Two starting points are available on the main

circuit: Branston Water Park or Shobnall Leisure

Complex.
Points of interest along the walk:

1 Branston Water Park was created when gravel

extraction ceased in the early 1950s. Rather than
being filled and returned to farmland, nature has been
allowed to reclaim the site. Look out for bird life on the
water and in the woodland and hedges.

Monks & moorings

2 Tatenhill Lock is one of 76 locks on the 93 mile Trent This leaflet can be used in conjunction with OS Explorer
and Mersey Canal. Designed by James Brindley and 245 (The National Forest) and Landranger number 128
completed in 1777 to carry industrial goods, the canal (Derby and Burton upon Trent).
now offers pleasant boating, angling and 6 mile medium walk
walking.
Battlestead Hill A50
4
is reputed to be
the site of a bloody
battle between
the Angles and Burton
upon Trent
Danes. Look out for A5
primroses, bluebells This walk 11
and violets in the starts here

spring. Barton
under Swadlincote
Needwood Ashby
de la
5 East Hill Wood and the adjacent Pool Green Wood Zouch
Coton in
include areas left open to safeguard the remnants of the Elms

A444
a Roman road, ridge and furrow agricultural systems
8

2
A3

A4
and ecologically important anthills in old meadows.

7 Woodland wildflowers such as bluebells, dog violets,

celandine, dogs mercury and yellow archangel all
thrive in Oaks Wood.
 ercys Grove was named after a childrens book
P
character. It was planted in partnership with the The National Forest Company
publishers Harper Collins, who donated money for Enterprise Glade, Bath Yard, Moira,
Swadlincote, Derbyshire DE12 6BA
every copy of the Percy the Park Keeper books sold.
01283 551211
Local schoolchildren have planted wildflower bulbs
[email protected]
among the trees to add colour. www.nationalforest.org
10 Shobnall Marina basin is all that remains of the Bond Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this
End or Shobnall Branch Canal and was used by the information at the time of printing. However, the National
Forest Company cannot be held responsible for any error,
breweries, until it went out of use in 1870. omission or subsequent changes.
11 The Bridge Inn dates back to at least 1843 and was Photography: Christopher Beech and NFC
a regular stopping point for working narrowboats. Maps reproduced by permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf
of HMSO. Crown copyright and database right (2009).
All rights reserved. Licence number 100021056.
Monks & Moorings 7 Cross the road and walk up Reservoir Road until you
reach a kissing gate on the right leading into Oaks
Wood. Follow the path to climb up through the wood,
descend by a flight of timber steps, through a timber
By following this 6 mile walk, you will encounter
gate and follow the surfaced path to reach Outwoods
the past and future of Burton and the surrounding
Park, (with Percys Grove on the left).
area. You will pass historic Sinai House, enjoy
wonderful views, pass through ancient woodlands 8
8 Leave Outwoods Park by the footbridge over the A38
and new woodlands planted as part of the to enter Shobnall Fields Recreation Ground. Go along
developing National Forest. the avenue of lime trees to the canal bridge.
1 Follow the footpath from the top of Branston Water
Parks car park around the edge of the lake. Join the 7 9
canal towpath through a gap in the hedge, turn left
and along the towpath to Tatenhill Lock.
2 Cross the bridge and follow the footpath between two
lakes. Continue along the grassy farm track to reach
farm buildings. Cross the second bridge on your right
to reach the road at Yews Bridge. 10
3 Cross the road and follow the footpath to a stile. Over 6
the stile bear right on a grassy path uphill to a solitary
tree. Continue ahead and then drop down towards
a mature wood. Follow a grass path down through
5
young trees to reach a metal gate and stile.
4 Turn right to find another stile at the bottom corner of
the road, signed Battlestead Wood. In the wood, bear
right climbing gently. Turn left just before a set of steps
and reach a further set of steps. Climb these and 4
continue along the edge of the wood to a stile. Cross
the stile and turn left.
Climb gradually through the trees to reach a gap in the 9 Cross the bridge and turn right to follow the canal
hedge. Go through the gap and turn right. Continue towpath towards Shobnall Marina.
ahead, with a hedge on the right and wire fence on the 3 (At the canal bridge you could extend the walk
left, to a stile. by about 2.5km, by turning along the towpath to
Over the stile, continue for 20m to reach a stile on the Horninglow Canal Basin. Then retrace your steps and
5 11
right. Cross the stile, over a footbridge and double continue towards Shobnall Marina).
stile, then turn left. Continue with a hedge on the left (If you parked at Shobnall Leisure Complex, follow
and trees on the right and cross two stiles to reach the paths across the fields or alongside the canal to
Sinai Park Wood. the canal bridge, cross this and turn right along the
1
6 Continue ahead on a grassy path for about 300m on towpath towards Shobnall Marina).
to the The Friars Walk, with existing mature woodland 10 From Shobnall Marina continue along the canal
on the right and Sinai Park on the left. Follow the grass towpath, over a small hump-backed bridge towards
path between the trees to meet the drive to Sinai Park The Bridge Inn at Branston.
at a stile and gate, follow the drive to Shobnall Road. 2
11 Continue on the towpath past The Bridge Inn until
you reach the entrance to Branston Water Park Visitor
Centre and car park.