Walks near Market Harborough by train

Off-road walking and cycling alongside canal and river — a waterside network of paths. Passes the historic Trent Bridge.

Walk details: Derwent Valley Line Community Rail Partnership (local insights).

Parks, river and heritage trail.

Museum of Making

Darley Park

Time: 5h–10h30

6 lunch spots: Darley Park (1h–2h30 in) — Darley Park Terrace Cafe, the Little Darley in the Park, the Abbey Inn, or the Darleys; plus the Joiners Arms (3h–6h in), or the Orangery Café (3h–6h in)

4 end-of-walk rewards: the Alexandra Hotel, the Brunswick, the Victoria Inn, or the Waterfall

Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.

Similar walk: North Staffordshire Community Rail Partnership.

Villages, churches and views across the Vale of Catmose.

Time: 5h–10h30

2 lunch spots: the Horse and Jockey Pub (2h–3h30 in), or the Blue Ball (3h30–6h30 in)

2 end-of-walk rewards: the Royal Duke, or the Grainstore Brewery

Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.

Canal, river, wooded track and roadside footpath.

Time: 4h30–9h30

2 lunch spots: Wilford Farm (1h30–3h in), or Dovecote Barn Café (3h–6h in)

Warnings: Short stretch on busy A453.

Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.

Rural countryside.

Time: 5h30–11h30

2 lunch spots: Little Spice Box (3h–6h30 in), or the White Lion Inn (3h30–6h30 in)

2 end-of-walk rewards: the Railway Inn, or the Grainstore Brewery

Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.

Similar walk: Slow Ways (inc. GPX).

Waterways — River Derwent, Derby & Sandiacre Canal and Erewash Canal.

Time: 5h30–11h

2 lunch spots: Canal Cottage Cafe (2h30–5h30 in), or the Navigation (3h–6h30 in)

2 end-of-walk rewards: Peking House, or the Sawley Junction

Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.

Largely urban walking on pavements and a riverside path, through parks and along the line of the Derby Canal.

1 lunch spot: Waterside Café

Warnings: Only a few trains a day call at Peartree.

Walk details: North Staffordshire Community Rail Partnership (tips and turn-by-turn directions).

Mixture of off-road cycle path and on-road sections. Part of the longer London-to-Lake-District route.

Walk details: Derwent Valley Line Community Rail Partnership (local insights).

Repurposed railway track along the Great Northern Greenway.

Time: 4h30–9h30

2 lunch spots: the Bell and Harp (1h–2h in), or the Three Horseshoes (2h–4h30 in)

4 end-of-walk rewards: the Alexandra Hotel, the Brunswick, the Waterfall, or the Merry Widows

Warnings: Follows a busy road for a sixth of the walk.

Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.

One of the world’s oldest industrial regions. Overgrown canal towpath, woodland and field crossings and ironworks remains. Follows the route of the disused Cromford Canal. Butterley Tunnel (nearly 3 km) collapsed in 1900, severing the canal into two sections.

Waterway: two thirds along the Cromford Canal.

Time: 4h30–9h

Warnings: Substantial tree blockages on overgrown sections; busy A610 road crossing.

Walk details: Walk Midlands (tips, photos and local insights).

Villages and countryside.

Time: 5h–10h

5 lunch spots: Broughton (3h30–7h in) — Best Plaice, the Red Lion, Broughton Fish and Chips, or the Broughton & Cransley WMC; plus the Overstone Arms (1h30–2h30 in)

Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.

Canal, footpaths and roadside footpath.

Time: 4h30–8h30

3 lunch spots: the Anchor Inn (1h30–3h30 in), the Blacksmith's Arms (2h30–5h30 in), or the Moorings (3h–5h30 in)

1 end-of-walk reward: the Boat Inn

Warnings: Last section on busy road.

Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.