Northants, Leics &amp; Rutland

A beautiful wicker basket packed with fizz and crustless sandwiches or a glorified packed lunch with mountains of Tupperware and sausage rolls (guilty!). Here&#8217;s a few spits to enjoy the weather and the scenery. 



<a href="http://www.leicscountryparks.org.uk/market-bosworth-visitor/">Market Bosworth&nbsp;Country Park</a>, Bosworth



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/leics/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2020/07/best-picnic-spots-leicestershire-and-rutland-muddy-stilettos-4.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-19218" /><figcaption>Pic Credit: <a href="https://www.leicscountryparks.org.uk/">https://www.leicscountryparks.org.uk/</a></figcaption></figure>



With its gorgeous open grassland, this park is perfect for family activities (bring your own ball) plus, there&#8217;s designated area for picnics and benches if you don’t fancy a soggy bottom from sitting on the grass.&nbsp;If you&#8217;re tempted to walk off your food, there&#8217;s heaps of popular tracks including one that leads straight to the pretty village of Sutton Cheney.



<a href="https://anglianwaterparks.co.uk/rutland-water-park/visitor-information">Rutland Water</a>, Rutland



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/leics/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2020/06/normanton-church.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-18485" /><figcaption>Pic Credit: <a href="https://www.discover-rutland.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Discover Rutland (opens in a new tab)">Discover Rutland</a></figcaption></figure>



You&#8217;ll be spoilt for idyllic picnic spots at Rutland Water. Set in 4,200 acres of open countryside, you can grab some food from the Waterside Cafe on the south shore near Normanton Church (pic above). If you&#8217;re near Whitwell, there&#8217;s a car park here and a play area for the kids. You can hire bikes, jump on the Rutland Belle or follow one of the scenic walks.



<a href="https://www.oadby-wigston.gov.uk/pages/brocks_hill_country_park">Welland Park</a>, Market Harborough



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/leics/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2021/06/wellandpark-picnic-spots-muddy-stilettos-leicestershire.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-25907" /><figcaption>Pic Credit: https://www.facebook.com/thecafeatwellandpark/</figcaption></figure>



Another luscious local green park to enjoy with tonnes of fun facilities for the kids including a skate park, tennis courts, table tennis zone and more &#8211; enough to make a day of it we think. Don&#8217;t miss the rose and sensory gardens after which you can stop off in the open green spaces to enjoy those sandwiches or pick something from the café at Welland Park of course! 



<a href="https://www.leicester.gov.uk/leisure-and-culture/parks-and-open-spaces/our-parks/abbey-park/">Abbey Park</a>, Leicester



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As far as city park go, this one ticks all the boxes. Split in two areas by the River Soar, find a spot on the grassy island in the middle of the park, or go over the bridge and tuck into your picnic. While it might be tempting to sit near the lake, we advise against it unless you want to be fighting for the last bite with the local resident ducks and swans. If you&#8217;ve got kids in tow, let them burn off energy in the play areas, explore Abbey ruins or admire the fluffy rabbits and birds over in Pets Corner. 



<a href="https://www.leicscountryparks.org.uk/beacon-visitor/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Beacon Hill Country Park, (opens in a new tab)">Beacon Hill Country Park,</a> Woodhouse Eaves



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/leics/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2020/07/best-picnic-spots-leicestershire-and-rutland-muddy-stilettos-3.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-19219" /><figcaption>Pic Credit: <a href="https://www.leicscountryparks.org.uk/">https://www.leicscountryparks.org.uk/</a></figcaption></figure>



Enjoy wonderful view across Leicestershire, from the top of this popular park. At 248m, the summit of&nbsp;Beacon Hill Country Park&nbsp;near Loughborough is the second highest spot in Leicestershire so of course, boasts gorgeous views across the county and beyond so well worth the trek. It&#8217;s also a pretty magical spot to unpack your picnic basket (if you make it). If the dizzying heights don&#8217;t appeal, there&#8217;s lots of nice picnic spots further down too.



<a href="https://www.leicester.gov.uk/media/185751/aylestone-meadows-visitor-guide-2019.pdf">Cutts Close Park</a>, Oakham



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/leics/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2022/06/oakham-6.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-35541" /><figcaption>Credit: <a href="https://www.discover-rutland.co.uk/all/whats-on/live-music/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Discover Rutland (opens in a new tab)">Discover Rutland </a></figcaption></figure>



A heritage site which used to be part of the nearby castle. It&#8217;s always busy in the park during the summer months as it&#8217;s the largest park in town and there&#8217;s lots for the kids to enjoy. Every weekend in summer there&#8217;s a concert in the park every Sunday making it an ideal spot for a picnic.



<a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Queen’s Park (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.charnwood.gov.uk/pages/queenspark" target="_blank">Queen’s Park</a>, Loughborough



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/leics/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2020/07/best-picnic-spots-leicestershire-and-rutland-muddy-stilettos.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-19222" /><figcaption>Pic credit: <a href="https://www.charnwood.gov.uk/pages/queenspark" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Charnwood Gov (opens in a new tab)">Charnwood Gov</a></figcaption></figure>



Boasting Green Flag status &#8211; a mark of excellence awarded to parks and green spaces &#8211; there&#8217;s plenty to admire while tucking into your sausage rolls. First opened in June 1899 to celebrate Queen Victoria&#8217;s Diamond Jubilee, the park has lots of facilities to enjoy including the swan maze, Charnwood museum, a bowling green, aviaries and more. If you don&#8217;t want to lug around a picnic basket, stop off at the Queen&#8217;s Park Cafe to order some tasty goodies. 



<a href="https://www.bradgatepark.org/find-us" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Bradgate Park (opens in a new tab)">Bradgate Park</a>, Newton Linford



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/leics/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2021/06/bradgate-park-picnic-spots-muddy-stilettos-leicestershire-rutland.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-26031" /><figcaption>Pic Credit: Bradgate Park Trust</figcaption></figure>



Tuck into a picnic while enjoying glimpses of the resident deer here. Recently voted among the top 50 most beautiful places in the country to take a stroll, there&#8217;s 830 acres to enjoy here before hiking up the hills to enjoy the views, the rugged wilderness and the historic ruins of Bradgate House. 



<a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.leicester.gov.uk/media/185761/watermead-park-visitor-guide-2019.pdf" target="_blank">Watermead Country Park</a>, Thurmaston



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A great place to go for a bike ride, walk and picnic. It&#8217;s peaceful and pretty with great lake views, wildflower meadows, a thriving nature reserves and woodland walks where you can scramble around with the kids/dog/on your own and feel at one with nature. All-day&nbsp;parking costs £2.50.



<a href="https://www.leicscountryparks.org.uk/saltersford-valley-picnic-area/">Saltersford Valley, </a>Swadlincote&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/leics/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2021/06/saltersford-valley-swadlincote-picnic-spots-muddy-stilettos-leicestershire.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-25902" /><figcaption>Pic creditL https://www.nationalforest.or</figcaption></figure>



This seven-hectare site tucked away in&nbsp;The National Forest&nbsp;has lots of open water areas known as ‘flashes’ as a direct result from mining subsidence that caused the brook to flood. That was then, but now it&#8217;s a safe and peaceful haven with a lush picnic area by the lake plus, free car park. Bonus! If you&#8217;ve come on a whim and not bought a basket of goodies with you, stop off at Grounds Cafe where you can grab some paninis and cakes. 



What&#8217;s your fave picnic spot? Let us know in the comment below. 



Kx

10 perfect picnic spots in Leicestershire & Rutland

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