Distance: Around 11 miles

Difficulty of the Terrain: Medium

Get the route: via Ordnance Survey Maps

Walk across the gently rolling hills of the National Forest, from Willington Railway Station, across the River Trent to Repton, and then over open countryside to the historic market town of Ashby-de-la-Zouch.

The Story

The Walk

Getting Back

A Former Spa Town in the Heart of the National Forest

If you spend any time exploring the midlands, especially going somewhat off the more frequently beaten tracks, you quickly realise just how varied the region is and how often it confounds your expectations.

The National Forest, is 520 square kilometre expanse of tree cover created south east Staffordshire, the far south of Derbyshire and north western Leicestershire since the mid-1990s. It exists primarily as a means of environmental and economic regeneration after centuries of mining and quarrying in the area. As the deep level coal mines shut, throwing thousands out of work in the late 1980s and early 1990s so leisure, tourism and forestry were to take their place.

This gives the region a degree of association with twilight industries, industrialisation and former pit villages and towns seeking a new purpose after the industry that called them into being vanished. An impression which of course elides a more complicated reality. Many areas of the National Forest and plenty of the smaller settlements were not touched in recent times by extractive industries. These areas have developed as attractive parts of the commuter belt for people working right across the midlands.    

On a larger scale Ashby-de-la-Zouch, a little market town of around 14,000 people located right at the top of Leicestershire, also confounds the general expectation. Its name is an unusual blend of Anglo-Norse and Norman-French, an indication of the the complicated and overlapping shifts in cultural and political allegiance which occured in the East Midlands during the early to mid medieval period. And of course, many locals just abbreviate the name to “Ashby”, which is also the name of many of the roads from neighbouring settlements that run towards the town.

Ashby-de-la-Zouch is famous for its 12th Century castle, now ruined and maintained by English Heritage, which stands on the southern edge of the town centre. This was from the 15th Century the seat of the Hastings family, who also owned land in Ireland. Following the discovery of coal under their land they began extracting great wealth from mining as well as agricultural rents and sales, they created the new village of Moira just outside Ashby in the name of a town amongst their Irish holdings.

Unlike Moira and other towns nearby such as the appropriately named Coalville, Ashby was not a huge centre for coal mining. Rather an attempt was made to develop it as a spa town in the 19th Century (apparently the water was actually drawn from springs at Moira and moved to Ashby by train…) and produced consumer goods such as leathers, soap and biscuits. Whilst much of this industry was lost in the late 20th and early 21st Centuries the town remains busy, fairly prosperous and a key centre for the surrounding area. Its high street – which unusually for anywhere these days has hardly an empty unit it site – has even won awards in recent years. 

When walking into it from the north you skirt the edges of large new housing estates going up on the sites of former factories, a programme of building which means that the town’s population is expanding rapidly, as is the case for many other towns and villages across the National Forest.

This makes it a great place to visit, with the route outlined below taking in the interesting towns and villages of Repton and Ticknall as well as the curious modern ruin of Willington Power Station and the option of a short detour to the National Trust’s spectacularly creepy, “unstately home” Calke Abbey.

The Walk

Get the route: via Ordnance Survey Maps

From the platforms of Willington Railway Station where this walk begins, take the steps down onto the main road through the centre of the village.

Once on the station’s tiny forecourt turn left.

After a very short distance you reach a bridge on your left which carries to the railway line across the main road leading to Repton.

Turn left down this road and pass under the bridge.

Follow the road for several hundred metres through a residential area with a handy little Co-op.

Along the way you pass one of the East Midlands’ distinctive old churches on the left.

Just after passing the church – also on the left – down a road of houses you get your first glimpse of the imposing cooling towers of Willington Power Station.

Willington Power Station stopped generating electricity in the 1990s and most of the building’s on the site such as the turbine halls, boiler plant and coal bunkers were demolished long ago. Five of the station’s cooling towers remain, however, and have become something of a landmark. I vividly recall them being a landmark when I used to frequently take the train to and from York when I lived there in the early to mid 2010s. They have become such a minor icon for the urban exploring, modern ruin and modernist subcultures that they starred in an episode of Channel 4’s Drones in Forbidden Zones some years back.

