12 Things To Do In Leicestershire

 

From epic tales of battle where kings were slain to voyages to new frontiers. From astonishing archaeological discoveries to a thriving city cultural scene. From country estates with historical sites to the thrills and spills of theme parks. There’s a fantastic variety of things to do for a day out in Leicestershire.

Whether it’s a day out with the kids, attractions to visit or a quiet countryside retreat, these are the best things to do in Leicestershire.

King Richard III Visitor Centre

Almost as famous today for the discovery of his remains beneath a car park as he was for his medieval exploits, King Richard III now rests in Leicester Cathedral. The nearby visitor centre tells the story of the last of England’s Plantagenet kings including his dramatic death at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. The attraction is housed in a former Victorian school where generations of children played unknowingly on top of the long-vanished Greyfriars Church where the ‘Crookback’ king had been buried. Today you can peer into the gravesite where an outline of the monarch’s skeleton with his twisted spine is projected. You can learn about the discovery that made worldwide headlines and make up your own mind whether Richard III ordered the murder of his nephews to claim the crown. The King Richard III centre is located in Leicester’s Cultural Quarter with its theatre, art galleries, places to eat and coffee shops.

Take a look at the definitive list of campsites in Leicestershire.

Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre

Once you’ve learned all about the life of King Richard III, you simply have to visit the place at which his reign came to a grizzly end. Bosworth is the only battlefield in Britain to have a dedicated visitor centre and there’s plenty to explore. Today the site is a preserved quiet place – but it certainly wasn’t in August 1485 when hundreds of soldiers and infantrymen lost their lives. Many of them were buried at Dadlington Church to the south of the site. The scene of one of the most decisive battles in British history is now a country park in which you can follow trails telling the story of the events that unfolded. The centre has interactive displays that recreate the fighting and what life was like for its combatants.

Tropical Birdland

Cool chicks and chatty parrots will love this tropical oasis in the village of Dresford not far from Leicester. Get up close to over 250 birds from 50 different species. With large aviaries, one of which you can walk through, visitors can interact with a variety of exotic birds. You can feed your new feathered friends, talk to the parrots and see if a macaw or cockatiel will sit on your shoulder (just watch out for poops from above...). There’s also bright-billed toucans and thoroughly friendly emus to see. Once you’re done with the tropics, you can take a woodland walk to see if you can spot native woodpeckers, jays and kingfishers. The park has a large play area and a café should your brood be peckish.

Bradgate Park and Swithland Wood

For an altogether more down to earth day trip, Bradgate Park and Swithland Wood make up one of Leicestershire’s favourite country parks. The estate is set in 850 acres of parkland, heath and woodland in the grounds of a now-ruined stately home. Bradgate House was the 16th-century childhood home of the Queen of England, Lady Jane Grey. Bradgate Park has a huge herd of deer with a medieval enclosure to visit. There are numerous trails to follow along riverbanks, past waterfalls, through ancient oak trees and to the Old John Tower that sits at the top of a rocky outcrop overseeing the grounds.

Browse cheap campsites near Leicester.

Belvoir Castle

One of the stately stars of the Netflix smash The Crown, live like a lord and lady for the day with a visit to Belvoir Castle. Sat atop a hill, Belvoir Castle surveys the manor from pale golden towers and turrets amid green thickets and manicured lawns that sweep up to its grand entrance. Take a stroll around pretty gardens, the Japanese Woodland and the park’s serene lakes. Inside, the castle is every bit the home of the Duke and Duchess of Rutland with grand, unique rooms each layered in history. The Engine Room complex opposite the house has small shops from which to pick up a souvenir or something a little more exclusive with places to eat serving local produce.

Foxton Locks

For a free day out near Leicester, a visit to Foxton Locks is a must. Wander the waterways of the Grand Union Canal and work out how narrowboats rise and drop 75 feet through the flight of locks that was described by Rudyard Kipling as the “eighth wonder of the world”. Some 4,000 boats pass through Foxton Locks every year so there’s sure to be vessels to watch and you can take a trip on one yourself. The nearby Boilerhouse Museum tells the story of this unique engineering feat as well as what 19th century life was like for those who worked on the canal. There’s a café at Foxton Locks and a handful of waterside pubs plus there’s plenty of picnic spots for a bite to eat while the canal boats glide by.

Wistow Maze

If you’re stuck for a day out near Leicester then why not get lost in of the country’s biggest mazes? Wistow Maze is an eight-acre plantation of dense sunflowers amid towering maize stalks midway between the cathedral city and Market Harborough. The design of the puzzle attraction changes every year so even if you’ve cracked it one summer, by the next a fresh challenge will await. It’s not just twists and turns that lie within either – there are also bridges and towers to navigate along the three miles of intricate pathways. Quiz boards with riddles to solve will help you reach the play yard at the end… but who will make it there first?

Make a break of it at these a-maze-ing campsites in Market Harborough.

Great Central Railway

Travel back in time on the UK’s last remaining double-track mainline heritage railway. It is said that the Great Central Railway is the only place in the world where you can still see two steam trains passing each other at full tilt. The locomotives make their clickety-clack way from Loughborough to Leicester, with stops at the station halts of Rothley, Woodhouse and Quorn (yep, the food is named after the place but perhaps even more impressive is that the village has seven pubs). The train stops on a low viaduct over the Swithland Reservoir to take in the views, particularly worth savouring if you’ve opted for a dining experience in one of the Pullman carriages.

Twycross Zoo

Home to the chimps from the famous tea advert and with the largest collection of apes and primates in the western world, Twycross Zoo is a family fun day out. Roar with the tigers, stomp with the elephants and see whether your own little versions can scream louder than the monkeys. The zoo is split into zones recreating the natural habitats of some of the most amazing and endangered animals on the planet. Walk through the lemur woodlands, feed the lorikeets and flutter through the butterfly forest. There are playparks aplenty and a splash zone for cooling off on warm sunny days.

National Space Centre

The UK’s largest exploration of far-flung galaxies, the National Space Centre is an awe-inspiring day out. Prepare to crane your necks as you enter to wonder what it must be like to blast off from the 42-metre high rocket tower. Feel like you’re flying through space in the interactive Sir Patrick Moore Planetarium and set foot on other worlds in eight different zones. The National Space Centre is very much a hands-on experience where you can have a go on space exploring equipment, take command in mission control, and learn a whole lot about science along the way.

Twinlakes Park

Combining the thrills of a theme park with the fun of a farm and splashingly good water rides, Twinlakes Park is situated near Melton Mowbray. With over 50 rides and attractions, there’s something for everyone with 10 themed areas loosely based on age ranges and what there is to do and see. A miniature train runs around the perimeter of the park so you can jump on and off to explore each of them. Once you’ve ridden the rollercoasters and cast off your lifejackets from the bumper boats, you can feed the animals at the Red Rooster farm and watch the bird of prey displays at the Falconry Centre.

Beacon Hill Country Park

Beacon Hill Country Park is considered the gateway to the vast National Forest that spans parts of three Midlands counties including Leicestershire. Beacon Hill is the second-highest point in the county and is the site of a Bronze Age hill fort. There are lots of walks to take in the park with twisting rock features, ancient woodland, a sculpture trail and the Rhododendron Labyrinth on a boardwalk route suitable for buggies and wheelchairs. There are several play areas around the park and dens to find hidden beneath the trees. There’s the Beacon Hill café to stop at for a coffee and a cake or lots of picnic spots and a few designated barbeque areas for firing up a bite to eat while you take in the views.

 

For more countryside trails, riverside rambles and hilly hikes, check out our guide to the best walks in Leicestershire.