A Summer week off from work, and I'm off Down Country because it's July, and not feeling the need to attempt the 30+ miles that I did last year, so this time around we are scaling back the wandering so that the stamina might last a bit longer as the warm months press on, and it sure looks like we've got a few hot days on the immediate horizon so modest distances are a given. Rather than heading for the countryside, it's good to start with a city walk, as Leicester's centre has still to drop onto my schedule, and an early start from the East is due so the trail might be done before lunch time, departing my chosen local start point of Abbot's Road URC at 9.05am, and setting course along Scraptoft Lane. Always felt that this was a good road for illustrating the development of suburbia in the early 20th century, showing up both the planned estate developments of the late 1930s and the more haphazard and bespoke building that preceded it, and this leads to the Troc and the Terminus, already mentioned here, before joining the A47 and Uppingham Road for the Red Route to the city. The shopping parade along here has seen a lot of family custom over the years, from Nando's the Barber (spoiling the Chicken restaurant in my mind forever) to the Hong Kong (the Chinese restaurant that was a favourite until becoming takeaway only last year), before we go a bit more Victorian Residential past Coleman Road, the sort of townhouses which I always desired way back when. Pass the site of Humberstone station on the GNR Leicester extension, where the station house remains, and on into the empire of takeaways on the latter portion of Uppingham Road, ending by Swallow Park, The Uppingham Hotel (the pub being an Islamic school these days) and The Shaftesbury (a lost cinema that still names the junction). Continue on as the A47 crosses the Willow Brook and becomes Humberstone Road, and beyond the terraces, the Merlyn Vaz health centre is the major new arrival in these parts, and a telling indication of changing times is noting the second-hand electrical retail store occupying a shop which once sold Pianos. Pass under the Midland Main Line, and the site of Humberstone Road station (the building now preserved at Shenton), and some of the industrial buildings to the south are worthy of note, the ones to the north (and the St Matthews Estate) rather less so, but you do have to love the name of Lesta Packaging PLC, don't you?
Meet the Inner Ring Road, below the St George's Retail Park (once the Midland Railway Good Yard, fact fans) and pass over the massive Traffic island to see the surviving corner of Georgian Leicester that remains in these parts and pass the tower block that seems to have no identity, always thought it was the telephone exchange, but there's nothing to confirm that, and soon enough we're in the city centre. The back half of Humberstone Gate is home to the Secular Hall, the Weighbridge that's now a taxi office, and the terrible nightclub beloved by 1980's teens, as well as Sainsbury's and Age Concern in the old Grammar School, and the main shopping centre is found over Charles Street, the Haymarket still looking like a 1960s atrocity, and the development that replaced Lewis's in the 1990s is not honestly faring much better. Still, meet the convergence of all of Leicester's old Main Roads at the Victorian Gothic Clock Tower, and find it's only an hour distant from My Parent's house, which is a lot closer than I thought it was, but there's no point lingering to admire the Thomas Cook frieze or the 1997 Sporting City statue, as a trail needs to be made to the main Alternative drag in the City, home to favoured Indie shops and my favourite pub, the Globe. It's also home to The Guildhall, dating to the 15th century and St Martin's cathedral, which needs a visit as it's home to my first target of the day, the tomb of Richard III, the last of the Plantagenets, re-interred last year after being lost beneath a car park, and something of a talisman for the city these days, and it's a very tasteful tomb I must say. Back to the trail to Jubilee Square and the High Cross, where William Wyggston's house demands a reuse and onwards to St Nicholas's, where I love the church and the Roman baths as much as I loath the Holiday Inn and Inner Ring Road underpass, and thence on over Canal and Old Soar to seek out my second target of the day, improbably hidden away off King Richards Road on Kate Street. The mural on the back wall of Mark's Electrical is one of the great accidental artworks of modern times, created initially as a tribute to Claudio Ranieri by street artist Richard Wilson, it has grown to accommodate the portraits of the twelve key members of Leicester City FC's 2016 title winning squad, and now it stands, still remarkably undefaced, to attract tourists to this unprepossessing corner of West Leicester, another thing to see where all my urban trails have piled up, for some reason.
