Free Leicestershire Travel Guide & Mobile App

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Leicestershire
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Explore Leicestershire for Charnwood walks, historic battlefields, canal locks, market towns, heritage railways and celebrated Midlands food traditions.

Leicestershire occupies a varied stretch of the English Midlands between the urban centre of Leicester and the open countryside bordering Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Rutland, Northamptonshire and Warwickshire. Its landscapes change noticeably across the county: the rugged outcrops and wooded valleys of Charnwood Forest lie to the north-west, while the south and east open into farmland, market towns and gently rolling countryside. The county is compact enough for touring by car, yet its attractions are widely distributed and reward a carefully planned itinerary.
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The county's historic identity is particularly visible at Bosworth Battlefield, where Richard III was defeated in 1485 during the battle traditionally regarded as the final major engagement of the Wars of the Roses. Nearby Market Bosworth and the surrounding villages retain a rural character, while Ashby-de-la-Zouch combines a market-town setting with the remains of a medieval castle. To the east, Melton Mowbray is associated with the celebrated Melton Mowbray pork pie and Stilton cheese, although both belong to broader regional food traditions shaped by farming, dairying and specialist production.
Leicestershire's industrial and engineering heritage is equally important. Loughborough developed around framework knitting, hosiery and later engineering, and remains home to the Great Central Railway, a preserved main-line railway offering a tangible connection with the county's transport history. The Grand Union Canal and its celebrated Foxton Locks reveal a different aspect of the past: an ambitious nineteenth-century waterway system built to move coal, goods and raw materials across the Midlands. In the north-west, former coal-mining communities and restored industrial landscapes reflect the county's more recent working history.
Outdoor experiences range from walking through Bradgate Country Park, with its rocky scenery, deer park and ruins of Bradgate House, to exploring Beacon Hill and the wooded valleys around Charnwood. The National Forest extends into western Leicestershire, where reclaimed mining land has been transformed by extensive tree planting and recreational routes. Gardens, country estates, village churches and market towns provide a slower counterpoint to the county's industrial and military stories.
Leicestershire is also closely connected with Leicester, the neighbouring city and county's principal cultural and transport hub, although Leicester is administered separately from the county. Visitors can combine the county's rural landscapes and heritage railways with the city's museums, cathedral and multicultural food scene, provided they recognise the administrative distinction. Within Leicestershire itself, the appeal lies in the contrast between historic battlefields, practical canal engineering, distinctive food production, wooded uplands and the everyday life of English market towns.

When is the best time to visit Leicestershire?

Best: June–August · 19–21°C
Average daytime high and rainfall by month
MonthHigh (°C)Rainfall (mm)
January653
February747
March1049
April1346
May1752
June (best)1957
July (best)2160
August (best)2163
September1858
October1462
November1057
December755

Getting to and around Leicestershire

How to get there

Leicestershire has no major commercial passenger airport within the county. Most international visitors arrive through Birmingham Airport, East Midlands Airport or London airports, all outside Leicestershire, then continue by road or rail. Leicester, immediately adjacent to the county and administered separately, is the principal nearby railway gateway, with frequent services from London St Pancras and other English cities; Loughborough also has a main-line station with useful national connections. The M1, M69, M42 and A6 provide the principal road approaches, while the A46 and A47 serve cross-county journeys.

Transportation

Rail travel is practical for Leicester and Loughborough, but many of Leicestershire's country parks, villages, estates and battlefield sites are easier to reach by car. Local buses connect the principal towns, although rural services can be less frequent and less direct, particularly outside daytime periods. Taxis are available in larger towns and should be arranged in advance for remote attractions. Walking and cycling are rewarding around canals, country parks and the National Forest, but routes vary from surfaced paths to muddy or uneven trails. Allow more time than map distances suggest for rural travel.

Top city travel guides in Leicestershire

The cities of Leicestershire, and the easiest places to base yourself.

