This inner city walk has a number of busy roads, please take care when crossing these and use pedestrian crossings where possible.
Some of the pavements and paths are uneven in places - take care.
[1] From the centre car park turn right and follow the steps directly in front of you onto the bridge. At the top of the steps turn left and continue along Swain Street past the Leicester Central Mosque, then onto Sparkenhoe Street for about 600m past the Ark World Arts Centre.
[2] Turn left at the first set of traffic lights onto Melbourne Road. Opposite is the unusual Melbourne Hall Evangelical Free Church. Continue past Uplands Schools to St Peter's shops.
[3] Cross over right onto Derwent Street and continue to the top. This area is part of the Spinney Hill Conservation Area.
[4] Cross Mere Road and enter Spinney Hill Park through the gate. After 50m walk left along the main path through the park, passing the 1886 water fountain on your right.
(A) Spinney Hill Park consists of 34 acres of sloping parkland and has play areas, an adventure playground, a bowls area and a floodlit games area. It was bought by the city corporation in 1885 to provide open space and recreation facilities for the growing working population. The granite water fountain was donated in 1886 by Mr Mather, a local cheese and pork merchant.
[5] At the end of the park bear left back onto Mere Road. Cross over, turn right and then turn left onto Hartington Road. On your right is the striking Wesleyan Hall. Cross three roads to reach the junction at the bottom of the hill, where on the right is the Usman Mosque.
(B) You are now passing through a late-Victorian residential area built for workers in the booming boot and shoe, engineering and hosiery industries. The city's population more than doubled during the latter years of Queen Victoria's reign. Many of the houses have plaques showing the name of that development and the date it was built.
[6] Turn left onto Melbourne Road then first right onto Melbourne Street. Continue all the way down to Kent Street, passing under the railway bridge and passing remnants of Leicester's once thriving engineering factories.
[7] Turn left at the junction with Humberstone Road and continue forward over Bell Lane and the entrance to St Georges Retail Park to return to the start.