Enjoy a summer of woodland walks in the Leicestershire countryside
At Belvoir Castle, our beautiful woodland walks in rural Leicestershire are perfect for enjoying a fun day out with family, tucking into a tasty picnic in the scenic gardens and also making the most of a visit to the magnificent Belvoir Castle. As the first day of summer approaches later this month, there’s no end of adventures to be had and nature in bloom to admire in the Belvoir Castle grounds.
6th June to 12th June marks Garden Wildlife Week in the UK, encouraging people to get out into gardens to explore the beauty of British wildlife. How better to celebrate than with a woodland walk in Grantham? If you don’t have access to a flourishing garden, or perhaps just want to venture further into the great outdoors, a woodland walk at Belvoir Castle is sure to give you a fix of all things green and glorious.
Get a taster of beautiful British wildlife at Belvoir Castle
With a choice of six stunning routes, each brimming with unique woodland scenery, Our Belvoir Castle garden walks are a great way to experience the British summertime in our beautiful parkland.
Keep an eye out for the flick of a bushy tail or flutter of a wing, there’s plenty of wilderness to be spotted in our gardens!
From novice adventurers to hiking pros
Whether you want a short tour through some of the Castle’s historical buildings or a 3-mile circular woodland walk through the various enchanting gardens, our colour-marked routes offer scenic tours of our woodland areas without having to stray from a safely marked path.
Take a brief look at each of the walking routes below:
Spiral Walk (blue route)
Enjoy a walking tour of Belvoir Castle’s history, featuring buildings dated as far back as the seventeenth century. Trace the development of the Castle’s history through its rich archaeological tapestry, from the old railway and ice house to the Charles II stables built in the 1680s. A particular highlight of this walking route is the private gardens featuring ornamental trees and shrubs, the gem of which is the Australian Wollemi Pine.
Rose Garden Walk (red route)
Infused with rich scenery inspired by Japanese gardens, the Rose Garden Walk takes you on a journey from camelia, magnolia and bamboo-lined Japanese woodland to formal Edwardian gardens designed by the legendary Harold Peto. Within the Edwardian gardens, there is a lily pond brimming with freshwater wildlife as well as a wide range of hillside shrubs such as flowering dogwoods, acers and azaleas.
Japanese Woodland Walk (yellow route)
Offering delightful views of wildlife habitats due to the stumpery displays along the route, our Japanese Woodland Walk is a great way to take a closer look at stag beetles, toads and other small mammals. Garden Wildlife Week also coincides with the best time of year to view the stunning Duchess Garden featured along this route, which is home to rhododendrons and azaleas currently in full colour, as well as impressive natural springs. Towards the end of this route, you will also discover an ornamental Monkey Puzzle Tree planted in 1842, and the Handkerchief Tree whose large white bracts bloom in May and June.
Duchess Garden Walk (pink route)
Brimming with fresh new plantings and spectacular views of the Belvoir estate gardens, the Duchess Garden Walk holds some of the most unique trees to be found in the Belvoir woodlands. This route begins with a display of camellias, acers and rhododendrons before leading you to the Blue Sausage and Japanese Katsura Trees in the Duchess Garden. Alongside the Summer House, you will discover the Persian Ironwood Tree planted in 1895, as well as three terraces below the Summer House that contain over 100 peonies and herbaceous shrubs.
Hermit’s Garden (orange route)
This enchanting woodland walk can begin from either the top or the bottom of the Duchess Garden and contains two magical stone grottoes along the top of the route. The first of these grottoes is believed to have been built around 1822 using tufa sourced from the Grantham Canal. Leading on to Hermit’s Garden, planted with a variety of trees and shrubs in 2014 that include 30 varieties of Magnolia, Stewartia, Enkianthus and Stachyurus, this circular route will return you back to the Duchess Garden.
The Duke’s Walk (black route)
As the most challenging of our six routes, the Duke’s Walk is a 3-mile circular woodland walk running from the Castle, through the woodlands and back around Blackberry Hill. Linking all of the gardens created by Duchess Elizabeth, as well as featuring a visit to Frog’s Hollow, it is ideal for taking in some of the best views on the estate, including the Memorial Lakes. Lined with towering coastal Redwoods and grottoes, this is a scenic walk through the woodlands that will bring you closer to Belvoir’s natural history.
Ticket entry
Enjoy access to over 16,000 acres of Belvoir Castle gardens and parkland with a Garden Admission Ticket. Discover our range of tickets and packages below:
- Adult: £10
- Child (4-16 years): £5
- Family: £30
- Child (under 4): FREE
Extend your visit to Belvoir Castle
After working up an appetite on your woodland walk, you can enjoy an exquisite, locally sourced meal at the Engine Yard. Soak up the sophistication of al fresco dining at the Fuel Tank, with a choice of light lunches, classic dishes and delicious cheesy wood-fired pizzas.
If you’re wanting some rest and relaxation after an active day of exploring our grounds and Castle, why not enjoy a stay in one of the newly refurbished Vale House rooms, designed by the Duchess of Rutland herself. Not only is the Vale House ideally located in the Engine Yard, it also offers stunning views of the Vale of Belvoir to wake up to, so you can admire even more of our beautiful Castle.