Good Friday and a cracking morning for our walk. Sun was out, what more could anybody want. We started from the Blaby by-pass industrial estate on Winchester Road and would be following the Guthlaxton Trail signs to start with.
Little and Large post boxes.
Through the barriers - we think these are to stop cars and not much else.
Ah!
Making our way to the canal bridge.
Always good for a photograph.
After walking through the housing estate at Glen Parva, Cook Lane and Needham Avenue for a short distance we emerged on to the Great Central Railway path which goes through the local nature reserve, 29 acres in total.
The local nature reserve in Glen Parva is on the south-western outskirts of Leicester. It is owned and managed by Blaby District Council, Leicestershire County Council and Glen Parva Parish Council.
An arm of the Grand Union Canal runs along the western side of this site, which also has a pond, wet and neutral grassland, woodland, scrub and hedges.
There is access from neighbouring roads including Parsons Drive.
Everybody was in good spirits this morning, probably the thought of calling at King's Lock Cafe for coffee/tea and cake could be the reason why. Kings's Lock on Good Friday has become something of a tradition for us.
Miniature Stonehenge?
Plenty of information as you walk along.
Cycle path number 6 starts in London, the Leicestershire section is part of Milton Keynes to Derby.
Route 6 between Milton Keynes and Derby is the core section of the Sustrans route of the South Midlands. After passing through Northampton the route follows the Brampton Valley Way for 14 miles (23 km) to Market Harborough. First opened in 1993 it is one of the longest railway paths in the country and uses two long tunnels. From Market Harborough the route uses the towpath of the Grand Union Canal to reach Foxton Locks from where it is on streets to south Leicester. Using the River Soar towpath the route passes south to north through the city. On reaching Watermead Country Park the route returns to the streets to pass through Loughborough and on to Worthington. From here the 13 miles (21 km) to Derby follows the Cloud Trail and Derby Canal Path.
More of an updated design in cycling posts.
Path goes under the South Leicester ring road which is still not complete Quote -- “In the 80 odd years that it has not been built parts of the route have become almost SSSIs (Sites of Special Scientific Interest).
Our objective - King's Lock cafe, as the crow flies approx 400 yards sticking to the pathway, one mile plus a few more yards.
This bridge goes over the Grand Union Canal from which you can see the River Soar which flows along side the canal for quite a way through Leicester.
Camera at the ready.
Finally down on to the canal and the walk back to the cafe.
Canal bridge and the old pack horse bridge.
The beautiful pack horse bridge is located in the southwest of the reserve and is thought to have been built in the 15th century, with additional construction at later dates, as a means of crossing the wetlands. While it was originally 200m long, the bridge is now only a quarter of its original length.
Through Bridge number 104 and into King's Lock cafe.
Great garden at the back, lots of seats, just the what is needed half way round a warm walk on a spring day.
Cake looks good.
Rescue centre for ponies.
All refreshed, we start on our way back taking the canal towpath route.
Back at the ring road via the tow path and we find that the local artists have been busy again.
Trolleys fished out of the canal.
Barges tied up, no rushing about around here.
Locks add to the scenery.
Also canal bridges blend in well.
Fancy pants coming through.
Just about there.
More scenes from the canal.
Back into Glen Parva.
Views from the first bridge that we crossed at the start.
Great company, see you all next week.
P.S Date for your calendar.
Away day Calke Abbey walk, 17th May 2019. Details coming soon.
