Through Leicester on the Grand Union Canal

Saturday 15th August 2015

Several years ago I thought a good idea for a walk would be to catch a train to the town of Loughborough and then walk home through the centre of the city of Leicester. The first time I did that I took a route through Bradgate Park, but the second time I tried it I walked a large part of the way beside the Grand Union Canal. These had both been during the winter, so last summer I wondered if it would be a good idea to try to do the whole walk again beside the Grand Union Canal which goes through Loughborough and passes close to my house. Excited at the idea I caught an early train and got to Loughborough soon after eight o’clock. While most people were still in bed I was already walking along the towpath for the Grand Union Canal enjoying the warm sunshine and the lush vegetation that grew beside the path. Loughborough was soon left far behind and I was enjoying a peaceful and relaxing walk beside the canal. Before too long a marina appeared on the other side of the canal and on my side the River Soar approached and joined the canal.

I would now follow the River Soar up stream for most of the walk until finally parting company beyond Leicester. After coming up close to the railway, the river and canal briefly parted company with the River Soar heading in a wide loop towards Quorn while the canal takes a direct route along the southern edge of Barrow-upon-Soar. When I first came down here I didn’t know where I was going and followed the river into Quorn, but now I knew how to stay on the towpath as I followed it through to the far side of Barrow. A dull section of the walk now followed whereby the path was barely marked, on fields beside the canal, until I neared Mountsorrel and passed under the striking bridge for the conveyor that takes stone from the nearby quarry to the railway.

The scenery slowly improved I passed several nature reserves, however I unfortunately missed the opportunity to fully enjoy them. I was staying on the west side of the canal where there is a clear towpath, though the OS map indicates there is a right-of-way on the other side of the canal through Cossington Meadows Nature Reserve and once I passed Sileby Locks I was unable to cross the canal until I had reached the far end of the reserve. This is still a picturesque and tranquil section of the walk with many trees growing beside the canal, but it was not the meadow I’d hoped to see. When I finally reached the road I turned left along it and into Cossington Meadows, but soon realised that I was heading away from Leicester and wasting time. Reluctantly, and rueing a missed opportunity, I returned to the canal and followed the towpath onto the River Wreake past groves of the invasive Himalayan balsam.

The Grand Union Canal soon turns off the River Wreake to forge its own course through the delightful scenery of the River Soar floodplains to Watermead Country Park. This is an amazing place that I have visited far too few times and couldn’t resist coming off the canal and standing at the northern end of John Merrick’s Lake to just take in the view along the length of the boating lake. Rather than return to the canal I stayed in the park and wandered south taking in the sights and enjoying the glorious sunshine. Eventually I returned to the canal as the River Soar also rejoined us and I followed its meandering course through the park eventually leaving under the busy Leicester outer ring road. Although I was now entering the city greenery still dominated my surroundings as I made my way beside the canal. At Old Bridge rather than stay on the towpath I walked through the pretty gardens of Belgrave Hall on the other side and finally crossed back over the canal when the scenery became increasingly industrial.

With hindsight I have realised that at this point the towpath actually crosses to the side I had been on as the River Soar and the canal parted company once again. While the canal headed deep into industrial Leicester I followed the river past the imposing structures of the National Space Centre and entered Abbey Park past the remains of the 12th century abbey on my right and the fabulous grounds of the park on both sides of the river. It may not have been my intention to go this way, but it seems fortuitous as it is far better than the dreary industrial scenery that the canal passes through. At the southern end of the park I crossed over to the far side of Frog Island to rejoin the canal’s course through the city. After passing under King Richards Road the river enters a mile straight that is popular with rowers while the original route of the River Soar meanders around Bede Park.

Soon after the rivers combine they pass the stadium for the Premiership leading Leicester City Football Club (and I never thought I’d be saying that when I did the walk!). The scenery was already transformed into a green-filled oasis despite still being deep inside the city as I passed under a railway bridge and entered Aylestone Meadows. The Leicester City Council website describes the diverse landscape of this park as a taste of the countryside in the city, and normally at this point I would take a route through the delightful park, but on this occasion I kept to the towpath as the river and canal goes around the eastern edge of the park until finally, and for the last time, the River Soar and the Grand Union Canal parted company beside an ancient pack horse bridge. With the city of Leicester left firmly behind the canal passes in tandem with the river through the Soar Valley before swinging sharp left to follow the River Sence eastwards. It was amazing to see the varying landscape that I passed through on this walk, and just how much of the sights of Leicester are seen from the canal despite only briefly intruding on the tranquil surroundings.