As is probably obvious from my blog posts, I don’t just enjoy using the camera for work.  I love going for a wander, playing around with different photographic disciplines and just taking some nice pictures.  After a few days of continuously grey skies overhead, I decided I would chase the sun rather than wait for it to come to me.  I didn’t have to venture too far from home to do so;  I headed to Bradgate Park. 

Bradgate Park is a former medieval deer park located between Leicester and Loughborough.  Covering 830 acres of publicly-accessible land, the park has all manner of features that make it a great place to visit as a photographer.  Evidence of human occupation far pre-dates that, however.

 

Old John Tower

This was where my self-guided tour of Bradgate Park began.  I parked at the Hunts Hill Car Park and paid the £3 fee for all-day parking – the only fee that is levied on access to the site.  The colours in the trees and on the ground were so rich and vibrant. 

Old John Tower stands proud on Leicestershire’s second tallest hill – 690 feet above sea level.  It is a folly or prospect tower and was built in 1784 by the 5th Earl of Stamford.  Prior to its erection, a wooden windmill stood on the site. 

The tower was erected to allow Lord Stamford to enjoy stunning views of the surrounding countryside and to watch his horses galloping around the racecourse that could be found at the bottom of the hill.

An archway was added in 1792 causing the tower to take on its beer tankard shape.   

Tours of Old John Tower are provided periodically.

 

War Memorial

A short-distance south of Old John Tower lies a memorial to the Leicestershire Yeomen who fell during World War I and the members of the 153 & 154 (Leicestershire Yeomanry) Field Regiments of the Royal Artillery during World War II. 

Several rocky outcrops can be found in the general area of the war memorial. 

 

Bradgate Park Deer

It was around here that I caught my first glimpse of a Bradgate Park deer – a group of four fairly young-looking examples.  I took some distant pictures that were of sufficiently poor standard to mean they do not appear here!  As I would discover later on, there would be far better opportunities than the ones presented by them.

Bradgate Park’s deer population is made up of both red deer and fallow deer.  Typically this numbers around 400, with 300 of those being fallows.

Only bucks (male deer) have antlers.  Formed from bone, they grow in just a four-month period from April through to August.  The antlers are used offensively in October during the ‘rut’ (the deer’s mating season).  The following March they will be shed and a new, larger set will grow ahead of the next mating season.

 

River Lin

The River Lin is to be found towards the southern end of Bradgate Park.  A variety of ducks were congretated next to a small waterfall on the day of my visit.  Just east of there the River Lin, at barely more than a handful of inches deep, meanders its way through a series of tree-lined chicanes.  Many of the trees themselves were providing a little respite to the resident deer from the sun’s rays.  Further east still, the River Lin flows into the Cropston Reservoir. 

 

Bradgate House Ruins

Construction of Bradgate House began around 1499.  It was started by Thomas Grey, 1st Marquis of Dorset, and was completed by his son by 1520.  It is notable for being one of the earliest brick-built country houses in England and the birthplace of Lady Jane Grey, who was Queen of England for nine days in 1553.  It was later extended several times. 

Although not very much of it remains today, in its heyday it was around 200 feet long with east and west wings.

It was vacated in 1739 after the Fourth Earl inherited the title and relocated his family to Enville Hall in Staffordshire.  The building slowly started to decay, and by 1790 was in ruins, which are now preserved by the Bradgate Park Trust.  Only the chapel remains covered and largely preserved today.

Daily tours of the Bradgate House Ruins are held at 1130 and 1400 from the Visitor Centre.  Gates prevent entry at other times.  Sadly, I missed the tours during my visit.  A reason (one of several) to return!

 

Deer Barn Tea Room

I continued east towards the Deer Barn Tea Room, where several large groups of deer were found. Rather than moving away from me and my camera, these ones were not bother in the slightest.  I guess it’s just the time of the year, where they go from heavy winter coats to light summer ones, but many of them looked really rough.  A long way removed from that stereotypical image we have of Bambi!

 

Cropston Reservoir

It is near to here that the River Lin joins the Cropston Reservoir, which is also accessible on the south-eastern side.  I probably would have headed that way had it not been so windy and rough – I couldn’t imagine that too much wildlife would be on the water in that!

So instead I followed the road around to the Hallgates Car Park.  Climbing a hill nearby gave quite a nice view out over Cropston Reservoir and beyond. 

As I headed west and back in the direction of Old John Tower, I was finally out of the wind.  It was the first time all day it had felt truly warm, despite the sun beating down. 

 

Bradgate Park Newts

I found a pond and saw something moving around in it.  It was a newt.  As I watched, several began to surface very briefly.  Looking deeper into the water, I could see groups of three or four tangled together, I presume, mating.  The water was a bit too murky to get any meaningful pictures, sadly. 

I headed back to Old John Tower and waited for the sun to move around a tad more, and then it was time for home.

I’d really enjoyed my wander, had taken a few nice snaps and developed quite a taste for the place!  For £3, you just can’t go wrong.  All being well I’ll head back later in the year to witness the deer rutting, which I’m told is quite a sight. 

You can find out more on the official Bradgate Park website.

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Karl Drage is a professional Northamptonshire wedding photographer who also covers surrounding counties such as Leicestershire, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Rutland, Oxfordshire & Warwickshire.  If you are looking for an affordable wedding photographer in the towns of Northampton, Kettering, Wellingborough, Oundle, Corby, Peterborough, Leicester, Huntingdon, Towcester, Rugby, Daventry, Oakham or nearby, please use one of the methods on the Contact Us page to get in touch.  He will be only too happy to go through your needs with you and will endeavour to put together a competitive solution that meets them.