Ashby de la Zouch

Ashby de la Zouch is famous for its castle. It also became prosperous as a Spa town in the 19th century and its main street has many fine buildings from this era.

The name Ashby de la Zouch comes from a nobleman of the 12th century but Ashby is also a word in Anglo Danish wich means Ash tree farm or settlement. The La Zouche family took lands here after the Norman Conquest but eventually the town and estate came into the ownership of the Hastings family. The castle was actually built by the first Lord Hastings in the 15th century  and today it is an impressive ruin and a tourist attraction.

Coal mining and brick making around the town were the main industries until recent times along with leather and cotton working. Today United Biscuits provides much needed emplyment in the area.

Ashby de la Zouch has its own museum which tells the story of the towns history. Nearby there is also the Heart of the National Forest Visitor Centre at Moira which provides an outdoor forest experience in a woodland setting. Throughout the year events take place here and there is an Adventure Woodland play area and woodland trails and sculptures.

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Leicester

Leicester is situated on the River Soar at the edge of the National Forest. I has recently benefitted from a lot of publicity around the discovery of the remains of King Richard III which has also resulted in much funding and renewed interest in the city as a tourist destination.

Leicester gets its name from Ligora or Legora, an earlier name for the River Soar. The city is called Ledecestre when it appears in the Domesday Book. The city developed as a market town and thrived under the Industrial Revolution. It is one of the oldest cities in England.

The Leicester Guildhall by the Cathedral dates from the 14th century. The end of the War of the Roses with the death of King Richard III at Bosworth resulted in a hasty burial of the King at Greyfriars Church which later was destroyed during the dissolution of the monasteries under Hentry VIII. The burial place might have been lost forever but in 2012 his remains were discovered under a council car park and he was reburied again in 2015.

Leicester today is a culturally diverse city with some fine examples of architecture, a host of good restaurants and cafe bars with good shopping facilities.

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Grace Dieu Priory

The Grace Dieu Priory is situated on the A512 about 4 miles west of the M1 at Junction 23. Visitors should park at the Bull's Head and visit the site via the woods. 

The Priory dates back to around 1239 and was an independent Augustinian Priory. It was dissolved in 1538. A statue near the ruins depicts one of the White Nuns of St Augustine. Although now just ruins the visitor can get an idea as to the scale of the establishment. 

The Priory is reputed to be haunted and frequent paranormal investigations have taken place with recordings of various sightings on a variety of websites. 

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Wartnaby

Leicestershire is blessed with its fair share of beautiful countryside. With a number of lakes and some fine woodlands the county is a joy to explore. 

Every now and again a particular piece of glorious countryside can catch your attention like these two fields side by side along the main road near Wartnaby not far from Melton Mowbray. The photo was taken around 10:00 am one July morning. 

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Cropston Reservoir

Managed by Severn Trent the Cropston Reservoir near Bradgate park is a large lake with waterworks. Built in 1865 the reservoir is fed by the River Lin. 

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Melton Mowbray

Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire is a market town just 14 miles from Leicester. Situated near the Vale of Belvoir it is famous for its Pork Pies and Stilton Cheese.

An old town with a long history dating back to before Roman times, Melton today is a pleasant market town with a wide range of independent and branded shops and a number of good coffee houses and restaurants.

The town is popular with tourists and well known for its Tuesday market. The River Wreake passes through the town.

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Quorn

Quorn in Leicestershire is a village near Loughborough. There has been a settlement here since the 13th century. The village was known for the quarrying of stone which started in the iron age and was also used by the Romans. 

Famous for fox hunting under the renowned fox hunter Hugo Meynell who lived at Quorn Hall in the late 16th centry the village even has a warhsip named after it - HMS Quorn.

There is a train station at Quorn which is on the preserved Great Central Steam Railway.

Loughborough

Loughborough in Leicestershire is first mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 and is a town with a mixture of modern and new buildings. In its main pedestrian shopping precinct at Market Place and Market Street you will find the town hall and a number of interesting buildings that form the centre of the town.

Loughborough hosts a large outdoor market on Thursdays and Saturdays as well as a monthly farmers market. There are plenty of branded high street chains in the town but also a large number of charity shops and cheap pound outlets. Visitors cannot fail to notice that many shops are empty and the town seems to be a little run down in places.

In Queen's Park there are approx 12 acres of landscaped gardens with a bandstand and an impressive Carillon Tower which was opened in 1923 and which dominates the skyline.

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Space Centre

The National Space Centre is an award winning collection of six themed space galleries. Anyone who has ever wanted to be an astronaut will love this. The space theatre and rocket tower are excellent. The rocket tower houses both the British Blue Streak and a US Apollo. Other rockets and space craft are on show throughout the centre.

The National Space Centre is fun as well as educational. Find out how astronauts live in such combined spaces. Why do they have to exercise so much and what are the problems with living in zero gravity?

In 2007 the National Space Centre was voted Large Visitor Attraction of the Year. There are six galleries and over 150 interactive experiences here. A glass lift takes you through three floors of the rocket tower.

The Space Centre has the UK's largest planetarium with a spectacular 360 degree space age extravaganza. The centre is located only two miles from Leicester city centre. Facilities include a restaurant, shop and parking for over 400 vehicles.

Allow at least 3 to 4 hours to look round properly. A great family day out.

National Space Centre, Exploration Drive, Leicester, LE4 5NS. Tel: 0870 607 7223

Web: http://www.spacecentre.co.uk

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