South Croxton and Lowesby
Leader: Janet Long
As usual, we will meet at Fleckney village car park (///loses.always.huts) by 9.30 a.m. and car-share to the start of the walk.
This walk, led by Janet Long, is remote and sparsely populated. The steady hum of traffic is absent, and you are unlikely to meet many other walkers. Most of the walk is on footpaths, with a couple of short sections on very quiet country lanes.
As there is not much room for parking in Lowesby, the walk will start at the ex-pub (The Golden Fleece ///detective.gasp.subjects) in South Croxton (locally pronounced ‘Crowston’ as in ‘Crow’). This is between 15 and 18 miles from Fleckney depending on the route taken (between £3.00 and £3.60 for the driver).
At the Golden Fleece, turn left down the road, continuing for 120 yards until you reach a footpath on the left, between private houses. Cross a small field attached to a private house, then cross the Queniborough brook. Cross four more fields, now walking in a southerly direction, then walk through New Covert. Cross one more field to come out onto a farm road by Waterloo Lodge Farm. Turn left here and follow the signposted public bridleway across parkland with distant views of Baggrave Hall down the hill.
At a bend in the road continue straight on down the bridleway. Inkerman Lodge, at the western edge of yet another small spinney, boasts the remains of a once-splendid Victorian railway carriage. Its origins are immediately apparent but it is surely now beyond proud restoration. At the far side of the spinney cross the minor road and follow the footpath leading east across fields and down to a narrow combe. At the other side of the combe cross two more fields, now walking in a south easterly direction to come out onto the very minor gated road at the top of Skeg Hill between Lowesby and Cold Newton.
To start the walk at Lowesby there is a possible parking space or two about 1000 yards down Skeg Hill and on the other side of the Queniborough Brook (///ushering.astounded.juror).
Take a break at the church in Lowesby (///spoils.access.battle), where the path crosses the churchyard. The church is low and modest, but very attractively built in the local yellow sandstone. It also boasts some outstanding stained glass windows. Walk through the iron gate at the far side of the church yard and follow the path across the grounds of Lowesby Hall. At the other side of the grounds, cross a minor unclassified road and continue on the path on the other side. The path now follows the Queniborough brook. On the other side of the brook there is a fox covert, one of large numbers in the county. Many of these were deliberately created and distinguish much of East Leicestershire from the agricultural prairie which much of lowland England has become.
Continue in a general northwesterly direction, crossing another path after about 600 yards, then another minor road above Baggrave Hall. Like Lowesby, the hall buildings were extremely carefully sited by the builders to give the owners superb views while concealing the building from close quarter views by the general public. Both buildings are architecturally distinguished and historic country houses. Baggrave Hall is the only building in Baggrave, a thriving village in the Middle Ages but now, like many others in the area, little more than a name on a map.
Continue to follow the path along the north side of the brook, after 1000 yards arriving at a lily pond on the outskirts of South Croxton. Walk round the south and west sides of the brook to come out onto an unsurfaced lane by a horse paddock (Kings’ Lane). Go left here and continue down to the end of the lane where it comes out onto a public road by the Golden Fleece.
The walk is under 7 miles in length and has some moderate undulation. There are about 4 stiles but these are more and more being replaced with kissing gates. Sadly, there is no pub stop on this walk, but plenty of opportunities to call in a hostelry on the way home.
General information:
The Fleckney Walking Club meet every other Sunday for a walk of about 6 to 9 miles with a pub stop somewhere along the route.
What3Words is used to pinpoint start and other relevant locations for the walks.
We leave Fleckney village car park at 9:30 a.m. (///loses.always.huts).
For these walks you are advised to wear good quality walking boots and carry weatherproof clothing.
We suggest you also bring refreshments as a coffee stop and/or a picnic stop is also usually on the cards.
For those who are car sharing to walks outside of Fleckney, passengers are requested to subsidise their driver by the amount of 20p per mile (one way). For example, if the start of the walk was 10 miles from Fleckney the fee would be 10 x 20p = £2.
If you fancy leading a walk, there are plenty of ideas for walks here.
During the summer months we also have Thursday evening walks of about 4 to 5 miles in length.
These generally start and end at a not-too-distant village pub!
We meet at the village car park, by 7 p.m. (///loses.always.huts).
In the event of a walk being cancelled due to inclement weather (or any other reason) the walk leader will communicate the cancellation to club members by email and be at the start meeting point to advise anyone who turned up regardless.
The annual cost to join the Fleckney Walking Club is £10 (Sundays and Thursdays) or £5 (Thursdays only) payable on your first walk.
You can find The Fleckney Walking Club Group on Facebook. This is a private group but you are welcome to apply to join us.
If you would like to join this walk then please fill out the form below and press the Submit button.
(If you are reading this message in an email, please click on the RSVP Now! button directly below to take you to the form.)
RSVP deadline is past