Beacon Hill, Leicestershire

Infobox Mountain
Name = Beacon Hill
Photo = 106898558WOUoPR_ph.jpg
Caption =
Elevation = 248 m (815 ft)
Location = Charnwood Forest, England
Range =
Prominence = "c." 57 m
Coordinates =
Topographic
OS "Landranger" 129
Type =
Age =
First ascent =
Easiest route =
Grid_ref_UK = SK509148
Listing =

Beacon Hill, near Woodhouse Eaves in Leicestershire, England, is a popular country park. It is one of several beacon hills in the United Kingdom.

Consisting of over 100 hectares [ [http://www.leics.gov.uk/index/community/community_services/environment_and_heritage/country_parks/country_parks_beacon.htm Beacon Hill Country Park ] ] of heath and woodland, the site offers recreational walking, and some short climbs. With a maximum height of 248 m, it is the second highest point in Leicestershire after Bardon Hill.

An extinct volcano, in Whitwick, four miles to the west, was responsible for the fine-grained igneous rocks that the hill consists of. Beacon Hill was the site of a Bronze Age hill fort. Today a toposcope indicates landmarks which can be seen from the summit. These include Lincoln Cathedral and the hills of the Peak District.

Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station is aligned so that, seen from the summit, only two of its eight cooling towers are visible.

On a clear day Belvoir Castle can be seen as well as the hills in the Peak district. Derby, Nottingham, and the tower of Lincoln Cathedral can be seen with a pair of Binoculars. Loughborough is seen below the hill as is Beaumanor Hall. You can also hear and see steam trains on the Great Central Railway which has a station at Loughborough and at Quorn and Woodhouse.

It was featured on the 2005 TV programme Seven Natural Wonders as one of the wonders of the Midlands. There are some very interesting rocks on the summit.

Nearby are two small woods both accessible to the public. Jubilee Wood is 2 miles north-west of the lower Beacon hill car park on the Woodhouse Eaves to Nanpantan road and the Outwoods which is adjacent to Jubilee Wood.

Native Tree Collection

The park contains a collection of native trees, first planted in 1996. Many of the trees are labelled, and there are several boxes that provide audio commentary on the biology and historical interest of selected tree species at the push of a button.

Access

There is a pay and display car park accessible from Breakback road which is at the bottom of the hill you would have to walk to the top there is also a car park at the top of the hill on Beacon Road. For access by public transport, buses to Woodhouse Eaves run from Leicester and Loughborough. Services 121, 123, and some 54 buses run by Centrebus. Alight from your bus at the end of Main road. Walk up Beacon road until the first major T-junction, which is Breakback road. Walk up this road until the first crest in the hill, then walk into the car park. Walking paths and bridleways lead away from the car park in most directions. There are toilets in both car parks and in summer an ice cream van is sometimes there.

References

External links

* [http://www.leics.gov.uk/index/community/community_services/environment_and_heritage/country_parks/country_parks_beacon.htm Beacon Hill Country Park]
* [http://www.inLoughborough.com/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=564 Photographs taken at Beacon Hill Country Park]
*Computer generated summit panorama [http://www.viewfinderpanoramas.org/ENG/panoramas/Beacon.gifBeacon Hill] [http://www.viewfinderpanoramas.org/panoramas.html index]