Best attractions in Leicestershire

Leicestershire's attractions combine open-air heritage with landscapes shaped by farming, industry and transport. Bosworth Battlefield offers an accessible introduction to the 1485 battle through exhibitions, interpretation and walks across the surrounding countryside, while nearby Market Bosworth provides a historic market-town setting. In the north-west, Bradgate Country Park brings together rocky Charnwood scenery, woodland, deer and the ruins of Bradgate House; Beacon Hill offers some of the county's most distinctive upland walking. The Great Central Railway at Loughborough preserves steam and heritage train travel on a substantial restored route. Foxton Locks is both an engineering landmark and a pleasant canal-side walking destination, with its staircase of locks and towpath setting. Ashby-de-la-Zouch Castle, country estates, village churches and gardens add further historical depth. Western Leicestershire forms part of the National Forest, where restored former industrial land supports woodland walks and cycling. The county is well suited to short outdoor excursions, heritage weekends and family days centred on railways, canals, wildlife and historic interpretation rather than one single concentrated tourist district.

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Best landmarks in Leicestershire

Bosworth Battlefield is Leicestershire's most politically significant historic landscape, marking the site associated with Richard III's defeat and Henry Tudor's accession in 1485. The remains of Ashby-de-la-Zouch Castle form another prominent landmark, with surviving towers and walls recalling the importance of the medieval and Tudor lordship that shaped the town. Bradgate House, set within Bradgate Country Park, is a substantial Tudor ruin linked with the Grey family and Lady Jane Grey, whose brief reign gives the site wider historical resonance. In Charnwood, Beacon Hill is a natural landmark of exposed rock and elevated views across the county, while the wooded crags and valleys nearby give the area a distinctive geological character. Foxton Locks represents a different kind of landmark: a carefully engineered staircase on the Grand Union Canal that illustrates nineteenth-century transport ambition. The Great Central Railway's preserved infrastructure at Loughborough adds railway architecture and engineering to the county's visual heritage, while market-town churches, historic streets and estate landscapes complete a dispersed rather than urban landmark collection.

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Explore Leicestershire on the map

Plan your trip on one map. See where the top cities, national parks and sights are, and book hotels and experiences in a few clicks.

Best restaurants in Leicestershire

Leicestershire's food identity is closely linked to its farming country and market-town economy. Melton Mowbray pork pies are the county's best-known speciality, traditionally made with a distinctive raised crust, while the town is also strongly associated with Stilton cheese, whose production extends across parts of the wider English Midlands. Local farm shops, food halls and markets provide opportunities to sample cheeses, charcuterie, baked goods, preserves and seasonal produce. Traditional pubs and rural inns are common in villages and market towns, often offering familiar British dishes alongside locally sourced ingredients, while Leicester just beyond the county provides a broader international dining scene. Cafés are particularly useful stops in Market Harborough, Melton Mowbray, Loughborough and other larger centres, and canal-side dining around Foxton has a more leisurely character. Visitors should distinguish established regional specialities from products merely marketed as local, and should check current opening arrangements for independent producers and seasonal markets.

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Best bars in Leicestershire

Evening life in Leicestershire is generally centred on traditional pubs, restaurants, cafés and live entertainment rather than a large clubbing scene. Loughborough has a younger, more energetic evening character because of its university population, with bars and venues concentrated around the town centre, while Leicester outside the county offers the region's largest choice of theatres, music venues, late bars and clubs. Market Harborough and Melton Mowbray provide a more compact selection of pubs, wine bars and restaurants, and rural villages are often oriented towards local inns and quiet social evenings. The county's brewing and food-producing traditions appear in independent pubs and taprooms, although the availability of particular venues changes over time. In country districts, taxis and pre-booked transport are important after dark, since buses may be limited and walking between villages is rarely practical.

