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Blackbrook Reservoir & Nanpantan

Leicestershire Walk

County/Area - Leicestershire

Author - David McMahon

Length - 12.0 miles / 19.5 km    Ascent - 1000 feet / 303 metres

Time - 7 hours 0 minutes    Grade - moderate

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Walk Route Description

Photo from the walk - Blackbrook Reservoir & Nanpantan
Click image to see photo description.

Mount Saint Bernard Abbey is a community of Cistercian Monks set in the Charnwood Forest, 6 miles from Loughborough. To start the walk, take the lane heading south towards the Abbey Road and follow it round to the left to arrive at the lodge. Turn right onto Abbey Road and walk up it until you reach a footpath on the left-hand side. Take this footpath over the Warren Hills until you see a wood facing you and then turn right down the slope onto Warren Hills Road.

Turn left along the road, taking you past Abbots Oak and the 'Bulls Head' pub. Road walk for over two-thirds of a mile until you see a bridleway sign to the left. Walk down what is in fact a tarmac road until you reach the wrought-iron gates of Charley Mill, but carry on along the footpath to the left and then take the right-hand path through the gate into Charley Wood.

Follow the footpath until you reach a stone wall. Cross over it and with another stone wall on your left-hand side and continue in the same direction until you reach "The Oaks Scout Camp". Pass through the camp by following the yellow posts and then the path turns parallel to another stone wall for a short distance. Eventually you reach a stile which takes you into a field. Walk diagonally right across the field onto a track and carry on at the same angle onto another field. Shortly you climb another stile onto a second track, but turn right down this one and walk down to Charley Road.

Go to your left at the road and then turn right at the bridleway to Lubcloud Farm. Straight through the farm through two farm gates (one of which is very difficult and it's easier to slide through the fence). Carry on straight up the slope and through the gate at the top. Turn right and immediately turn left down the slope after passing through another gate.

Carry on down the slope which, apart from one small right-hand bend, is almost a straight line you'll hear the melodious sounds of the M1, but as you reach the bottom of the slope you'll see a gate through which the official path passes (if it's choked with brambles carry on down the right-hand side of the field and pass through the gate).

After the gate you're on a track; carry onto the road; turn right and pass under the M1 Walk in the same direction and then take the driveway to the left for Longcliffe Lodge Farm, but before you reach the farm gate take the stile to your left and then walk up the field to the top right-hand corner. Climb the stile and walk parallel to the hedgerow. Do exactly the same for the second and third fields, but in the last one you will see a yellow post; go through the gap; do a semi-circle round a hole in the ground and then turn right with a low stone wall to your left. Carry on along the path (if it's blocked hop over the wall and back again to bypass it).

Eventually the path turns left through the wall and then continues down a slight slope and joins up with a wider track, Go to the right and continue until you reach Nanpantan Road. Turn left and cross over to the right-hand side and walk along the grass verge until you reach the pavement proper. Soon you will see "The Priory" pub on the far left-hand corner of the cross roads.

To continue the walk carry along the Nanpantan Road on same side as the pub until you see a footpath sign to your left. Turn onto it and follow it between two houses and then onto a road. Go straight across the road and then the route follows a wooded path through a golf course. Continue along what can be a badly overgrown path and then once more you hear the melodious sounds of the M1. When the path reaches the M1 embankment, take the stile to the right and walk along it until you reach a footbridge and then you climb a slope to arrive at a feeder road to the motorway. Cross over the motorway and then follow the A512 road until you reach Ingleberry Road. Turn onto it and then turn right onto Iveshead Lane. Walk the whole length of it and then go right onto Iveshead road. Walk the short distance down to the Jolly Farmer pub and turn left immediately after it.

Take the path to the left of the houses and then it becomes a wooded track which zig-zags until you reach an open field. Ignore the footpath sign there and turn sharp left along the hedgerow for the road. At the road go left and very shortly go right onto a track which, after passing through a steel gate reaches Blackbrook Reservoir. Cross over the reservoir and take the footpath to the right; continue along the side of the first field then turn left up the slope to the road in the second field.

Cross the road and take the path almost immediately opposite. Climb thee steep slope and on arrival at the road go to your right and taking the second entrance you will find yourself back at Mount Saint Bernard Abbey.

Note This walk could just as easily done with Nanpantan as the starting point. There is parking available at the reservoir, just off Woodhouse Lane. Hope you enjoyed the walk.

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