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Old John Tower, Bradgate Park – Bradgate Park Deer Park loop from Leicestershire

Routes

Hiking trails & Routes

Old John Tower, Bradgate Park – Bradgate Park Deer Park loop from Leicestershire

Easy

hikers

Old John Tower, Bradgate Park – Bradgate Park Deer Park loop from Leicestershire

01:38

5.82km

120m

Hiking

Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: April 17, 2026

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

2.60 km

Old John Tower, Bradgate Park

Highlight • Monument

Old John is the highest hill in Bradgate Park, Leicestershire, England, on the southern edge of Charnwood Forest. It gives its name to the folly that stands at its top. The hill stands at 696 foot (212 m) high, and is a prominent landmark across Leicester and Leicestershire.

The earliest recorded use of the name is on a map of 1754, which records a windmill on the site, some 30 years before the tower was built. The tower itself began life as a ruined folly, built in 1784, during the time of George Grey, 5th Earl of Stamford. He got Thomas Sketchley of Anstey to build him the mock ruin, which had strong similarities to Mow Cop, Staffordshire. It was adapted in the mid-19th century by the seventh Earl to serve as an observation tower for the practice circuit he laid out for his horses, along with the building of a stable block lower down the hill.

Tip by

3.89 km

Bradgate House Ruins and Pond

Highlight • Settlement

Keep a look out for the peacocks.

Tip by

4.34 km

Bradgate Park Visitor Centre

Highlight • Viewpoint

Close to the Cropston end of the park this has everything you will need, visitor centre packed full of history, toilets, a cafe (which is brilliant) alongside the dry-stone wall nearby there are lots of bird hides to view them over the reservoir next door.

Tip by

4.48 km

Bradgate Park Deer Park

Highlight • Lake

Arrive early at Bradgate Park to enjoy it at its best. It's a lovely ride, but as a very popular attraction, the park can get very busy with pedestrians later in the day. Cyclists do not have right of way, and you may be asked to dismount on very busy days. Stick to the tarmac as cycling off-route can attract heavy fines.

Tip by

4.67 km

Cropston Reservoir — Northwest Shore

Highlight • Natural Monument

Cropston Reservoir (originally known as Bradgate Reservoir) lies in Charnwood Forest in Leicestershire, England. The dam and associated water works are in Cropston, while the bulk of the reservoir is in the neighbouring Newtown Linford parish. It was opened in May 1871 in a corner of Bradgate Park, a large expanse of open land northwest of Leicester. It is part of the 987-acre (399.3 ha) Bradgate Park and Cropston Reservoir Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Tip by

4.77 km

Old Quarry Hill

Highlight • Structure

5.01 km

Memorial Wood

Highlight • Forest

Memorial Wood is an area of woodland to the side of the accessible carriage way that crosses the Park. It offers a tranquil setting overlooking Cropston Reservoir and is reached by a natural stone path. Rich in native wildlife species, the area is bound by traditional metal deer fencing, has seating and a central sculpture of a stag, set on a natural stone plinth.

Tip by

5.74 km

Bradgate Park

Highlight • Settlement

Large car park, toilets, and an ice cream van in the summer months. What more do you need. £3 all day parking.

Tip by

5.82 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

3.14 km

2.66 km

< 100 m

Surfaces

3.14 km

1.25 km

597 m

585 m

242 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (190 m)

Lowest point (80 m)

Weather

Sunday 12 July

25°C

13°C

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Our route recommendations are based on thousands of hikes, rides, and runs completed by other people on komoot.

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Old John Tower, Bradgate Park – Bradgate Park Deer Park loop from Leicestershire

Old John Tower, Bradgate Park

Bradgate House Ruins and Pond

Bradgate Park Visitor Centre

Bradgate Park Deer Park

Cropston Reservoir — Northwest Shore

Old Quarry Hill

Memorial Wood

Bradgate Park

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