Distance: Just over 11 miles

Difficulty of the Terrain: Medium

Get the route: via Ordnance Survey Maps or download the GPX. file from Dropbox

Walk through the West and East Midlands borderlands between the Staffordshire town of Tamworth and the former pit village of Moira in Leicestershire. Takes in 3 (nearly 4…) counties along the way, and lots of pleasant rolling countryside, as well as a southern chunk of the National Forest.

The Story

The Walk

Getting Back

Moria’s Cast Iron Failure

Moira, which up until Leicestershire’s final coal mine closed in the 1990s was a pit village, has an unexpected connection to Ireland. It was named after the town in County Down, by the aristocratic Hastings’ family, whose principal landholdings as Earls of Moira were in Ireland as opposed to the English East Midlands, who to increase their wealth began exploiting the region’s natural resources in the early 19th Century.

This process of extraction was enabled by the construction of the Ashby Canal which terminated near Moira and which was served by a network of primitive horse powered tramways.

Upon the canal’s opening in 1804 a blast furnace for smelting iron opened on the edge of what became the village of Moira. Interestingly, and unusually amongst surviving industrial structures from the era, the blast furnace was built with an access ramp over the canal, making the best use of space and firmly integrating it into the waterway integral to its operation.

Much like the Ashby Canal itself the blast furnace was not a great success. Due to the poor quality of the metal generally produced during the process, something due to a bad furnace design and the poor quality of the local ironstone, it was disused by 1811, having only operated intermittently.

A foundry operated on a site adjacent to where the furnace stands until 1844 when that also closed. After that date the area’s experiment with manufacturing largely ended, concentrating instead upon extractive industries like mining and quarrying, until these disappeared in the mid-1990s.

Today Moira sits in the central part of the National Forest, a 520 square kilometre expanse of tree cover, lying between Burton-upon-Trent and Leicester. Predominantly in the North West Leicestershire and South Derbyshire District Council areas, the purpose of the National Forest is to regenerate this western chunk of the East Midlands region both ecologically and economically.

Survivals like the Moria Blast Furnace, which survived quite by chance until it was restored by the local council in the 1980s as part of the first great flourishing of the rescue of industrial archaeology as a form of economic regeneration, aside, these days there is relatively little immediate sign of Moria’s recent past as a hub for extractive industries.

Whilst most of the visible signs of industry have gone, in the lines of miners cottages, both 19th Century and from the National Coal Board era, as well as the remains of railway tracks and bridges the material traces of the past are still clearly evident. The land also, if you look closely beneath the trees and careful landscaping, also still bears the gashes of quarry pits, and rises up in natural shapes into the bounds of former slag heaps. In this way even as the National Forest grows, and Moira and its neighbours in both Leicestershire and Derbyshire increasingly become dorminatries for the larger towns and cities of both the East and the West Midlands the legacy of hundreds of years of wrenching minerals from the earth will continue to shape the present.

The Walk

Get the route: via Ordnance Survey Maps or download the gpx. from Dropbox

I create the Walk Midlands routes via Ordnance Survey Maps Explorer enabling me to take them on my phone. Subscribe yourself via the banner above.

This walk to Moira in Leicestershire begins at Tamworth Railway Station.

Exiting the station through the main concourse past the ticket offices leads onto the forecourt.

Walk along the forecourt in the direction of a roundabout which has an impressive metal statue of Aethelflaed – a legendary 10th Century Anglo Saxon warrior queen – in a gesture to the town’s heritage as a major centre in central England prior to the Norman conquest.

Before you reach the roundabout and the end of the forecourt, turn left towards the embankment that carries the railway line. Here there is a footpath sign pointing down a small road beside a Jehovah’s Witness meeting hall.

Turning left down this road you will see a bridge up ahead underneath the railway line.

Heading under this bridge you find yourself in a static caravan park.

Once inside the park turn left and walk between the vans.

On the far side of the park adjacent to the West Coast Mainline turn right.

Soon on your left there appears a snicket close to the railway line.

Head towards this snicket and walk through a gate.

Follow the path down the snicket.

Soon you pass under a vaulted low ceilinged bridge beneath the West Coast Mainline.

You also pass very close to the River Anker.

After the bridge you walk through a thicket.

