St Margaret's Pastures Car Park

St Margaret's Pastures Car Park sits on the edge of Leicester, serving as the main access point for walkers heading into the Bradgate Park estate. It's not a destination in itself - it's a practical launch pad, and an honest one at that. You'll find standard car parking facilities, nothing fancy, but it gets you where you need to be without faffing about.

The real draw is what lies beyond the barriers. From here, you can walk straight into one of the Midlands' finest green spaces, with trails leading through woodland and across open pasture toward the ruins of Bradgate House and the surrounding parkland. Most people spend anywhere from two to four hours exploring once they've parked up, depending on how far they fancy walking.

Families with younger kids often use this as their starting point for a gentler loop around the lower sections of the park. Serious walkers tend to head further out toward the high points and the Cropston Reservoir views. It's free to park and roam - you're just paying for the privilege of access, which is fair enough given how well-maintained everything is.

If you're staying at one of the nearby caravan parks - Bradgate Park itself, Cossiwild Camping, or Green Acres - this car park is your natural gateway. Skip the paid visitor centres in town and come straight here. It's honest, it's practical, and it's the quickest way to proper countryside from Leicester.