Continuing along the road you leave the houses behind.

Soon you reach the banks of the River Trent, which alongside the Severn to the west, is the midlands region’s great river.

You cross the Trent via an impressive stone bridge constructed in the 1830s.

There is an excellent view of the channel of the river and the power station ruins at Willington from the centre of its span.

On the other side you cross a flat expanse of flood plain approaching the little town of Repton.

Somewhere in the fields to your left, not far from the spire of the church on the edge of the town, lies the site where the 9th Century “Viking Great Army” held a winter camp, and buried their dead. A distant reminder of when this territory slap bang in the centre of the country was heavily contested by warring monarchies in the Early Medieval period. 

Walking across flat ground along a good pavement makes it possible for you to cover ground very quickly at this point.

Presently you reach the outskirts of Repton.

These days Repton is a prosperous little town firmly in the commuter belt of all of the midland’s major urban areas. It is also home to a gigantic public school. Which I was vaguely interested to see in the flesh, having read about it as a young child in Roald Dahl’s autobiography. Several midlands towns, such as Bromsgrove just south of Birmingham, are home to large, fabulously well resourced private schools. However, due to its size relative to the town that gives it its name, Repton is in a rather different league.

A short distance into the town, amidst the buildings of the school, which has premises on both sides of the road you are walking along, turn left.

This leads you a short distance past yet more school buildings to the town’s main square.

Here turn right and follow the road down the High Street through the town centre.

Having walked along the road for some distance, leaving the centre of the town behind, presently you come to Pinfold Lane on your left.

Turn left onto Pinfold Lane and follow it for some way.

Pinfold Lane is lined with a mixture of Victorian cottages and more recent infill, little estates of post-World War II housing constructed between the 1960s and the present day.

After a short way it takes quite a sharp bend round to the right.

Having turned round this bend you follow the road as it slopes gently and steadily uphill for some distance.

Presently you approach the edge of the built up area.

Here you keep to the road on the right passing a white washed pub called The Mount Pleasant.

Straight ahead of you just after the pub, keep walking straight and head onto a steeply sloping brick paved track.

This track leads you uphill past the buildings of a converted farm also called Mount Pleasant.

After the last ex-farm buildings fall away the track turns into a footpath running across fields.

Follow this path as it runs uphill for some distance.

Near the crest of the hill you come to another footpath, also well trodden, which emerges from the hedgerow.

When you reach it, turn left and follow the path across the field.

It stretches off into the distance looking towards some wooded hills forming part of the National Forest.

Repton is on the edge of the National Forest. The National Forest, is 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 after centuries of being churned up by extractive industries. 

To your left as you walk, there are great views across back towards the River Trent and the cooling towers of Willington Power Station.

Presently you reach a wooden fence.

Follow the path through it and continue walking as it slopes downhill hugging the hedge line.

The path levels out and intersects with another path.

Here crossover the point where the paths interchange heading right. Follow the path you are now on towards the hedgerow.

Once at the hedgerow keep on following the path downhill.

At the bottom of the hill the path passes through a hedgerow out onto a lane.

Having reached the lane, turn left.

After a very short distance along the lane a driveway leading past a few houses comprising a tiny hamlet called Saw Mill appears on your right.

Turn to the right and follow the driveway down past the houses.

A short way after the houses the track approaches another cluster of buildings.

Once you reach these a sturdy signpost in the middle of the yard points left through a gate onto a bridleway.

Head through this gate and follow the track uphill.

The surface of this track is somewhat uneven but it is generally possible to make very good time on this section of the route.

At the top of the ridge you pass under a major power transmission line running down towards the distant cooling towers at Willington.

Continuing on the bridleway it runs across a series of fields.

Presently the track takes a sharp right turn and runs down towards a copse.

Head straight through the copse and keep following the track on the other side.

Running slightly uphill, across attractive open countryside, the path continues fairly straight for quite some distance.

Presently near another set of pylons the track crosses a field boundary to the right and then takes a slight left.

The path then runs straight along the line of the field boundaries for quite some way. Passing a distinctive, squatted, weathered tree, shrouded in ivy.

