[1] Starting at the car park on Station Road by the Methodist Chapel, set off up The Balk.
(A) The Methodist Church was built in 1877 on the site of a small chapel dating from 1821 but people have worshipped on the spot since 1794. Over 600 people travelled by train in 1876 to witness the laying of the foundation stone
Follow The Balk and the footpath which it becomes and cross Chestnut Road before joining Sports Road. Just at the start of Sports Road turn hard right down a tight little path known as Cook’s Walk. Take care on this uneven grassy path - be careful of branches springing back when walking behind a fellow walker. At the end turn right and cross the road to turn left up Park Drive
[2] Turn left just after the Londis store onto the bridleway which takes you through the Elm Tree Estate and onto Western Park Golf Course.
(B) This municipal golf course, which is open to the public, is over 100 years old and is set in beautiful rolling countryside with many trees. There are pockets of mature woodland around the golf course. The nearby gardens and the open areas of the golf course itself, give a variety of habitats on which many species of bird thrive, including green woodpeckers.
Turn right along the boundary of the course through a gap in the first hedge line. Bear right to continue around the edge of the course, passing a small pond on your left, to a second hedge line (known locally as Fishley Belt). Cross the ditch and follow the footpath within the hedge line until it comes out onto the course again . Follow the edge of the playing area until you meet a footpath sign which indicates where the right of way comes out.This route involves clambering over two ditches and walking along a rough footpath. Take care with your footing. Be aware at all times of golfers coming towards and from behind you - listen for the shout 'FORE'. Please also give consideration to the golfers, keeping quiet if they are addressing a shot whilst you are nearby.
An easier, alternative route is to follow the signed public footpath through the middle of the course. Bear left just before the gap in the first hedge line, keep the tree line to your right. The footpath then passes through a small wood and emerges onto the course after crossing a ditch (the ditch can be avoided by turning right at the gap in the trees) and then turn left to continue with the tree line to your left and rejoin the route at the yellow marker near point [3]
[3] At this point, you leave the golf course by a stile and then turn left to cross three small fields with stiles in between. This then meets another path and you turn left to come out on the service road to the golf clubhouse. This stretch of path shows little sign of use as most walkers keep within the golf course and walk round the perimeter path to the clubhouse. At the back of the clubhouse in the far corner of the car park take the entrance into Kirby Frith Local Nature Reserve. Continue forward through the reserve with the houses on your left and exit through the gate on the left, just past the line of trees, to emerge onto Cherry Hills Road.
(C) This small nature reserve has an abundance of wild-flowers making it the richest wild-flower grassland in Leicester. It attracts a few different species of butterfly and bumble bee.
Turn left and then turn right to enter into Firestone Close. Further along take the path on your left to St. David’s Road. Bear right to follow St David’s Road then turn left onto Ryder Road to pass a recreation ground on the left. Then take the path just before Ganton Road to a gate on your left.
[4] Follow this path which runs along the outside of the boundary to the golf course (fence boundary). When this path swings left you enter an area of brush and woodland with much bird life and then if you keep to the right as you enter into some mature woodland you will see the green at the end of Peartree Close. Exit the path through the gate on the right. This path is narrow and can be muddy and overgrown in parts - take care. Cross the green diagonally left onto Peartree Close and, at the end, turn left onto Somerset Drive, just above the path you used earlier to access the golf course. Proceed down Somerset Drive to turn left onto Elm Tree Road
[5] After a short distance turn right into Bowmans Way. Follow this as it swings right and you will see a path on your left at the T-junction, which leads you into Ellis Park. Cross the park diagonally right leaving it by Park House, the home of Glenfield Parish Council, and then turning left down Stamford Street and then right at Glenfield Square up Station Road back to your start point.