Walks from Bottesford

A good, fairly direct and largely flat route with no steps or stiles, much of it well surfaced. The standout is a long, easy stretch of grassy or gravel canal towpath beside the Grantham Canal and with the towpath grassy and unsurfaced near the locks but more interesting than the parallel cycle track. Follows the Grantham Canal towpath, with restored locks and mileposts counting down from 33 miles. A train or bus links the two ends for a linear walk.

2 lunch spots: the Rutland Arms, or Old Forge Tea Rooms

Walk details: Slow Ways.

The views from just below the Belvoir escarpment are wide ranging. An almost very good route: direct, scenic and mostly off-road across the Vale of Belvoir, crossing several old railway lines and a section of the Grantham canal towpath. Field paths range from well-cut to overgrown or chest-high crops needing determination; there are several stiles and some wet/muddy sections and with wide-ranging views from below the Belvoir escarpment. Plenty of transport heritage: several old railway crossings, a section of one old line, and the Grantham canal. A bus service links Bottesford and Melton via Harby, Plungar, Barkestone and Redmile. Several villages en route are poorly supplied with facilities; Bottesford has a Co-op and a tea room.

Lunch: There is a pub in Plungar on the route; pubs and shops in Redmile, Harby and Scalford lie off the route.

Warnings: The busy inner ring road into Melton must be crossed without a pelican crossing. Some cross-field paths are not cut, overgrown or have awkward stiles. A diversion runs around a building site near Melton.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

An excellent view of the Vale of Belvoir. A pleasant but indirect country walk, mostly on good unsurfaced field paths along the flood banks of the River Smite and tributaries, with some clay soil that gets muddy and sticky when wet. A road section leaves Bottesford and with stiles and a slightly overgrown nettly section out of Bingham. An out-and-back detour up Beacon Hill from Bingham offers a view of the Vale of Belvoir, with a First World War centenary memorial at the top. Passes Cranmer's Mound and a motte and bailey near Aslockton, birthplace of Thomas Cranmer, and crosses Crow Close, the remains of a medieval settlement. Pubs and shops at Bingham, Orston and Aslockton; ideally suited to arrival by train.

Lunch: Some facilities along the way which may not be open: a pub at Orston just off route by the church, and an inn and takeaway-coffee shop at Aslockton.

Warnings: The road out of Bottesford towards Orston has a constant stream of large lorries and general traffic with little consideration for pedestrians; there is some verge but care is needed. Waymarking around Abbey Lane and New Lane near Aslockton is poor. Muddy field-edge sections after rain.

Walk details: Slow Ways.