Listed below are the Friday, Car Free Walks currently planned for the 2026. To view details of times and meeting places etc please click the highlighted title. (Below the map section.)  NOTE: Walk times and travel arrangements details are sometimes changed so please check the details a few days before the walk and contact the Walk Leader if you plan to come along.  Planned routes are also subject to change.

The basic premise for these walks is that they are accessible by public transport from Leicester City Centre, but walkers are welcome to travel to the start point however they wish. If you have any questions or comments please contact the Walk Leader or Organiser,  Charles de Podesta

The start point for the walks are displayed on the map below. For some walks the intended route (if known) can be displayed on the map. Just click on the Walk Title. GPX files can be downloaded.

Please contact the Charles de Podesta if you need more information about these walks. 

Walking Routes

1.  Friday 9 January 2026 - Market Bosworth (Leicestershire). A circular, 9 mile walk from The Square, Market Bosworth passing through Far Coton, Bosworth Wharf, Carlton and Osbaston. Walk Leader: Charles de Podesta
2. Friday 23^rd January 2020 Hinckley to Narborough (Leicestershire).  A 10 mile linear walk between two railway stations passing through Burbage Woods, Stoney Stanton, Croft and Huncote. Walk Leader: Charles de Podesta
3. Friday 6^th February 2026 -Long Eaton Rail Station to Parkway Station. (Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Nottinghamshire). A linear 11 mile walk via Trent Lock, Sawley Cut, Cavendish Bridge, Hemington, Lockington and Redhill boatyard. Walk Leader: Charles de Podesta
4. Friday 20^th February 2026 - Newton Linford to Anstey (Leicestershire). A 9 mile walk via Ratby Burroughs, Ratby and the edge of  Walk Leader: Jenny Mann
5. Friday 6^th March 2026 - Asfordby to Rearsby. (Leicestershire). A 10 mile walk via Shoby, Ragdale and Thrussington. Walk Leader: Doug Golding
6. Friday 20^th March 2026 - Newstead (Nottinghamshire). A 10 mile circular walk from Newstead station taking in Newstead Abbey (former home of Lord Byron) and Annesley Country Park. Walk Leader: Reg Simpson
7. Friday 27 March 2026 - Walk from Market Harborough (NOTE: This is a change of walk venue.). A 9 mile walk starting just outside Market Harborough and finishing at the centre. The route passes through Foxton Locks, Papillon Hall Farm Marston Trussell & Lubenham. (NOTE: The walk from Whitwell originally scheduled for this date will now take place in July 2026.) Walk Leader: Eileen Pott
8. Friday 17^th April 2026- Desford to Cosby (Leicestershire). A linear walk via Leicester Forest West, Thurlaston and Croft. Walk Leader: Mike Gale
9. Friday 1^st May 2026 - Atherstone Bluebells (Warwickshire). A circular walk from Atherstone Station with extensive displays of bluebells. Includes a visit to Church End Brewery near the end of the walk. Walk Leader: Steve Crane
10. Friday 15^th May 2026 - Erewash Valley Trail. Part 2. (Derbyshire & Nottinghamshire) A circular walk from Ilkeston Walk Leader: Anne Whichcord
11. Friday 29^th May 2026 - Kirby Bellars to Sileby (Leicestershire). A walk of about 9 or 10 miles along the Wreake Valley. Exact route TBC. Walk Leader: Jeff Thomas
12. Friday 12th June 2026 -  Walk from Belper to Cromford (Deryshire) Train from Leicester to Belper (change at Derby). A linear walk from Belper along the Derwent Valley Heritage Way to Cromford. Belper is an attractive old textiles town with an interesting industrial history. From the station it is worth walking along attractive Long Row to the centre before crossing the river. Much of the route to Ambergate is along quiet roads but it is nice walking. At Ambergate (about 3 miles) the route joins the abandoned Cromford Canal. This is now a Site of Special Scientific Interest and part of the Derwent Valley World Heritage Site and provides a quiet relaxed route to Cromford Wharf. At Cromford one can turn right to the station or left to visit the historic Cromford Mill or to visit Cromford itself. Walk Leader: Doug Golding
