Burrough Hill

Where: 2.5 miles south of Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire.
Distance: 13.1 miles (add another 5 or so if you start from Melton Mowbray town centre).
Ascent: 989 ft.
Maps: Explorer 246 & 233             Click here to buy the Ordnance Survey maps for this route
Parking: Plenty on the road near the start but probably better to use a car park in Melton for security.
Overview: A good introduction to routes in this area. Green lanes, bridleways and country lanes. One of my favourite "evening routes" from Spring to Autumn. The trails can vary in quality depending on recent weather and the passage of off-road vehicles and horses. Don't bother if it has been wet for a prolonged period.

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Details:

(click on a grid reference to link to multimap.com in a new window)

1. (0 miles) SK755154 Start where the tarmac on Sandy Lane finishes just before a gate. Follow the double track to another gate, go through and follow the edge of the field to a gate just after the top of the hill. Descend to a T-junction. (Note: the section just described has since been upgraded (ruined!) as part of a national cycle route so is now surfaced) Turn right then immediately left back on to the continuing Sandy Lane. Follow this through two gates then along a rutted section to another gate and T-junction.

2. (1.9 miles) SK760125 Turn right onto tarmac, turn left at Moscow Farm up to a T-junction. Turn left. Turn left off the tarmac at a Leicestershire Round signpost "Burrough Hill ½".

3. (2.7 miles) SK752119 Follow the bridleway along the edge of the field to a double gate. Continue ascending the bridleway to a gate at the top. Go through this and follow the track down to Burrough Hill car park Exit the car park onto the road and follow this to Somerby.
Note: DO NOT ride on the ramparts of the fort however tempting they look!

4. (4.6 miles) SK775104 At a sharp turn to the left there is a junction, turn right here. Ignore the bridleway sign and proceed along the road through an avenue of trees. At the end of this (just before the riding school) turn left and join the bridleway along the edge of the field. The bridleway goes through two gates. At the second head diagonally left and down towards two tree stumps in the opposite hedge. There is a gate between these. Carry on diagonally down to another gate and small bridge over the stream at the bottom of the field. The bridleway is well defined singletrack from here through the fields to its finish on a lane just outside Owston.

5. (6.1 miles) SK775084 Turn left onto the lane towards Owston. At the T-junction turn right. Take the first right onto a farm track / bridleway. Go straight on past the farm and carry on to a junction with a track.

6. (7.3 miles) SK762085 Turn right onto the track and descend to a ford (go right to avoid the ruts just above this). Follow the rocky track up to a T-junction. Turn right and ascend tarmac back to Somerby.

7. (8.9 miles) SK775104 Turn left at the end of the avenue and follow the road back to Burrough Hill. Go back the way you came through the car park and down the track. Go through the gate on the right before the end of the track and follow the marker posts to a trough. Descend the gully just past this and head to the right (beware rabbit holes!) past gorse bushes to a double gate. Go through and follow the trail as it skirts along the side of the hill. Descend to another double gate.

8. (10.5 miles) SK765124 Through the gates descend straight across the field to a gate onto the road opposite Home Farm. Turn left and follow the road to the gate at the end of Sandy Lane. Turn right into this and reverse your outwards route back to the start.

8. (alternative) If the field is ploughed you can descend straight down from the trough back at the top of the hill to a gate, through this and down the track beyond. This is usually badly rutted at the bend in the middle but brings you out not far from the end of Sandy Lane.

9. (13.1 miles) SK755154 Finish.

Map:

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