Thornton Reservoir and Bagworth Heath Woods Circular
AllTrails, LLC

Start to Reservoir Exit
From the car park, cross over to the far side of Reservoir Road and turn left, joining the pavement which leads you over the reservoir dam wall. At the far end of the dam wall, turn left (crossing back over the road) and pass through the wooden kissing gate to enter the Severn Trent Water reservoir site.
Follow this surfaced reservoir-edge path, with the reservoir to your left and open fields to your right. Thornton Reservoir is more than 150 years old, set in a picturesque valley surrounded by a landscape of rolling farmland and mature woodland. Built in 1854, the creation of the reservoir took almost seven years of planning and building works. It was originally constructed to provide water for Hinckley and Nuneaton, together with the western parts of Leicestershire, and has a total capacity of 1,320,000 cubic metres. Severn Trent Water closed the reservoir in 1982, but it was reopened to the public in 1997. The 31-hectare site is now a refuge for a diversity of wildlife and a peaceful and picturesque location for walkers.
As you reach the tip of the north-eastern finger of the reservoir, the path swings sharp left, crossing a bridge over the inlet stream. Stay with the reservoir-side path, now leading you along the northern bank. As you pass through a stretch of woodland, ignore all paths off to your right. Instead, stay with the path closest to the water. Eventually, the reservoir narrows, heading towards the tip of the north-western finger. Ignore the path signed right into a crop field. Instead, stay with the reservoir path as it bends sharp left, crossing another bridge over an inlet stream. Just 20 paces later, you will see a waymarker post and a kissing gate on your right. This is the point at which we will exit the reservoir.

Reservoir Exit to Thornton Mill
Turn right through this kissing gate, follow the path through the small belt of woodland, and you will emerge to the bottom of the village playing fields. Walk straight ahead on the path leading you uphill to reach the kissing gate at the top. Pass through this and follow the enclosed path between buildings to reach the junction with the village road.
Cross over to the far pavement, turn left for a few paces and then turn right into the side road, Hawthorne Drive. Follow this road downhill, swinging right and then levelling off. Where the road bends sharp right again, go straight ahead to join the footpath (signed to Bagworth), which runs just to the left of House 37. This enclosed path winds downhill to reach a metal kissing gate.
Pass through this to enter a paddock, and with your back to the gate, cross the paddock at 11 o'clock. At the far side, pass through the kissing gate and turn left along the vehicle track, heading gently downhill. You will enter the cobbled parking area in front of an old property. Notice the old mill stones set into the ground. This is the former Thornton Mill. Thornton derives its name from an old reference to the vegetation that grew wild around the village. Its name translates as the town of thorns.

Thornton Mill to Bagworth Heath Woods
Immediately beyond the buildings, turn right and cross the stone bridge over the mill race to enter a small paddock. Cross this paddock and cross the second bridge (via two gates) over a stream to enter a second paddock. Continue straight ahead across this paddock and leave via the kissing gate at the far side.
Immediately after this gate, turn left and follow the path along the left-hand edge of the field. Cross the gate ahead, and you will see the rail crossing ahead. This is an official crossing point but is unsignalled, so look and listen carefully for trains before you continue. Cross the railway via the two stiles and steps. At the far side, you will emerge into Manor Wood, planted in 2002-3 and part of the National Forest.
Walk straight ahead on the woodland path. A few metres ahead, at the first waymarker, keep straight ahead (signed as the Leicestershire Round path). At the second waymarker, go ahead, passing a picnic bench and then descending into the valley bottom. Keep ahead, climbing steadily, to reach a junction with a tarmac path. Turn left along this tarmac path. You will pass signs on your left which explain that you are leaving Manor Wood to enter Bagworth Heath Woods.

Bagworth Heath Woods to Car Park
Now simply follow the main surfaced path as it winds and undulates through the woodland. There are several benches along the way that make the most of the lovely views. This 75-hectare Country Park has been transformed from the scarred industrial landscape of Desford Colliery into a valuable recreational resource. Owned and managed by Leicestershire County Council, Bagworth Heath Woods is made up of woodland, grassland, heathland, lakes and ponds.
Just before the end of the track, you will have lovely views across to your right of the large pool set within this parkland. A pit wheel sits on an island in the centre of the largest pool as a reminder of the site's industrial past.
At the end of the track, pass alongside the metal vehicle gates to reach a junction with the access road. Turn right along this access road (taking care of any traffic) and then turn left to enter a car park.

Car Park to Rail Crossing
Turn left through this parking area, follow this as it begins to swing right, and then turn left onto the stone path (soon passing between wooden bollards). On the left is a section of beautiful old dry stone wall. Pass a tall metal sculpture on your right (which marks the site of the old coal mine and honours the miners), and the path swings right to reach a T-junction.
Turn left and continue for just a few metres to reach a subtle crossroads with a grass path. Turn right to join this grass avenue leading you steadily uphill through the trees. At the brow of the hill, you will come to another crossroads of grass paths. Turn left here, and you will pass a yellow waymarker on your left.
You will come to a T-junction with a fence ahead (and another waymarker). Turn right and follow this next stretch of grass footpath, dog-legging through a fence and then continuing as a grass avenue between fences. Ignore the stile on your left (into Brickworks Wood); instead, follow the enclosed grass path zig-zagging ahead.
Further along, the grass path turns left passing a property on your right. Now stay with the grass footpath for some distance, with the fenced quarry workings to your left (using the yellow waymarkers to guide you). The path runs with a road on your right for the first long stretch and you will come to a junction with a substation (and an industrial estate visible ahead). Turn left here and follow the next stretch of grass path, with the fence for the industrial estate running on your right.
After about 800 metres, the path turns right, leading you down a flight of concrete steps into the industrial estate. Go straight ahead across the access road and pick up the footpath at the far side. Follow the path which leads you past Lagoon 1 on your left, then turns left and immediately right to pass Lagoon 2 on your right. Beyond the lake, you will come to the next rail crossing.

Rail Crossing to End
Again, this is an official crossing point but is unsignalled, so look and listen carefully for trains before you continue. Cross the stile, climb the steps, go over the rail line with care, and at the far side, descend the steep stone steps to reach a footbridge. Cross the bridge and take the stile into the pasture ahead (which may be holding cattle).
Cross the pasture at about 11 o'clock, heading just to the left of the pylon visible in the distance. At the far side, cross the stile (with a dog gate) to enter a second pasture (which may be holding sheep). Walk at about 11 o'clock to reach the stile in the top left-hand corner of the field. Cross this stile (with dog gate) and continue directly ahead through the third pasture (which may be holding cattle), following the line of hedgerow on your left. At the brow of the rise, you will be rewarded with beautiful views ahead. Just a few paces beyond this brow, turn left over another stile (with a dog gate) and turn immediately left through the fence gap to reach the end of a residential road.
Follow the road between houses. At the junction, turn right (uphill) and you will come to a T-junction. Turn left along the pavement and follow this road as it swings steadily right. You will emerge to a T-junction with Main Street in Thornton village. If you glance to your left, you will see a pub that makes for the perfect place for post-walk refreshments, should you wish. To return to the car park, cross over to the far pavement and turn right along this. Turn left into Reservoir Road (signed to Markfield), and this will lead you directly back to the reservoir car park where the walk began.

Thornton Reservoir and Bagworth Heath Woods Circular