Swamea two

Verified Slow Way

Verified by 100.00% of reviewers

Walking Measham to Swad I had no navigation issues but in places may have followed my nose along well walked paths, rather than the plotted route. A few stiles, mixed path surfaces from tarmac to cross field but no cattle seen. The old rail route, now cycleway, offers easy walking but keeps us away from the built landscape and hence services, also for me, it got a bit monotonous.

From Measham the walk starts passing the imposing chapel then reminders of the Ashby canal. We are soon into open landscape with any noise from the A42 reduced by the cutting through which it passes. This means that our bridge has less steps.

The walked cross field path to Oakthorpe fails to stay on the definitive and hence plotted line but is well used so easy to locate. More housing is under construction but looks to be away from our path. No apparent services here.

The next path passes between ponds, perhaps created by mining subsidence. No issues on my walk but it could flood or get muddy as reported. From here we soon meet the Cycleway (Sustrans 63). This is easy walking with no navigation issues just stay on the main drag with an occasional eye on the plotted route. On these routes I always feel a bit isolated from the real world, not in a threatened way just missing what is on offer beyond the green buffer alongside the track. A few gaps in the vegetation might help.

A mix of good surfaces including tarmac so there should be no issues for wheels although cycles were thin on the ground so few rings of bells. Turning off to cross Gresley tunnel the path is narrow and could be muddy so I wonder if staying on Sustrans 63 would improve the route. The back of the houses onto the streets of Church Gresley might best be avoided as could the double back. After that I enjoyed the safe and wide alleyways and passages avoiding roads into Swadlincote.

A fine Slow Way that needs just minor tweaks that are not worth a new submission.

Completed this route on Friday 15/3/24. There had been a lot of rain in the previous weeks with heavy showers on the day of walk.

The walk quickly leaves Measham heading towards the village of Oakthorpe following a footpath that crosses open land and then crossing over the M42 motorway over a footbridge.

From Oakthorpe descend into an area of large pools. This area was very wet and caused a slight problem as the amount of rain had caused the ponds to flood the footpath and almost submerging the wooden footbridge. Once leaving this area you climb slightly into Donisthorpe and then follow the well marked forest path towards Swadlincote.

The route is safe but not suitable for wheelchair access on certain parts of the route. I have included photos that show the potential problems for wheelchair access. I used the Kamoot app to navigate the route and installed the gpx file from SlowWays which was very accurate although there is a problem with the route on entering the outskirts of Swadlincote in that, there is a new housing development between Mount Pleasant Road and Railway Side that has taken away the footpath between the two roads. Therefore, it is recommended that one should take the route along Mount Pleasant Road, turning right at the T-junction into Church Street.

I enjoyed walking the footpaths particularly through the wooded areas where there are very good tracks some of which are tarmaced but didn't particularly enjoy the final part of the route through the outskirts of Swadlincote.

A really pleasant walk through the National Forest across the Derbyshire/Leicestershire border. I started the walk in Swadlincote. The meeting place is at the bus station, very handy. You pass briefly through the stops and shops of the High Street and in no time are following footpaths down alleyways to deliver you to the edge of town. The ways are well used and increasingly leafy. At the edge of the town, in Church Gresley, you pick up a footpath at the edge of Gresley Wood. I really enjoyed the views I was getting from this track, across the counties. Having turned left to walk the path which passes over Gresley Tunnel I had a slight issue following the path and started to follow the cycleway instead, but was able to retrace my steps. Having crossed the road and entered Leicestershire near Conkers Discovery Centre I found that the cycleway that this route follows, as opposed to the exclusive footpath was the same route that all the other pedestrians were using. The Ashby Woulds Way is on the route of an old railway and is safe, easy to follow, popular with other users and far more direct than footpath equivalents. This route leaves to join footpaths at Donisthorpe. I found it to be more direct, but I encountered my first stiles and then cows, admittedly docile, but something I prefer to avoid. The remaining footpaths as far as the A42 were well marked but there was an issue with the footpath not following the marked right of way on the map south of Oakethorpe. Saying that, it was obvious where the footpath, and where it should be, and wasn't was in sight throughout. The section as you approach the A42 was actually one of my favourite parts of the walk. It was a clear day when I walked, and views extended as far as Brownhills in Staffordshire. There's a footbridge high over the dual carriageway and beyond is a field that seems popular with locals. Entering Measham is via quiet lanes. There are shops on the high street just before reaching the meeting place on the corner of Bosworth Road. I think I would have enjoyed this route more if I'd stayed with the Ashby Woulds Way and I've offered an alternative route doing just that. This is a good Slow Way ticking the boxed of safe, direct, enjoyable and easy to follow. There are plenty of benches en route but a lack of direct contact with pubs, cafes and shops. However there are opportunities to make minor diversions into the various villages passed through. A great use of the National Forest.

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