A little further along, past another distinctive tree, you come to a metal gate.

Walk through the gate and keep heading steadily downhill along the track on the other side.

Presently the track emerges onto a grassy meadow on the edge of the village of Ticknall.

Follow the path as it runs around the edge of the field towards the village’s church.

Just before you reach the churchyard on your right a path runs off across a small playing field.

Head off to the right and cross the playing field.

On the other side there is a gateway, walk through the gate and head down the path on the other side, which runs between a roped off horse paddock and a series of back gardens.

At the bottom there is a gate leading onto the road through Ticknall.

Head out onto the road and walk a short distance along it heading left.

Take care on the road as it can be quite busy and vehicles travel along it fast.

Presently before you reach the middle of the village there is another road heading off to your right.

Turn right and walk along this road heading past a pub called The Staff of Life on your left, and a distinctive old style red telephone box on your right.

Shortly after passing the red phone box on the left hand side of the road a footpath runs off between houses.

Cross over the road and head down the snicket way between two back gardens.

At the bottom of the path you come to a style bearing the logo on the National Trust. This is a sign that you have reached the Trust’s significant landholdings around their unusual, and pretty creepy, “unstately home” Calke Abbey. 

Somewhere around here is approximately the halfway point on the walk.

Once across the style follow the path as it runs diagonally to the right across a field.

Right in the corner of the field you come to a style set in a hedgerow.

Head across the style and then head straight, again in a diagonal direction heading right.

Soon you reach a set of hedges with gates in it that lead onto a green lane, or sorts, paved with yellow gravel.

Cross across this track and head across the style on the far side.

Following the path as it slopes off to the right across a grassy field.

At a stand of trees which makes for an imposing boundary, there is another style which you cross.

On the other side of the style you are standing on the National Forest Way.

Turn right here and follow the path as it curves round.

Soon you reach the perimeter of Calke Abbey’s parkland, represented by a wall and gatehouses.

Keep on following the path around the edge of the estate passing through gates on the way.

Presently the path runs down into a shallow wooded dell.

On the other side it continues across fields.

Keeping on the path you pass a car park for Calke Abbey, and the nature reserve and reservoir which are situated close to it.

Continuing on the path, after some distance you reach a tamacked country lane.

Once on the lane turn left.

Keep on walking along the lane for some distance.

Presently a little way after you pass a farm advertising its on site butchery shop on a sign outside, you see a style leading into a field on your right.

At this point if you wish to keep on and visit the nearby Calke Abbey you can keep a little further on along the lane (details here). To carry on to reach Ashby-de-la-Zouch, cross the style and enter the field.

From where you enter the field Follow the path across to the hedge on the far side.

Here you will find a gap in the hedge which you can walk through, located near to a small wooden pylon carrying electricity cables.

Heading in broadly the same direction as the power lines continue walking across the field in front of you.

Walk through the gap in the hedge into the next field, crossing over a wooden style.

The next field you cross is larger. Again following the power lines head across the field making for a gap on the far side.

On the far side of the hedge keep walking forwards keeping close to a hedgerow running on your left.

At the top of the field there is a wooden gate which leads out onto an unpaved lane running which is hedged on both sides.

Cross straight over this lane and through another gate.

On the other side follow the path along the side of a hedgerow making for a large tree standing on the other side of the field.

Cross over a style near the tree and a wooden power line pole.

Follow the line of the hedge on your left a short way until you come to a style set in a hedge which leads into the adjacent field.

Once in the field follow a path, not incredibly well worn but clearly discernible, across the field in the direction of a sharp ridge crowned with trees.

At the other side of the field cross over a wooden bridge – with styles at either edge – over a boundary ditch.

Follow the path on the other side as it crosses the field and begins climbing.

Head through a hedgerow partway up.

And then head up a steeper part of the slope to approach the tree line.

On the edge of the copse climb another style.

Once in the trees turn to the right and follow the path through a crevice as it runs up to the top of the ridge through the trees.

Presently the path takes a sharp turn to the left which takes you up a muddy bank to the edge of the copse and back into open farmland.

Turning to the left, follow the path as it runs across the corner of a field and through a hedgerow.

