Walk 9 - Shackerstone to Sutton Wharf

We did this section of the walk on Sunday 27^th November 2016.  It felt a little cooler than the previous day as the wind was a bit stronger.  One very noticeable aspect of this walk was that we saw many other seemingly serious walkers on the route.  Usually we only see other walkers near to villages where they are walking their dogs or in touristic areas.

 

Shackerstone to Market Bosworth

We left Shackerstone at 10 am after checking out of the Bosworth Hall Hotel.  We took the temporary permissive path that has been put in place due to the footbridge over Shackerstone station being closed.  This took us back to the Leicestershire Round and we made our way towards Carlton.  This part of the route was quite muddy as we crossed or went around newly sown crop fields.  We had a tremendous fright when approaching Keepers Cottage on the Congerstone to Barton in the Beans road when we must have disturbed a male pheasant who must have been taking cover near to where we walked.  He flew up immediately in front of us making a very loud noise while flying away..  This was followed a few seconds later by the female. 

Keepers Cottage, alongside which we had
the encounter with the pheasants

While recovering from this we crossed the Congerstone Road , walked over more crop fields eventually finding our way into the village of Carlton.

Carlton is a small rural parish which had a population of 305 according to the 2011 census.  The village has a strong community spirit, and there are regular parties and fundraising events for causes such as the church.  The villagers get involved in other events such as the annual "spring clean litter pick" which has taken place since 1992 where they clear all roads and verges leading up to the village to welcome spring. The village pub is “The Gate Hangs Well” and the village Church is St Andrews. 

Main Street, Carlton

We continued across the road in Carlton and back onto the fields towards Market Bosworth.  The fields eventually changed to grassland onto what appears to be a golf club which has been closed for the winter.  We think this is Kyngs Golf and Country Club which has its entry in Station Road.

We made a slight error and, due to the waypost not specifying the Leicestershire Round,  missed the turning which would have taken us up to the school and into Back Lane so entered Market Bosworth near to the church.

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Market Bosworth

Market Bosworth is a pretty little touristic village with plenty of thatched cottages and Georgian houses, famous for its proximity to the Bosworth Fields battleground in which King Richard III was killed.  There is evidence of a settlement here since the Bronze Age.  The name “Market Bosworth” dates from 12^th May 1285 when it became a town by common definition.  The two oldest buildings in Bosworth, St. Peter's Church and the Red Lion pub, were built during the 14th century.
The Battle of Bosworth took place to south of the town in 1485 as the final battle in the War of the Roses between Richard III and Henry Tudor.  Richard III was defeated and Henry Tudor when on to become Henry VII of England.  Following the discovery of the remains of Richard III in Leicester during 2012, on Sunday 22 March 2015 the king's funeral cortège passed through the town on its way to Leicester Cathedral for his reburial.
The War Memorial in the town square honours 19 local men who died in the 1^st world war and 11 in the 2^nd world war

There was a seasonal market going on in the village square.  One stall was selling some nice looking pies.  Rather than buy then and carry them around in rucksacks for the rest of the day, we returned on our way back and bought some then.
 

Market Bosworth to Sutton Cheney

 

We left Market Bosworth where the route took us through the large country park, past the small lake and into the arboretum which is open to the public throughout the year. 

 

The lake in the park

 

The walk continued through woodland and past 2 other lakes, one named “Looking Glass Lake”. 

 

 

Looking Glass Lake

The woods at Market Bosworth

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We left the woodland and then crossed open fields across to the village of Sutton Cheney which we reached at a nice looking pub/hotel called the Royal Arms, one of 2 coaching inns in the village, the other being The Hercules.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sutton Cheney had a population of 538 at the 2011 census.  The village church is St. James’s and it is believed that Richard III attended mass here for the last time before his death at the battle of Bosworth Fields.  King Richard IIIs funeral cortege also passed through Sutton Cheney.

 



Stone cottages next to the church

St James's Church, Sutton Cheney

Sutton Cheney to Sutton Wharf

The Leicestershire Round left Sutton Cheney at the entrance to the churchyard and then followed Bosworth Road for a while until we turned left over fields towards the Bosworth Fields Heritage Centre which is a museum to the 15^th century battle site.   We stopped there for a coffee and snack in their tea rooms before the final stretch of the walk to Sutton Wharf. 

Battle of Bosworth Visitor Centre



Bosworth Fields

We then walked the short route from the Heritage Centre down through Albion Wood and then alongside the Canal before reaching Sutton Wharf and our parked car.














Albion Wood in the late afternoon sunshine

Sutton Wharf is on the Ashby Canal and has car parking and a café/restaurant.  It is popular with those wanting to make the walk up to the Heritage Centre and Battlefield Site, to the steam trains on the Battlefield Line at Shenton Station or to just go for a walk alongside the canal.  There are narrowboat rides on the canal from this point.




The Ashby Canal at Sutton Wharf

 

Distance

We walked a total of  8.18 miles

Next Walk

The next walk will be from Sutton Wharf to Burbage, planned for Sunday 4^th December 2016.