Ulverscroft Priory and Charnwood Forest Trails

The Ulverscroft Priory circuit explores the quieter western edge of Charnwood Forest in Leicestershire, passing the atmospheric ruins of the 12th-century Augustinian priory before looping through mixed woodland and open heathland. The 8.9 km route covers 188 metres of climbing across terrain that feels genuinely remote — rocky outcrops of ancient Precambrian rock push through the forest floor, dense tree cover closes overhead, and the paths narrow into rough tracks that feel far from the tamed Midlands landscape. Charnwood's geology is extraordinary: some of the oldest exposed rock in England, over 600 million years old, creates a landscape of miniature crags and boulder-strewn clearings quite unlike any other woodland in the region.

This dog friendly walk offers moderate off-lead potential through the woodland and heathland sections, though leads are wise where livestock graze in the fields bordering the forest. The rocky outcrops and varied terrain — heather, bracken, leaf litter, exposed stone — provide constantly changing ground that keeps dogs mentally and physically engaged. The priory ruins make a natural rest stop, and the surrounding woodland carries rich, damp scent from mature oak and birch. The heathland sections offer more open ground where dogs can range further. The climbing is spread across the circuit without any single demanding ascent, making this accessible to dogs with reasonable fitness. A genuinely surprising walk for the East Midlands.