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Rolleston, Skeffington & Tilton from Billesdon

Leicestershire Walk

County/Area - Leicestershire

Author - David McMahon

Length - 12.3 miles / 20 km    Ascent - 1450 feet / 439 metres

Time - 7 hours 40 minutes    Grade - moderate

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Walk Route Description

Photo from the walk - Rolleston, Skeffington & Tilton from Billesdon
Click image to see photo description.

The village of Billesdon is a located nine east of Leicester just off the A47. Centrebus Service 747 Leicester to Uppingham provides a bus service. On street parking is available in the village although do park with care so as not to inconvenience local residents.

From the Market Place walk along Church Lane past John the Baptist church and on to the outskirts of the village. Ignore the footpath on the left and then take the one on the right. Continue along the alleyway and turn left when it opens out onto an oval. Take the alleyway to the left further along and then go right when it opens out onto a grassy patch. Head along this well-marked footpath, through the fields, until you cross a driveway. Carry on through one field and turn left. You then have an option. You can continue along the footpath to a point to the left of the houses on the opposite side of the field, or turn left immediately after the hedgerow onto the unmarked bridleway and walk along it until you reach Ashlands Road (grid ref.SK719005).

Turn left and walk along Ashlands Road until you reach the junction with the B6047. Turn right and then go left through the Cranhill Estate. Carry on along the driveway and on into the field and then turn left through the gate at the yellow post. Walk parallel to the left-hand side of the field until you reach the other end and then go diagonally right once you are into the next field. When you reach a driveway turn right onto it, pass through the gate and continue until you reach a road junction.

Follow the road as it snakes to the right and then left; then turn sharp left along the road marked 'Private. Bridleway Only' and into Rolleston. Continue until you reach an ivy-covered wall, when you will see a stile on your left. Climb it and go right to the side of the hump. Over another stile and then another. Carry on in a straight line with Skeffingon Vale, slightly to your right, as a marker. Drop down to the stream and cross it. Carry on in the same direction, up the slope crossing a tarmac track and then the driveway to Skeffington Vale. Head straight on until you reach the village of Skeffington. As soon as you reach the village, turn right along the indicated footpath, through a field, a small enclosure and into another field. Go right and once you reach the road(A47) cross over with care and then turn right in the field. Walk to the edge of the field and then along a grassy track until you reach a side road.

Carry on along this road until you see a footpath sign ' Midshires Way - Tilton 2 miles'. Turn left along the driveway and continue past the farm into a field. Head down the slope and cross the stream. Immediately afterwards go left through the hedgerow and then sharp right up the headland until you reach Skeffington Wood Road. Carry on uphill along The Midshires Way until you once more drop down to a stream - The Eye Brook. After it aim for the left-hand side of the field. Carry on up the slope until you reach a tarmac track. Through a farm gate followed by a farm and eventually onto another farm gate. Ignore the track off to the left and go through the gate and eventually reach Loddington Road. Turn left and walk up the road to the junction and the village of Tilton.

Here you have a choice. You can turn left at the junction onto the footpath and reduce the overall distance, or turn right and walk up the road to the crossroads where you have the church of St Peter's on the right and the Rose and Crown pub on the left. Go straight across and head up the Old Melton Road. Turn right along the bridleway. Go through a gate then along the headland until you come into Halstead. Carry on along the road in the same direction until you reach the first house on the right. Just past it there is a well-hidden footpath. Go along the alleyway into the field and then diagonally right, heading for the hedgerow facing you. Ignore the grassy lane and take the nearby stile. Go straight across the field into the next one and go sharp left into an enclosed footpath. When that finishes, head diagonally slightly right up the slope into the next field. Go over the hump and then drop down onto Loddington Road again.

Turn right and you will shortly find yourself by the aforementioned footpath at the road junction. Turn left onto the path and go slightly left at the end of the hedgerow and then diagonally right when you reach the next field. Cross a driveway and aim diagonally right behind the farmhouse. On reaching the road cross it and go slightly left in the first field and left again in the second field heading to the right of the pylon and aiming for the driveway you can see on the opposite slope.

When you reach the road carry on up the driveway, either on the tarmac or on the grass verge and when you are almost up to the buildings swing right and you will immediately see a stile on your left. Continue into the field and go right behind a farmhouse onto the B6047 Melton Road. After crossing it aim sharply left and eventually you will cross Green lane. Carry on down the bridleway until you reach a rather muddy path which takes you to the side of a wood. Continue in the same southerly direction and when you reach Billesdon Lodge Farm turn right along the track and then left into an enclosure as indicated by a yellow post. Up the right -hand side of it, walk through two fields and then sharp left when into the third field. Continue until you reach the A47 road.

After crossing the A47 with care take the path on the opposite side. You have a short stretch before you reach another road. Turn right along the road and you can road walk directly into Billesdon Market Place.

As an alternative you can also turn right, but then take the footpath on the left, just past the Cemetery. Go up the side of the cemetery and continue over the hump to the hedgerow. Go through into the next field and then diagonally sharp right, heading for the hedgerow at mid-point. Over the stile into the next field, along its right-hand side, and then into a narrow alleyway followed by the road. Turn left and John the Baptist Church will shortly come into view. Retrace your steps along Church Lane to reach Billesdon Market Place. Congratulations. Hope you have enjoyed the walk!

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