Head through a gap in the hedge on your left and head uphill across another field making for a tree standing just beyond a hedgerow on top of the hill.

Passing through the hedge follow the path across another field heading for the hedgerow on the other side.

Carrying on straight walk through a gap in this hedge and into the next field.

Partway across this field you see a path running off to your left. This leads in the direction of a farmyard.

Follow this track in the direction of the farmyard.

Just before you reach the farm buildings turn to the right and follow a path running to your right parallel with the farm.

Leaving the farmyard behind and approaching the farmhouse there is a gap leading onto the farm’s driveway.

Use this to get onto the driveway.

Once on the driveway turn right and head towards a lane running past the top of the farm’s drive.

Having reached the lane, walk straight across it and head down the driveway of another farm on the other side.

Keep following the farm track for some distance.

After a little way you reach the farmyard.

Here keep following the track across it until you come to a style leading out onto open fields.

Head across the style and walk across the field in front of you.

At the hedge on the far side of the field turn right and follow the path running parallel with it for a short distance. A footpath sign is visible pointing across a fence line.

On reaching the footpath sign turn left crossing a style into the adjacent field.

Walk across the field. It is quite high up, and whilst I did the walk on a very wet day when visibility was quite poor, the views are probably very good in better weather.

Along the way you pass through a gap in the hedge and the path begins sloping downhill.

Once on the far side of the field head across a style and cross the lane running between fields on the far side, go through a gap in the hedge on the opposite side.

Continue heading downhill following the path in front of you.

The path nears a stand of trees which you skirt the edge of.

The path nears a stand of trees which you skirt the edge of.

Somewhere around here lies the county boundary between Derbyshire and Leicestershire.

When you come level with the trees turn right and follow the path round.

It soon takes a turn to the left again.

Follow the path across a further field.

On the far side of the field you come to a gateway and a short path leading up to a  steep bank.

There is a flight of steps at the top of the bank which takes you out beside the busy A511 which effectively forms the northern boundary of Ashby-de-la-Zouch. 

Like so many midlands towns Ashby has seen a lot of infill development on its fringes in recent years, and today the Help to Buy and other estates constructed by the big speculative builders reach almost as far as the road.

When you are able to cross the road, on the other side there is a matching set of steps which take you down into a copse.

Follow the path as it runs straight across fields heading towards the growing estates on the edge of Ashby-de-la-Zouch. 

The path takes a sharp turn to the right to avoid some currently existing houses.

Before swinging to the left again back onto something close to its previous alignment.

Soon you approach the edge of a new estate.

Follow the path around until you reach a wooden gate on your left.

Turn through this gate and follow the path along.

Soon you are walking along beside a wooden fence with the little gardens of the new houses behind them.

The next section is a slightly confusing zigzag, where developers are working on developing another estate of new houses, and the footpath follows an alignment created whenever what was there previously (probably a factory of some sort) was still in place.

Take a sharp turn to the left when you reach a point where a wooden fence is facing you.

Then a short while later on the edge of some trees take almost as hard a right turning.

This leads to a short flight of concrete steps.

At the bottom of the steps turn left.

Then follow the path as it curves around the sites where the new homes are being built.

Presently, having walked around the plot where construction work is ongoing you come to a watercourse.

Here the path turns to the left again.

After a short way it levels up and turns into a cycle track.

You can then follow this path as it runs all the way to Market Street in the centre of Ashby-de-la-Zouch.

On the way you pass through several eras of housing, across a park, past a small leisure centre and then enter the old central part of the town.

Here there are a wide array of snickets and alleyways which lead onto Market Street.

Once at Market Street most of the town’s attractions are signposted and in easy walking distance. Including the castle which is just south of Market Street and maintained by English Heritage.

This is where the walk ends.

Getting Back

From Market Street the 9 and the 19 buses offer a frequent service to Burton-upon-Trent where trains can be caught heading both north and south. If you have come from the south then your return from Willington will be valid from Burton-upon-Trent heading south. There is also a fairly frequent service to Leicester. Swadlincote is also well served by buses from Ashby-de-la-Zouch, and has a wide range of buses to destinations in Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire, as well as bits of north west Warwickshire.