Last target of the day is rather more distant, and requires us to depart the East - West trajectory of the A47, heading down Narborough Road to get some shade by the Tesco superstore, as the day starts to feel very warm indeed, and then drop into Braunstone Gate, which seems to have gotten a flashy bar 'n' café makeover as the 'West End', and this quarter feels like it's having a bit of a revival in fortunes. The former factories down Western Road have mostly been made over as Student Accommodation, and the 'Ancient Britons' terraces are looking a lot healthier than they did two decades ago, and I do love the recessed and stepped frontages too, something common in this town and rare elsewhere. The Bede Island development can be credited with the upswing in these parts, and whilst I might lament the loss of Upperton Road bridge and the old GCR yards, the residential rebirth of the area has to be worth something, and it's created a landmark or two along the way too, notably the Summit tower block, proud on the eastern bank of the New Soar Cut. Closer to the destination of the day, we need a detour through the 'Lake District' terraces to the 'Nuts' terraces, where Filbert Street can be found, and its absence lamented as Leicester City's old stadium has gone from the landscape, with no physical trace remaining beyond its footprint, disappointing that student flats have only claimed half the site along Lineker Road, the rest being car parks and wasteland, empty since 2003. Still, only a few more steps to make, down Burnmoor Street to cross Raw Dykes Road and to meet the King Power Stadium, home of Lecester City FC since 2002 and home to the Champions of England since May, built on the site of Freeman's Wharf power station, and looking pretty damn good in the summer sunshine. Taking a tour around this 32,500 seater takes a while, wandering below the cantilevers supporting the roof and admiring the personalised touches like the charitable donation tiles and the garden of remembrance, but sadly there's no way to view the Premier League trophy as I'd have to pony up for an official tour to see it, and I'll not be spending my money on that today. Circuit done at 11.40am, there's a while to wait before the Parental Taxi can collect me, so time can be spent in the Fanzone store, and you just know that a replacement for my 20 year old Cheese & Onion shirt is going to prove too tempting, even when priced at £Ouchy, because these sports clubs are going to find a way into your wallet in the end, aren't they?
5,000 Miles Cumulative Total: 2340.7 miles
2016 Total: 326.3 miles
Up Country Total: 2138.1 miles
Solo Total: 2109.8 miles
 |
| The Terminus, Uppingham Road. The eastern end of the Leicester Corporation Tramways, and the last terminus to be constructed, making it the end in many ways. It's not just a name! |
 |
| Humberstone GNR station house, dated 1882 and reminder of a bygone world. You'd rather have railway relics, than parades of charity shops and takeaways, right? |
 |
| Humberstone Road Midland Railway station site, and I can remember the old station building being in situ in the 80s, such is my vintage! |
 |
| St George's - St Matthew's island and the 'Telephone Exchange'. But it could be the Ministry of Truth for all the indications to its identity. |
 |
| The Clock Tower, at the convergence of Leicester's five main roads and a surely a sight familiar to any visitor to the city (other than those who never got further than Forest East services). |
 |
| Silver Street & St Martin's, the coolest street in the city, for comics, gaming, second hand books, hippy clothing and alternative pubs. It only lacked the record store (one street distant) for maximum cred. |
 |
| Killed in battle in 1485 after being King for only two years, KR3 has become this city's talisman since re-interment, usurper or not! |
 |
| The Kate Street Mural. A Fitting tribute to Leicester City's Premiership winning team of 2016, and likely to endure in place for longer than the squad itself! |
 |
| Braunstone Gate, the new hip district of the city, no longer out on a limb? |
 |
| The Old Soar, Bede Island. 21st Century residential district lands on top of 19th century railway engineering. An Improvement, surely? |
 |
| Since it's demolition in 2003, the redevelopment of Filbert Street feel like a job half finished. The field once graced by Arthur Rowley, Gordon Banks, Gary Linker et al deserves better! |
 |
| The home of the 2016 champions looks proud in the Summer Sunshine, and regardless of what the future holds, the achievements forged in 2016 will never be taken away. #fearless |
Next Up: More villages to check off in my quarter of East Leicestershire!
No comments:
Post a Comment