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Best nightclubs in Leicestershire

Evening life in Leicestershire is generally centred on traditional pubs, restaurants, cafés and live entertainment rather than a large clubbing scene. Loughborough has a younger, more energetic evening character because of its university population, with bars and venues concentrated around the town centre, while Leicester outside the county offers the region's largest choice of theatres, music venues, late bars and clubs. Market Harborough and Melton Mowbray provide a more compact selection of pubs, wine bars and restaurants, and rural villages are often oriented towards local inns and quiet social evenings. The county's brewing and food-producing traditions appear in independent pubs and taprooms, although the availability of particular venues changes over time. In country districts, taxis and pre-booked transport are important after dark, since buses may be limited and walking between villages is rarely practical.

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Best shops in Leicestershire

Shopping in Leicestershire is strongest in its market towns, where independent retailers, cafés, food shops and regular outdoor markets serve both residents and visitors. Market Harborough has a well-established independent shopping character, with boutiques, homeware, books, galleries and places selling gifts, while Loughborough combines a traditional town centre with larger everyday retailers and student-oriented businesses. Melton Mowbray is a practical place to seek regional food products, including pork pies, cheeses and other provisions associated with the county's agricultural economy. Farm shops and makers' outlets across rural districts sell preserves, baked goods, gardening products, crafts and seasonal produce, though opening patterns can be limited. Antiques, locally made gifts and books are often more rewarding purchases than generic souvenirs, and visitor attractions may stock history, railway or battlefield-themed items. For extensive city-centre retail, Leicester is nearby but outside Leicestershire's administrative boundary.

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Leicestershire essentials

Currency and Payment
Leicestershire uses the pound sterling, written as GBP or £, in common with the rest of the United Kingdom. Debit and credit cards, including contactless payments, are widely accepted in towns, hotels, restaurants, museums and larger attractions. Carry some cash for small village facilities, traditional stalls, car parks or businesses with limited connectivity, especially in rural areas. Bank branches and cash machines are concentrated in larger towns, and some independent cash machines may charge a fee.
Safety
Leicestershire is generally straightforward for visitors, but ordinary precautions remain sensible in busy town centres, car parks and public transport areas. Country parks and Charnwood trails can include steep, rocky or slippery ground, while weather changes quickly and exposed hills may feel colder than nearby towns. Keep valuables out of parked vehicles, follow marked paths and observe countryside access signs. Drivers should expect narrow lanes, agricultural vehicles, cyclists and limited lighting in rural districts. Near canals, locks and reservoirs, keep children close to the water and use designated crossing points.
Emergency Situations
For an immediate emergency involving police, fire or ambulance services, call 999; the European emergency number 112 also works in the United Kingdom. For urgent but non-life-threatening medical advice, NHS 111 can provide guidance, while 101 is used for non-emergency police matters. A mobile phone may have limited reception in some wooded or rural areas, so note your route and location before walking. On canal, countryside or battlefield paths, give rescuers a clear landmark, access road or what3words location if available.
Do's and Don'ts
Keep to public rights of way, close gates, control dogs around livestock and leave no litter in parks, farmland and woodland. At battlefields, churches, historic houses and railway sites, respect barriers and photography restrictions and do not climb fragile structures. Queueing and quiet consideration are expected on buses and trains, while tipping in restaurants is discretionary rather than compulsory and should reflect the service received. In rural villages, avoid blocking narrow lanes or private entrances, and remember that canals, estates and country parks may involve working land as well as recreation.
Local Tips
Plan visits by geographical cluster: Charnwood attractions work well together, as do Bosworth and the surrounding market-town countryside, while Foxton Locks is best combined with a canal or south Leicestershire itinerary. Market days can give towns such as Melton Mowbray and Market Harborough added atmosphere, but schedules vary and should be checked locally. Many country parks are most enjoyable early or late in the day, when trails are quieter and parking is easier. Leicester is useful for accommodation, rail connections and museums, but remember that it lies outside the county.
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From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics
EnglishLocalSay it
HelloAlright[aw-reet]
GoodbyeSee ya[see ya]
YesAye[ai]
NoNah[nah]
Please/You're welcomeNo problem[no prob-lem]
Thank youCheers[cheers]
Excuse me/SorrySorry mate[sor-ree mate]
How are you?You alright?[yoo aw-reet?]
Fine. And you?I’m good, you?[I'm good, yoo?]
Do you speak English?Do ya speak English?[doo ya speak ing-lish?]
I don't understandI don’t get it[I don't get it]
Eating & Drinking
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to see the menu, pleaseCan I see the menu, please?[can I see the men-yoo, pleez?]
I don't eat meatI’m a veggie[I’m a veg-ee]
Cheers!Cheers![cheers]
I would like to pay, pleaseCan I pay, please?[can I pay, pleez?]
Emergencies
EnglishLocalSay it
Help!Help![help]
Go away!Get lost![get lost]
Call the Police!Ring the coppers![ring the cop-pers]
Call a doctor!Get a doc![get a dock]
I'm lostI’m lost[I’m lost]
I'm illI’m not well[I’m not well]
Shopping
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to buy...I wanna buy...[I wanna buy...]
I'm just lookingJust browsing[just brow-sing]
How much is it?How much’s this?[how much's this?]
That's too expensiveThat's well pricey[that's well pry-see]
Can you lower the price?Can ya knock it down?[can ya nok it down?]
Time & Numbers
EnglishLocalSay it
What time is it?What time is it?[what time is it?]
It's one o'clockIt's one o'clock[it's one o'clock]
Half past (10)Half ten[half ten]
MorningMornin'[mor-nin']
AfternoonAfternoon[af-ter-noon]
EveningEvenin'[ee-venin']
YesterdayYest'day[yes-t'day]
TodayToday[to-day]
TomorrowTomorrah[to-morra]
1One[one]
2Two[two]
3Three[three]
4Four[four]
5Five[five]
6Six[six]
7Seven[seven]
8Eight[eight]
9Nine[nine]
10Ten[ten]
Transport & Directions
EnglishLocalSay it
Where's a/the...?Where’s the...?[where's the...?]
What's the address?What’s the address?[what's the ad-dress?]
Can you show me (on the map)?Can ya show me on the map?[can ya show me on the map?]
When's the next (bus)?When’s the next bus?[when's the next bus?]
A ticket (to ....)A ticket to...[a tick-it to...]