13. Friday 26^th June 2026 - Breedon on the Hill to Ashby de la Zouch. (Leicestershire). This 9 mile walk takes in Breedon Hill (with it’s great views and historic church), Staunton Harold Ridgeway Walk and Staunton Harold House with options for refreshments. Then to Lount Wood and the Ivanhoe Way into Ashby for bus back to Leicester. NOTE: There are two long bus rides (about 90 minutes each) and we probably will not be back in Leicester until after 5.00pm. FURTHER NOTE: This walk was cancelled becasue the bus service serving Breedon on the Hill has been discontinued. Walk Leader: Charles de Podesta
14. Friday 10 July 2026 – Leicester Parks and Gardens (Leicestershire) A 9 or 10 mile walk around several of the parks and open spaces of South Leicester. Start at Knighton Park then on to Brocks Hill Country Park, Shady Lane Arboretum and Leicester University Botanic Gardens.
15. Friday 24^th July - Whitwell to Empingham (Rutland).  A 10 mile linear walk around lovely Rutland countryside and villages. Walk from Whitwell to Empingham via Exton (and it’s historic church), Greetham and Fort Henry lake. Train to Oakham and then the R9 bus to Whitwell. NOTE: This is a nice walk but there is only a few minutes grace between the Leicester train arriving and the R9 bus departing. Also, the R9 service only uses a mini bus with a capacity of about 15 people so this route is probably not suitable for a walking group. The busiest day is a Friday when it tends to be full with people travelling to Stamford market. 
16. Friday 7^th August 2026 – Ellistown to Groby (Leicestershire). A linear walk. The route follows the National Forest Way nearly all of the way. It leaves Ellistown to the south, then through Battram Woods, across the fields to Bagworth New Wood, alongside Thornton Resevoir and on to Ratby Burroughs and Martinshaw Woods then into Groby to finish by the Stamford Arms. The route starts in the old coal ming area and one passes close to the sites of several former collieries and old mine railways. Little of this past is obvious now unless one knows where to look and then one can discern how the landscape has been shaped by years of mining. The latter part of the walk passes through seberal pleasant woodland before arriving in Groby.
17. Friday 21^st August 2026 - Melton Mowbray to Buron Lazars via Burrough Hill.. Train from Leicester to Melton and a walk via Great Dalby to Burrough Hill, an Iron Age Hill hill fort with dramatic views across Leicestershire. The a walk to Burton Lazars to take the R1 bus to Melton Station for the train back to Leicester. If preferred one could continue walking for an extra couple of miles, following the Jubilee Way, to take one back into Melton to make this a circular walk.
18. Friday 4^th September 2026 – East Norton to Skeffington (Leicestershire). A 10.5 mile walk through rolling East Leicestershire countryside passing through Hallaton, Goadby and Rolleston.
19. Friday 18^th September - Market Bosworth to Barwell (Sculpture Trail) (Leicestershire). A route taking in all four sculptures on the Bosworth Sculpture Trail. This visits several sites associated with the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. The route includes Sutton Cheney, The Battlefield Centre, Ambion Hill, Shenton, Fenn Lane (the true battlefield site) and Dadlington.
20. Friday 2^nd October 2026 – Tamworth to Atherstone (Warwickshire). A 10 mile linear walk following the River Anker and the Coventry Canal. The route passes through Alvecot Nature Reserve, Alvecot Priory ruins, Pooley Country Park and Polesworth Abbey. Train to Tamworth; return to Leicester from Atherstone.
21. Friday 16^th October 2026- Desford to Anstey (Leicestershire). A route from Desford that goes by Desford Mill, Ratby Burroughs, Martinshaw Wood, Newton Linford and Bradgate Park (where the deer rutting season).
22. Friday 30^th October 2026 – East Midlands Airport and Donisthorpe. An unusual & interesting circular walk that follows much of the perimeter of East Midlands Airport. The route passes through Donington where the historic Wakes Fair will be set up in the town centre to celebrate it’s 748^th year (though sadly not open until 6.00pm!).
23. Friday 13^th November 2026 – Desford Circular Walk (Leicestershire). A nice circular walk via Desford, Stocks House, Kirby Malory, Brascote, Freshfields, Newbold Verdon & Lindbridge.
24. Friday 27^th November 2026 – Kibworth Beauchamp to Wigston (Leicestershire). A linear walk via the Grand Union Canal, Wistow and Newton Harcourt.
25. Friday 11^th December 2026 – Broughton Astley to Blaby (Leicestershire) A route via Sutton Elms, Croft, Littlethorpe, Whetstone and Blaby. (Leicestershire)