Where does this route start and end?

The route runs from Leicester to Leicester in Leicestershire, England.

When is the best time to travel this route?

The best time to travel this route is Late spring (Apr–Jun) or early autumn (Sep–Oct).

How active is this route?

Activity level: Easy-going. Easy-going and accessible for most fitness levels.

What transport do I need for this route?

A car is the primary way to get around on this route.

What budget do I need for this route?

Mid-range spending — expect comfortable accommodation and a mix of dining options.

What type of accommodation suits this route?

Mixed accommodation works well along this route.

What is the pace of this trip?

Relaxed — plenty of time to linger at each stop.

What type of trip is this?

This route is well-suited to: Scenic, Culture, Classic road trip, Food & drink, City hop.

Leicestershire Road Trip: Richard III, Melton Mowbray and the Vale of Belvoir

Q: How long is the Leicestershire Road Trip: Richard III, Melton Mowbray and the Vale of Belvoir route?

This route takes 7 days taking in 6 stops.

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The route · 6 stops

1
Leicester
2 nights
Leicester became the first city in England to identify a medieval king when Richard III's skeleton was found beneath a council car park in 2012. The Richard III Visitor Centre tells the full story beside his reburial site in the cathedral. The Jewry Wall (AD 150) is the largest surviving stretch of Roman masonry in England not attached to a fort.
Leicester became the first city in England to identify a medieval king when Richard III's skeleton was found beneath a council car park in 2012. The Richard III Visitor Centre tells the full story beside his reburial site in the cathedral. The Jewry Wall (AD 150) is the largest surviving stretch of Roman masonry in England not attached to a fort.
The Richard III Visitor Centre and Cathedral are on Saint Martin's Place; park on Jubilee Square. Bradgate Park, 7 miles northwest, is Leicester's finest open space — birthplace of Lady Jane Grey.
2
Loughborough
1 night25m · 20 km from previous
Loughborough's 152-foot Carillon Tower, built in 1923 as a war memorial, has 47 bells still rung for concerts. Taylor's Bell Foundry (established 1784) has supplied bells to cathedrals on six continents. The Great Central Railway is the only double-track preserved main-line railway in the UK.
Loughborough's 152-foot Carillon Tower, built in 1923 as a war memorial, has 47 bells still rung for concerts. Taylor's Bell Foundry (established 1784) has supplied bells to cathedrals on six continents. The Great Central Railway is the only double-track preserved main-line railway in the UK.
Carillon concerts run Sunday afternoons in summer; check loughboroughcarillon.com. Great Central Railway runs Thursday to Sunday from Loughborough Central station near the town centre.
3
Melton Mowbray
1 night35m · 28 km from previous
Melton Mowbray is the birthplace of the authentic pork pie, baked upright without a mould since 1851; Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe on Nottingham Street is the best place to buy one. Stilton cheese is made here despite the name — not a drop is produced in Stilton, Cambridgeshire. St Mary's Church is one of the finest Gothic churches in England.
Melton Mowbray is the birthplace of the authentic pork pie, baked upright without a mould since 1851; Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe on Nottingham Street is the best place to buy one. Stilton cheese is made here despite the name — not a drop is produced in Stilton, Cambridgeshire. St Mary's Church is one of the finest Gothic churches in England.
Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe: 10 Nottingham Street, open Tuesday to Saturday. The Tuesday market at Melton is one of the best in the East Midlands. The December cattle show is a centuries-old tradition.
4
Belvoir Castle
1 night25m · 18 km from previous
Belvoir Castle has been the seat of the Dukes of Rutland since Henry VIII's reign; the current Gothic revival building dates from 1801. The castle's state rooms contain works by Gainsborough and Reynolds alongside Gobelin tapestries. Capability Brown's landscape park surrounds the hill — the name 'Belvoir' (Norman: 'beautiful view') still delivers.
Belvoir Castle has been the seat of the Dukes of Rutland since Henry VIII's reign; the current Gothic revival building dates from 1801. The castle's state rooms contain works by Gainsborough and Reynolds alongside Gobelin tapestries. Capability Brown's landscape park surrounds the hill — the name 'Belvoir' (Norman: 'beautiful view') still delivers.
Belvoir Castle opens Wednesday to Sunday in season; check belvoircastle.com. Allow half a day for the state rooms and a walk down to the lake and through the walled kitchen garden.
5
Market Harborough
1 night50m · 60 km from previous
Market Harborough's Old Grammar School stands on wooden stilts above the pavement — a 17th-century timber-framed schoolroom that is the town's most photographed feature. Foxton Locks, 4 miles west, is a flight of 10 staircase locks on the Grand Union Canal, the longest and finest staircase lock flight in England.
Market Harborough's Old Grammar School stands on wooden stilts above the pavement — a 17th-century timber-framed schoolroom that is the town's most photographed feature. Foxton Locks, 4 miles west, is a flight of 10 staircase locks on the Grand Union Canal, the longest and finest staircase lock flight in England.
Foxton Locks is off Gumley Road, Foxton; park and walk the towpath. The inclined plane boat lift is visible but not in use. A café at the top lock is open daily in summer.
6
Leicester
35m · 30 km from previous
The route closes back in Leicester. The M1 motorway runs north-south through the city; the M69 connects west to Coventry and Birmingham. Leicester's railway station has direct trains to London St Pancras in under an hour.
The route closes back in Leicester. The M1 motorway runs north-south through the city; the M69 connects west to Coventry and Birmingham. Leicester's railway station has direct trains to London St Pancras in under an hour.
Leicester station is on London Road, about 10 minutes' walk from the Richard III Visitor Centre. London St Pancras is 68 minutes by fast train.

Leicestershire Road Trip: Richard III, Melton Mowbray and the Vale of Belvoir

The route · 6 stops

Leicester

Loughborough

Melton Mowbray

Belvoir Castle

Market Harborough

Leicester

Route highlights

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Leicestershire Road Trip: Richard III, Melton Mowbray and the Vale of Belvoir

The route · 6 stops

Leicester

Loughborough

Melton Mowbray

Belvoir Castle

Market Harborough

Leicester

Route highlights

Photos & videos · 0

No photos yet

Frequently asked questions

Ratings & reviews

Comments · 0

No comments yet

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