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Leicester - Braunstone Park circular

Difficulty Easy

Walking time 49 minutes

Length 2.6km / 1.6mi

Route developer: John Alton

Route checker: Philip Cheesewright

Start location Braunstone Park
Route Summary This is a short circular walk around the delightful Braunstone Park with its wide open green spaces, play areas and pools. It also passes the historic and haunted Braunstone Hall.
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Getting there

Arriva bus service 104 operates from the city centre to the junction of Gooding Avenue and Braunstone  Avenue.  Phone Traveline 0871 20 2233 for public transport information.

Description

Take care as some of the paths are uneven in places and are also used by cyclists.

[1]  Enter the park by the barrier on the corner of Gooding Avenue. Turn left and follow the footpath, which parallels Braunstone Avenue to the Cort Crescent end of the park.

This path runs alongside a stream.  Please keep children away from the water's edge.

(A)  Braunstone Park covers 168 acres and belonged to the Winstanley family who built the Hall in 1775. Leicester Corporation purchased the estate in 1925 and used much of it for a huge house building programme.   The park was opened to the public in the 1930s and today the area offers woods, lakes, playgrounds and sporting facilities.

[2]  At the end of the stream take the main path to the left of the trees to reach the Ecology Lake. Go past the lake then continue along the left bank of the Fishing Lake to reach the car park.

The path is quite close to the pools.  Please keep children away from the water's edge.

[3]  Cross the car park diagonally to the main path and continue ahead, with the stream appearing to the right.

Take care crossing the car park and watch out for moving cars.

[4]  Cross the stream at the second bridge, where the main path from Benbow Rise joins, and continue through the trees to emerge with Braunstone Hall to the right.

[5]  Turn right to pass the Hall and then keep right to follow the wide path all the way back to the start.

(B)  Braunstone Hall and its adjoining stables is a grade II listed building which was built by the Winstanley family in about 1775 upon the site of an old manor. The Hall  was used as a school from 1932 until it was closed in the 1990s.  It has been the site of a number of ghostly apparitions including a young girl in white and a horse and carriage.  Poltergeists have been reported as moving equipment and making their presence known by flashing lights in the Hall.

POI information No details available.
Notes No details available.
Acknowledgements No details available.
  • Braunstone Park play area near Braunstone Avenue
    Braunstone Park play area near Braunstone Avenue
    By - John Alton
  • Braunstone Park Ecology Lake
    Braunstone Park Ecology Lake
    By - John Alton
  • Braunstone Hall
    Braunstone Hall
    By - John Alton
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