Autumn Quarry Route and Our First Geocache!

Another beautiful autumn day and another walk in the National Forest! We love this area of Leicestershire so much, we're starting to become regulars! Shorter than usual at just 4.3 miles but a couple of short, steep inclines and it got quite hot in the sun!

Starting in the lovely little village of Stanton-Under-Bardon we parked up in the pub car park (of course!) and then set off up the road through the village and take a left at the Post Office and onto the footpath across a field. Then into the woods, you can turn left or right here and do a loop of the quarry, we went right and up the hill to an interesting view over a working quarry. Be aware if you're going during the week as there may be blasts and heavy machinery. The woods are lovely and very colourful at this time of year, lots of leaves to kick through.

Geocaching at Billa Barra Hill

After a bit of research since our last walk we decided to look into Geocaching, which is essentially treasure hunting. The finder searches for 'caches' at certain coordinates which contain a log book and sometimes trinkets or collectables. After a bit of searching around we found our first geocache at Billa Barra Hill. Note to self: Take a pen next time.

Back up the lane and there's a nice track that goes down an old disused railway for a couple of hundred metres. We turned left when we got out of the trees and back up the hill to overlook the quarry again on one side and Coalville on the other. The track skirts round the fields, some were fairly freshly ploughed and a bit rough underfoot, but on the whole it is easy going. Walk down to the road, just to cross the quarry entrance, and then back into the fields. Follow the hedgeline as you circumnavigate the quarry, you can tie up your loop by joining up where you started, but we turned off down past the electricity sub-station a crossed a couple of fields to do an extra bit through some more woods before heading back into the village of Stanton-Under-Bardon and popping into the Old Thatched Inn for a finishing pint.