This leads out onto some scrubby meadow land near the river. It lies close to an area called Warwickshire Moor, so called because whilst today the boundary with the County of Warwick lies several miles east, historically, this is where the border sat.

Ahead of you the path runs up towards a recently constructed housing estate (some of the houses were occupied, others were having the finishing touches added to them by the builders and some were still being built when I walked the route in mid-February 2022).

Walk towards these houses.

Once inside the fenced boundary of the new estate turn right and follow the pavement running along the road.

Do this for some distance.

Presently the path loops off to your right in the direction of the river.

Near the river back take the path running to your left.

After a short distance you see a wooden bridge ahead of you on your right crossing a brook.

Head across this bridge. Then walk up a steep bank.

The path then runs alongside several of the newly constructed homes for a short distance.

Soon you come to a wooden style leading out into open fields.

Having crossed the style, follow the path through some scrubby bushes.

Once past the bushes follow the path towards a straggly hedgerow in the distance.

On the other side of the hedgerow follow the path downhill across an open field.

It is very clear to follow as the route is well walked.

Presently the path begins to gently slope upwards.

You then come to a style leading into another field.

Here take a slight left and head uphill in the direction of a power line.

Once past the power lines and near the top of the hill head for the hedgerow on your right.

In amongst the hedge you will see a wooden style.

Head across the style and then follow the path across the field in front of you heading diagonally steadily in the direction of a road situated to your left.

At the far side of the field near a house you will find a style – of sorts – out onto the verge at the side of the road.

Once on the road turn right and walk along the grass verge.

You remain on the road for quite some way, over a mile.

The road is mostly quite flat, but there are ups and downs along the way. The road is fairly busy (it eventually intersects with a cluster of A-Roads north east of Tamworth where the M42 ends) but the grass verge is wide and good for walking on all the way, so this is not much of an issue for walkers.

Presently you pass a terrace of three old stone cottages on your left.

At this point on your right you can see the spire of the church in the little village of Seckington. This lies just over the county line in Warwickshire.

After you pass the cottages begin looking out on your left for a style set in a hedgerow. It is not especially easy to spot. It lies not much more than 100 metres from what is more or less the eastern edge of Warwickshire.

When you find the style leave the grass verge and cross into the field beyond.

As the condition of the style implies this is not an especially popular footpath. In fact it is very much the route less travelled, and an alternative would be to carry a couple of hundred metres further along the road and then turn left onto the lane running up to the village of Thorpe Constantine.

I, however, opted to walk across the fields. This was largely out of a strong, but perhaps overwrought, sense that I should claim the route for everybody, by exercising my customary right to do so.

Once on the other side of the hedgerow and off the side of the road, as I was directed by the Ordnance Survey Map App, walk across the field towards some promising gaps into the field beyond.

Here you are confronted by a larger field, which was apparently planted out with some kind of brassica when I walked the route.

As is sometimes the way with more obscure footpaths across fields there is no obvious rut to follow across the field.

Having waded across taking care not to unduly trample the crop, turn right at the fenceline on the far side.

Walk down the side of the field to where there is a waymark on a concrete post pointing across the field beyond.

Crossing over a track walk diagonally left across the field ahead of you.

Presently the line of a footpath becomes apparent.

Here turn right and follow the now much clearer path through the hedge and across a field.

Soon you see a small cluster of quite weathered looking trees on your right.

You reach a farm track, here turn right and walk towards these.

Amidst the trees you will find a footgate.

Turn through the footgate.

Then follow the well trodden, clear path across the field.

On the other side you come to a thicket of hedgerow.

Pass through the gate set within the hedge.

Then continue on your way following the path on your right along the edge of the field you are in.

You eventually reach a gate leading out onto a lane.

Once on the lane turn left.

After a little bit of walking along the road you come to a sign welcoming you to the village of Thorpe Constantine.

Thorpe Constantine is an estate village built to serve the large Thorpe Hall which sits at its heart. There is also a big parish church with a significant spire.

Follow the road into the village.

On the edge of the settlement it curves you to your right.

Before swinging back round to the left.

After the left turn, continue walking along the road for a few minutes, passing a Victorian cottage along the way.

Presently a style appears in the hedgerow.

Cross over this style and walk across the field beyond.

It is a long field which gently slopes downhill. The path is clear all the way down.

At the bottom there is a plank bridge across the stream at the bottom, which you cross over,

Take a slight right on the far side.

