Local Walks

Half and Hour Walk (one way)

This walk takes you to the pub in Mowsley – The Staff of Life. It is about half an hour each way. 

1. Come out of the main entrance, acorn gat
2. Turn left
3. Walk along the road for approx. 1 mile
4. Enter the junction ion Mowsley keep the rounded wall on your right past thatched farm house, the Staff of Life is opposite.
5. To return, trace you tracks back to Cowslip Meadows. 

Gumley  (45 mins each way)

The Bell in Inn at Gumley

1. Take the right turn uut of the entrance acorn gate.
2. Walk along road up to Laughton village green with telephone box on right,
3. Option is to go through village on left or back of village on right
4. Both options take you out of the village, continue straight on over to the glorious line of lime trees across the cattle grid up to Gumley park.
5. Continue through the park, with  incredible views to your left and right (highest point in Leicestershire and was a historical medieval meeting place)
6. Continue across the park past the war memorial on your left and cricket pitch on right, over second cattle grid and take immediate right down into village of Gumley.
7. If you look to the left, you will see the site of old Gumely Hall, now demolished. On the right you will see the park laid out by Capability Brown with wonderful copper beach trees.
8. Rounding the road into Gumley you will see the wall and old weigh bridge of the kitchen gardens that served the hall.
9. Immediately in front of you the old stables where the hunt horses were housed and a clock tower.
10. At the bottom of the hill you will find the Bell Inn on your right.
11. Retrace your tracks to return to Cowslip Meadows. 

1.5 hour walk Foxton Locks

Foxton locks is the highest flight of locks on the Grand Union Canal that links the Leicseter, Birmingham and London.

1.Proceed out of Oak/Acorn gate and turn right.

2. Up into the village of Laughton before the phone box on you right, there is a gate on right – go through and be sure to SHUT IT. You will know you are on the right track as there are stables on the left and a chicken pen.

3. Proceed down the track past the cattle which are a friendly breed and have grown up with our children! (Keep any dogs on lead) 

4.At the bottom of the hill there is an ancient quarry on the right which was used as a clay pit to make the mud walls for St Luke’s parish church in Laughton C12.

5. Proceed through gate at the bottom up the ancient drovers cobbled track past the farm at the top,

6.Cross over the road and proceed directly down the hill to the Grand Union Canal which is Bridge 52.

7. Turn left on to the tow path and walk for 2 miles where you will come to the top of the Lock flight leading down to the pubs at the bottom of Foxton Locks.

Be sure to wear boots as the tow path can be muddy.

1.5 Hours Walk to The Queens Head

1. Proceed out of Oak/Acorn gate and turn right,
2. Up through Layghton village green,
3. Proceed to the right of the large white/pink house on your left walking on through the village past the large white Rectory on the left to the track forking  left opposite large Georgian house on your right known as Laughton House.
4. Proceed down the cobbled drovers track where you will enjoy magnificent views across the vale in front of you and Saddington reservoir to the right.
5. Continue along the drovers track up to the B road between Mowsely on the left and Saddington on the right (not signed posted)
6. Turn right towards Saddington, to the bottom of the dip in the road and up the hill, take right turn into Saddington with a rectory on your left and the church on your right. Y
7. You will find The Queens Head pub on your right after the church.

To make your return journey more interesting come out of the pub and turn left, retrace steps back through the village down to the bottom of the hill where you will see a lane to the left.

1. Continue down the lane which will take you up the hill to Saddington reservoir.
2. Proceed onwards and upwards where you will see the weir to your left and the reservoir to you right. This is a very pretty route past the reservoir where there is abundance of birdlife which is enjoyed by many rare species great breast grieve, tufted duck, wigeon, mallard, pink and grey footed geese, kingfishers and warblers nesting in the undergrowth in the spring time.
3. On leaving the reservoir proceed up through the vale striking out towards Gumley woods ahead of you up the old drovers track (known by the local farmers as Holloway Hill).
4. When coming through the Gumley wood belt turn right back over the cattlegrid and hand gate towards Laughton again crossing the park with cricket pitch on left and war memorial on your right.
5. This round robin route will take you back into the village of Laughton and back through to Cowslip Meadows.