History of Leicestershire

Prehistoric Landscapes and Ancient Settlement

Leicestershire's earliest history survives in earthworks, burial sites, trackways and scattered archaeological remains rather than in a single monumental complex. The county's fertile river valleys and mixed soils supported settlement from prehistoric times, while the uplands of Charnwood offered stone, woodland and grazing. Iron Age communities established defended settlements and agricultural landscapes across the Midlands. Many later boundaries and roads followed older patterns of movement, meaning that the relationship between market towns, farmland and high ground has deep roots even where the visible prehistoric evidence is fragmentary.

The Roman Countryside

Roman rule brought administrative organisation, engineered roads, rural estates and new forms of production to the territory now known as Leicestershire. The principal Roman settlement was Ratae Corieltauvorum, the predecessor of modern Leicester and today outside the county's administrative boundary, but its influence extended into surrounding rural districts. Villas, pottery, roads and agricultural sites show how the wider landscape was integrated into Roman Britain. Roman patterns of land use did not simply disappear after the empire's withdrawal; some routes, settlements and field systems helped shape later medieval development.

Medieval Lords, Markets and Religious Houses

After the Norman Conquest, castles, manors and religious foundations reshaped Leicestershire's political and economic geography. Ashby-de-la-Zouch developed under the influence of the powerful Zouch family, while market towns such as Market Harborough and Melton Mowbray connected farming communities with regional trade. Abbeys and parish churches controlled land, organised production and provided religious focus until the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the sixteenth century. Medieval roads and market rights helped establish the town network that remains central to the county's identity.