Then turn left and follow the path as it begins to run uphill past a small copse on your right.

At the top of the hill there stands another copse.

Take a slight left turn and walk into the trees.

Follow the path to your left through the woodland.

On the other side follow the path across the field keeping close to a hedge and a ditch on your left.

This ditch actually marks the northernmost boundary between Staffordshire and Warwickshire.

Presently you approach a hedgerow in front of you.

Walk through the gap between the two fields.

Then keep walking across the field beyond.

On the far side of the field you come to a road.

Once out of the field and on the side of the road take a slight right turn and cross over to the other side.

Here there is a gateway leading into another field. This is the point at which you cross between Staffordshire and Leicester, and therefore the West and East Midlands. It is also where Leicestershire, Warwickshire and Staffordshire meet, making for a pretty, but not especially dramatic three shires head.

What’s more, by my reckoning it is roughly the midway point between Tamworth and Moira.

Walk down the path at the side of the field, keeping to the left.

At the bottom of the field turn right and follow the path along the line of the hedge at the bottom.

Turn right again when you reach the opposite side of the field.

Then walk a little way uphill until you reach a track on your left running through the hedge.

Walk along the track some distance past two pools of water, one on each side of you.

Soon you enter an area that is apparently used as some kind of plant nursery.

Having walked some way through the nursery you come to a fork in the track.

Take the right fork, which presently twists round to the left before approaching a gate.

Instead of heading through the gate, follow the footpath sign next to it and head left down the side of a hedgerow.

Walk a short way along this side of the hedge past some of the nursery units to your left.

When I walked the route the hedge was damaged in one place as if a car had hit it.

This location is also where there is a yellow topped waymark pointing to your left.

When you reach this waymark turn right and walk between a gap between the plant nursery units.

This was fairly straightforward apart from a trailing pipe at waist level which I had to really stoop to get under.

Once past the farming equipment take a slight left turn.

Then turn right and walk in the direction of a static caravan on the far side of the nursery units.

In the corner of the field on your right there stands a waymarking post.

Turn right and walk through a gap in the hedge.

This leads out onto a field with the village of Chilcote in the distance.

Follow the path across the field.

On the far side cross the style and walk through the grounds of the village’s tiny hall.

Then exit out onto a lane.

It’s worth looking back at Chilcote village hall from the lane. It is a tiny but incredibly ornate late Victorian building, probably of a similar vintage, but a rather different style, to the small parish church standing near it.

Once on the lane take a slight right turn and cross over.

Here there is a style leading out onto an unkempt paddock like field.

Once on the other side, begin walking across the field.

When more or less parallel with a power line running across the field, turn right and begin walking up the hill.

You will see a style set in the fenceline at the top, so make for this.

Having reached the style cross over.

On the other side of the style there is a large grassy field.

Take a slight right turn and begin walking diagonally across the field, aiming approximately for some trees standing in the field near the far side.

As you approach the trees you will see a gateway leading out of the field just up from a house.

Walk over to this gateway and cross over a style onto the road beyond.

Once on the road turn left and begin walking along it.

The lane is fully paved and was very quiet when I walked the route (I do not recall any vehicles at all), so it is possible to make good time.

Presently in the distance the large village of Netherseal comes into view.

Continue walking gently downhill towards it.

On the edge of the village you cross the River Mease which is the major natural waterway in the immediate area.

It also serves as the boundary between Leicestershire and Derbyshire, as you realise when having turned right just after crossing the river, you pass a sign welcoming you to the South Derbyshire District.

The road then takes a left turn, leaving the river to run uphill into the village.

Soon you come to a junction.

To your left stands a primary school, whilst to your right after a series of terraces of old workers’ cottages stands the parish church.

At this junction head right and walk towards the church.

Apparently Netherseal – as a blue plaque you pass informs you – was home to the steam train engineer Nigel Gresley as a child. His work as a designer and engineer included the Flying Scotsman, and the Mallard, which remains the fastest steam train ever constructed. Interestingly he apparently also designed the electric trains which were used on the – now shut – Woodhead transpennine route between Sheffield and Manchester. They however, were built long after his death in 1941, and he is buried in the village churchyard.

Past the church you approach a large, manorial looking house in red brick.

Just before you reach it, to your left there is a signpost pointing down a snicket.

