Abbey Park - Get Walking Day

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 Abbey Park (A) tearooms walk down towards the River Soar but before you reach the bridge turn right along the footpath and walk to the next footbridge just before St Margaret's Way. Turn left onto the footbridge, turn right at the end and pass under the road bridge.  Bear left just after the bridge and continue on the footpath along the side of St Margaret's Way, past the end of Slater Street. Take care on all footpaths as they are also used by cyclists.  Keep to any designated pedestrian lanes.

[2]  After a short way take the steps down to the Grand Union Canal (B) and turn right to walk along the towpath alongside the canal for about 1 kilometre.  You pass a canal lock then cross a long footbridge over a weir and then another.  Go left on along the towpath by the River Soar all the way to the bridge carrying St Augustine Road.

Take care on the towpaths, which are rough in parts.  Keep away from the edge and make sure children are supervised at all times.  They are popular with cyclists and other pedestrians - keep a good look out and be prepared to move out of the way.  The towpaths can be uneven and in places have restricted headroom - be observant at all times.

[3]   Just after the bridge take the steps up to St Augustine Road, cross over the river and take the first entrance into Castle Gardens.  You have now entered the Castle Conservation Area (C).  Pass the statue of Richard III on the left and continue all the way through the park, with the river to your right. There are good views on the left of the rear of Leicester Castle, St Mary de Castro's Church and the old Leicester Castle motte. Exit the park just after the maypole at the Soar Point and turn left onto The Newarke and continue past the old Trinity Hospital (D), on the left. Take the next left onto Castle View, pass through Turret Gateway to enter Castle Yard.  Bear right with Leicester Castle Great Hall on the left and St Mary de Castro Church (E) on the right.

[4]  Continue through Castle Gateway and bear right onto Castle Street and continue to its junction with Southgates.  Turn right to cross the roads at the pedestrian crossing and continue forward onto Friar Lane. Take care crossing this busy road and use the available crossing. After a short distance turn first left onto New Street.  You are now entering the Cathedral / Guildhall Conservation Area (F).  Just before the end of the street, on the right, you pass the car park from where Richard III's body was recently recovered. 

Cross straight over Peacock Lane to the Leicester Cathedral and then take the path around the left hand side of the Cathedral to emerge on Guildhall Lane by the Guildhall. Turn right and take the next left onto Carts Lane.  At the end turn left onto High Street and then take the next right onto Shires Lane.  Continue onto Highcross Lane to St Peters Square

[5]  Bear right by the Showcase Cinema, into Bath House Lane.  At the end cross over Causeway Lane and go right alongside Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs building. Turn left at the end of the building onto East Bond Street and then turn almost immediately right onto Butt Close Lane.  At the end turn left onto Churchgate and continue to its end. At the end use either the subway or pedestrian crossing to cross ahead over Vaughan Way onto St Margaret's Way (signed Abbey Park, St Margaret's Pastures and St Margaret's Church). Turn left onto St Margaret's Way, passing St Margaret's Church on the right.  Continue over the canal bridge and go right into the St Margaret's Pasture car park. Beware of  moving traffic in the car park. Continue along the footpath to the entrance to Abbey Park.  Turn left just inside the park gates onto Caves Walk and continue past the miniature railway (G). Turn right at the end of this path to walk along the side of the River Soar.  Continue to the bridge over the river to return to the Abbey Park tearooms.

(A) Abbey Park was purchased for a flood alleviation scheme in 1876.  It was opened as a public park on 29th May 1882 by the Prince and Princess of Wales. The decorative Victorian park contains lakes, trees, shrubberies and is has many sporting facilities.

(B) The canal is a branch off the Grand Union Canal, which runs from London to Birmingham.  This Leicester Line of the Canal runs from Norton Junction through Foxton Locks to join the River Trent at Ratcliffe on Soar. The canal enabled coal to be moved from the Leicestershire coalfields to market much cheaper than by horse and helped to 'fire' up the Industrial Revolution.

The River Soar rises near Hinckley and effectively joins with the Grand Union Canal from Leicester to the Trent.  According to legend, the body of King Richard III of England was thrown into the Soar after his death, but now we know that he wasn't. The bridge carrying the A47 across the Soar at Leicester is known as 'King Richard's Bridge'.

(C)  Most of the buildings in the Castle Conservation Area are 'listed' and much of the area is a scheduled monument encompassing Castle Gateway, Castle Hall, Turret Gateway, Trinity Hospital and the Magazine Gateway among others.  Leicester Castle was built in 1060 and little remains of the original structure.  Castle Park was opened in 1926 and the 4 acre site has a rock garden, mixed borders, two small ponds, a  waterfall and a maypole.  The statue of Richard III was erected by the Richard III Society in 1980

(D)  Trinity Hospital dates from 1331.  It was founded by Henry Grosmont, 3rd Earl of Lancaster and Leicester as an almshouse for 50, subsequently increased to 100,  'poor and infirm' persons.  It continued to perform this role until the site was sold in 1994.  It now houses the office of the vice chancellor of Leicester de Montfort University.

(E)  St Mary de Castro (St Mary of the Castle) Church was founded in 1107 and was rebuilt in the 1180s after it had been destroyed.  The 55 metre spire was added in about 1400.  Royalty, including King Richard III, would have frequently visited the church on their visits to stay in Leicester Castle which built in 1068.  The Great Hall in Castle Yard has survived since 1107.

(F) The Cathedral/Guildhall Conservation Area has many listed buildings.  Underneath this area lies the site of the Greyfriars Friary.  The car park from where Richard III's body was recently recovered  would have been the location of  the choir or high altar end of the Friary.  There is a memorial stone in the chancel of the Cathedral dedicated to Richard III.  Greyfriars Friary, named after the colour of the friars' robes, was established in the 12th century.  The Franciscan monks were quite poor and would have spent their time out in the community.  The Friary was demolished on Henry VIII's orders in 1538 during the period of the dissolution of the monasteries.  The Guildhall houses a very popular free exhibition about the story behind the excavation of Richard III. 

(G) To the right as you walk along Caves Walk is a miniature railway. In 1949 the Parks Committee gave the Leicester Society of Model Engineers permission to install a miniature railway for model engines on Abbey Park.  The railway is open to the public on most Sundays throughout the summer and costs £1 per person with under 5's free of charge.