Bosworth and the Tudor Succession, 1485

The Battle of Bosworth Field, fought on 22 August 1485 near Market Bosworth, ended the reign of Richard III and brought Henry Tudor to the English throne as Henry VII. The battle was the decisive engagement in the long conflict later known as the Wars of the Roses, although its location and precise course have been studied and interpreted over many years. Its legacy transformed an ordinary Leicestershire landscape into one of England's most important political heritage sites. The battlefield, visitor interpretation and surrounding countryside now explain both the military encounter and its role in Tudor history.

Canals, Industry and the Market Economy

The eighteenth and nineteenth centuries brought canals, turnpike roads, railways and industrial expansion. The Grand Union Canal's Foxton Locks, with their flight of ten chambers and associated inclined plane, reflects the engineering ambition of the period and the need to move coal and manufactured goods efficiently. Loughborough and Leicester became important centres for hosiery, framework knitting and engineering, while quarrying, brickmaking and coal mining shaped communities elsewhere in the county. Agricultural markets remained essential, linking specialist food production with expanding urban populations across the Midlands.

Railways and Engineering in the Modern County

Railways altered Leicestershire's economy and geography by connecting market towns, industrial districts and national markets. Loughborough became a significant railway centre, and the Great Central Railway formed a major north-south route through the county before changing transport patterns and eventually closing to regular passenger traffic in the twentieth century. Engineering, hosiery and food production continued to evolve, while coal-mining districts faced substantial change as pits closed. Preserved railway operations and industrial collections now help explain the technology, labour and commercial networks that shaped modern Leicestershire.

Landscape Restoration and Contemporary Identity

Late twentieth- and early twenty-first-century Leicestershire saw major changes in land use, especially in former mining areas of the west. Tree planting and environmental restoration associated with the National Forest created new woodland and recreational landscapes on land once dominated by extraction and industry. At the same time, historic estates, battlefields, canals and market towns became important to the county's visitor economy. Contemporary Leicestershire is therefore shaped by both continuity and transformation: long-established farming and food traditions exist alongside restored industrial sites, new woodland and a diverse population connected to neighbouring Leicester and the wider Midlands.

Leicestershire in Photos

Browse through our photo collection highlighting the charm and character of the destination.

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Neighbouring regions of Leicestershire

The closest regions to Leicestershire, if you have time for more than one.

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Evendo - Your Ultimate Travel Guide to Leicestershire

Discover Leicestershire like never before with Evendo, your 100% free app-based travel guide covering attractions, landmarks, shops, bars, restaurants, hotels, and more.

  • Detailed information on attractions, landmarks, shops, bars, and restaurants
  • Booking options for hotels, tours, tickets, and experiences
  • Rich set of information including images, descriptions, local tips, maps, and contact details
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More about the Evendo app

Plan your perfect trip to Leicestershire with Evendo, a comprehensive and free travel guide app. Find the best attractions, restaurants, hotels, and much more.

  • Near Me feature to easily find nearby attractions and services
  • Curated local tips for an authentic experience
  • Easy navigation through the app and the city
  • Travel essentials and history of Leicestershire

Welcome to Evendo, your ultimate travel guide to Leicestershire. Whether you're a first-time visitor or a seasoned traveler, our app is designed to help you make the most of your trip. From the historic Leicester Cathedral to the stunning Bradgate Park and the fascinating National Space Centre, Evendo provides detailed information on all the must-see attractions.

Explore local favorites like the King Richard III Visitor Centre or enjoy a meal at renowned restaurants such as The Case Restaurant and Champagne Bar. With Evendo, you can easily discover hidden gems, local shops, vibrant bars, and bustling nightclubs.

Our app offers a rich set of information including images, descriptions, local tips, maps, and contact details for each location. Planning your trip has never been easier – book hotels, tours, tickets, and experiences all within the app. Say goodbye to the hassle of searching multiple platforms; Evendo has everything you need in one place.

Features like the 'Near Me' function allow you to see what's around you no matter where you are in Leicestershire. Curated local tips ensure you experience the city like a local. And the best part? Evendo is 100% free with no in-app purchases or hidden costs. Download Evendo today and start your unforgettable journey through Leicestershire.

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