Enter the grounds from the large car park at Newtown Linford and turn sharply left on a wide track. Go through an open gateway and, ignoring paths off to the right, stick on the main route uphill (there are in fact two parallel tracks), keeping the park's boundary wall in sight on your left.

Just after you draw level with a large wooden swing gate in the wall, fork right. Go steadily uphill on a wide grassy ride through the banks of bracken, past a small plantation known as Tyburn, and soon you will see the prominent hilltop war memorial up ahead on your left. Follow the obvious grassy track all the way to reach the 'summit', then go round to the right of the walled plantation behind it to reach the folly known as Old John Tower. Although the centre of Leicester is only 6 miles (9.7km) away, the extensive views from this excellent viewpoint (695ft/212m) are predominantly rural, with large tracts of woodland scattered about.

Turn right, straight down the hillside, to a small circular pond in the bracken below. Take the left of three paths on the far side and continue to reach a track around a walled plantation known as Sliding Stone Enclosure. Turn left and walk along this track for 100yds (91m).

Ignore the path straight down to the gate in the wall on your left, and instead go straight on. The grassy track drops down to reach the park's boundary wall, then continues on a short tarmac strip past a small underground reservoir.

After 125yds (114m) take the track off to the right, by a wooden bench and, rather incongruously, two drainage covers. This long, straight grassy track heads across the middle of the country park and is easy to follow. It passes between Coppice Plantation and Dale Spinney, from where there are good views across Cropston Reservoir. Continue all the way down to reach the surfaced drive at the bottom and turn right to the visitor centre (open April to October).

Continue along this easy, tarmac route past the ruins of Bradgate House and the restored chapel, then on alongside the pools and waterfalls of a small valley known as Little Matlock. Look out for the monkey puzzle tree and the cedar of Lebanon, introduced to the park in the 19th century. Continue all the way back to the car park.