Head through the gate and walk down the snicket.

Presently you come to a gate leading out onto a field.

Head through the gate and follow the path to your left.

It approaches a small copse.

Upon reaching it the path turns slightly to the right.

Here you come to a bridge over a small stream which you cross.

This leads onto a section where the path is bounded by a fenced off field on one side and the copse on the other.

Soon you come to a gate which leads out onto an open field accessed by a set of steps.

Once up the steps follow the path across the field, it is well worn and easy to follow.

Having passed a metal barn and some trees in the middle of the field you approach a gate out onto a country lane.

On the opposite side of the lane there stands a gate leading into another field.

Cross over the road and head through into this field.

Walk across to the hedgerow on your right.

Here you find a path running up the field towards a copse at the top.

At the copse turn to your left and make for a gap in the hedgerow.

Turn right and head through the gap, continuing uphill.

Presently you approach a stand of trees and a thick hedge.

The path runs into this thicket.

Once inside the thicket it has much of the character of a green lane.

Turn right and follow the path through the undergrowth.

After some distance you emerge onto an open field with the A444 to your right.

At this point turn right and follow a path across the field towards the main road.

You exit the field onto the side of the road by means of a rutted track.

Here you are on the outskirts of the small town of Overseal, which bears the first sign you have seen for the National Forest.

Cross over the road and head down the driveway opposite where you stand, following a waymark.

Walk part way along the drive.

Soon on your left you see a gap in the fence leading out onto the field beyond.

Head out onto the field.

Then follow the path uphill.

At the top of the hill, head left, making for another gap in the fence.

Once on the other side keep heading left across the overgrown paddock you are standing in.

On the other side head through a gate on the edge of a new housing estate.

Here you come out onto a gravel track.

Turn left here and walk down the track, heading past the housing estate towards a farmyard.

When you reach the edge of the farmyard follow another gravel path to the right.

This gravel path leads through a hedgerow.

On the far side of the hedge turn right and walk along the line of the hedgerow.

Soon you approach a thicket to your left.

Just before you reach this you come to a well worn path running off to your left.

Follow this a short way towards the thicket.

Once in the little thicket you are at a junction where two paths meet.

Take the path running downhill across the field towards the road.

At the road you will find a gap leading out onto the roadside.

Almost immediately opposite you to the right there is a gate into a paddock.

Head across the road and cross into the field.

Take a slight right turn and make for the far corner of the field.

Here there is a style leading onto a short, quite overgrown snicket.

At the bottom of this there is another style into a further paddock behind some houses.

Turn to your right and walk across here as well.

The paddock’s owner has split it into two by means of a plastic fence – which a sign claims is electrified.

About halfway down the field there is a short rubberised section, at an antisocial height for all but the longest legged, where you can cross.

After crossing the fence, head to the right again.

A style leading onto a snicket soon becomes visible.

Cross over the style and walk down the snicket.

At the top of the snicket you come out onto a public road.

Turn left and walk down the road.

Keep following it round for some distance.

Presently you pass a sign welcoming you to Moira. This is a sign that you are back in Leicestershire and the walk is nearly at its end.

Shortly after entering the outskirts of Moira you come to an old railway bridge. It now carries a cyclepath.

A very short way after the bridge a footpath sign on the right hand side of the road points down a snicket just before some white painted houses.

Head through a gate and walk down the snicket.

This soon turns into a track through some woodland.

After walking through the woodland a short way you come to another gate.

Once through the gate turn left and follow a track a short distance past a house.

This turns into a footpath leading off to your left.

Follow the footpath a short distance through a further gate.

Soon the trees give way and to your left you can see the remains of some former lime kilns.

Following the path further along the former blast furnace building comes into view.

Approaching this the restored section of the Ashby Canal at Moira appears.

Arriving at this site and the wider country park around it marks the end of the walk.

Getting Back

Moira village itself is something of a public transport desert. However, there are several reasonably frequent bus routes that run near to it. In February 2022, the 29 and 29A rans between Coalville and Swadlincote, via Norris Hill, an estate that is around 20 minutes walk heading east from where Moira Furnace stands. The service was roughly every hour or two during the day. From Swadlincote the frequent 21 bus ran to Burton-upon-Trent where mainline trains can be caught heading south towards Tamworth and Birmingham and north towards Derby and Nottingham.