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.

Time: 5h30 (4h walking, 1h30 lunch)

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

Parks, river and heritage trail.

Museum of Making (30m in)

Darley Park

Time: 6h30 (5h walking, 1h30 lunch)

6 lunch spots: Darley Park (1h15 in) — Darley Park Terrace Cafe, the Little Darley in the Park, the Abbey Inn, or the Darleys; plus the Joiners Arms (3h in), or the Orangery Café (4h 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: 7h (5h walking, 1h30 lunch, 30m break)

2 lunch spots: the Horse and Jockey Pub (1h45 in), or the Blue Ball (3h15 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: 6h (4h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)

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

Warnings: Short stretch on busy A453.

Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.

Rural countryside.

Time: 7h30 (5h30 walking, 1h30 lunch, 30m break)

2 lunch spots: Little Spice Box (3h15 in), or the White Lion Inn (3h15 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: 7h (5h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)

2 lunch spots: Canal Cottage Cafe (2h45 in), or the Navigation (3h15 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.

Time: 4h (2h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)

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.

Time: 8h30 (7h walking, 1h30 lunch)

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

Repurposed railway track along the Great Northern Greenway.

Duffield Castle (National Trust)

Time: 6h (4h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)

2 lunch spots: the Bell and Harp (1h in), or the Three Horseshoes (2h15 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: 6h (4h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)

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

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

Villages and countryside.

Time: 6h30 (5h walking, 1h30 lunch)

5 lunch spots: Broughton (3h30 in) — Best Plaice, the Red Lion, Broughton Fish and Chips, or the Broughton & Cransley WMC; plus the Overstone Arms (1h15 in)

Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.

Canal, footpaths and roadside footpath.

Time: 6h (4h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)

3 lunch spots: the Anchor Inn (1h45 in), the Blacksmith's Arms (2h45 in), or the Moorings (2h45 in)

1 end-of-walk reward: the Boat Inn

Warnings: Last section on busy road.

Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.