5.12.2014 Walking from Blaby to Leicester returning by BUS approx 4.5 miles

Well, it was a bit of a grey day to start with. Meeting at the park in Cosby we drove to the industrial estate on the Blaby By Pass. We started our walk here, straight on to the Great Central Way which goes all the way to the centre of Leicester.

Some info:

The Great Central Way follows the line of the former Great Central Railway, once one of the most important main lines in Britain. Its visionary founder, Sir Edward Watkin, also founded the original Channel Tunnel company 100 years ahead of its eventual completion! He built the London to Manchester "Great Central" railway in 1899, hoping that it would eventually link to France.

The railway closed in 1969, but in the 1980s, the section to the south of the city centre found a new lease of life as a cycleway and footway. By the turn of the 21st century, this in turn became part of the UK's most widespread Millennium project - the 10,000 mile National Cycle Network.

We soon got a move on as the temperature was only about 6 degrees.










We came to a totem pole along the way where another of our regular walkers joined us.

 

























It didn't take long to get to the outskirts of Leicester. We headed for the castle gardens to see how the renovation of the church spire of St Mary de Castro was going.

For info

St Mary de Castro is an ancient, Grade I listed church in Leicester, located within the former bailey of Leicester Castle. Today it acts as a parish church in the Church of England's diocese of Leicester.

The spire has been taken down because it became unsafe.

How it used to look with the spire. It's being rebuilt, completion expected next year.

Out of the castle gardens, we headed for the new Jubilee Square at the top of High Street; this used to be a car park and caused a bit of a to-do when it was announced that the car park was to become a 'people place'. Apparently, it cost four million pounds so we were interested to see if it was money well spent.

On our way into Jubilee Square

The debate continues -  car park or park?

After a good look around the Square we went into Wetherspoons at the top of High Street for a cuppa and a natter.

After our break we walked down the High Street, some to do Christmas shopping and others off to catch the bus.

A report on the bus trip back was e mailed to us.

short version       we go to the bus station and the bus was in, great. The doors were closed and they were playing around with the ticket machine. After 10 mins they let us on so we settled down, got the free paper and  we sat there and sat there then they decided the bus might break down while en route so they told us to get off and on to another bus. After every one had got on the other bus we set off, of course where we got to the bus stops in town with one bus taken out the bus filled up fast, same at every stop and it seemed every traffic light was against  us so it took 1hr and 10 mins to get to Blaby    we all said it would have been quicker to walk back. 

Agree - it probably would have.

Don't forget it's the Christmas munch next week.  Don't have too much chocolate before you start the walk.