so as not to scare off new users! |
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| Boats at the marina near The Otter pub |
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| The briefing |
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| Coffee stop in Sheldon Field, home of Cropwell Butler Cricket Club |
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| The start in Swithland Wood |
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| Sign at the entrance to the park |
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| Distant view of Old John Tower |
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| Steady climb up to Old John Tower ... |
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| ... for a well-deserved rest |
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| Toposcope next to Old John. Views of Melton Mowbray – 15 miles, Burrough Hill – 14¾ miles, Leicester Cathedral – 5¾ miles, Scraptoft – 8¾ miles, Rothley Temple – 9¼ miles, Tilton on the Hill – 14¼ miles, Billesdon Coplow – 12½ miles. This indicator was given by the people of Newtown Linford from the proceeds of their pageant of Lady Jane Grey held in the ruins 1951-1952 |
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| Old John Tower from the opposite side. A post mill used to be sited here but became unsafe after a storm in 1784 and was relaced by this stone tower in 1786. By 1792, this archway had been added in affectionate memory of Old John, possibly the old miller, who had been killed in an accident during celebrations on the hill. John liked his ale so the archway was modelled on the handle of a beer mug (allegedly) |
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| Site of discovery of the fossil Charnia Masoni, found in 1957 by schoolboy Roger Mason. It was the first fossil ever identified from the Precambrian period. It is now protected from small chidren with geological hammers |
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| The Old Forge, Linford Newtown |
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| All Saints' Church |
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| Painting of Linford Newtown in the church |
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| Dr Who? |
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| Fine specimen on the trail through the park |
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| Bradgate House, a once-magnificent Tudor mansion and the birthplace of Lady Jane Grey, Queen of England for nine days in 1553 |
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| Fine thatched cottage in Cropston |
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| View of Cropston Reservoir from the end of the dam. Originally designed to collect local supplies of water, it now receives most from Ladybower via the Derwent Aqueduct |
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| Cropston Reservoir outfall |
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| Intake tower and walkway (artistic composition from Terry) |
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| 6½ miles |
Starting at St Mary's Church in Queniborough, Paul took ten members on an 8-mile walk to Gaddesby for a brief coffee stop and then on through Barsby to St John the Baptist's Church in South Croxton for lunch. The route made use of surprisingly good field paths alongside Queniborough Brook and Gaddesby Brook, two streams which eventually join the River Wreake.
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| The start in Queniborough |
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| Queniborough Dovecote, built in 1705 but relocated and rebuilt in 1988 when it threatened to fall down |
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| Inside the dovecote |
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| Coffee stop at the Cheney Arms |
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| Second crossing of Gaddesby Brook |
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| Fine brickwork in Barsby |
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| Lunch - St John the Baptist, South Croxton |
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| Wait for me! |
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| South Croxton - celebrating the Queen's Golden Jubilee, 2002 |
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| A stile too far. Tweny four stiles today - a record |
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| Spring flowers back in Queniborough |
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| Fine memorial in churchyard to Lance Corporal Eugene Benjamin Thomas Weldon 4850605 1st Bn. Leicestershire Regiment, shot and killed in Castlereagh in 1921 |
