Leicester to Leeds

Every fortnight I travel by car from Leicester to Leeds.  It's about 100 miles.

Here is a geographical study.

Cut through the charnwood hill to junction 22 of M1.  This is by Markfield.  Not visible from the road are three enormous granite quarries.  Barden Hill is the highest point in Leicestershire which is also next to the deepest pit, giving it a tremendous cliff face.  Unfortunately it is known to the suicidal community of coalville.

Innocent by stander with the longest look down in leicestershire

Garendon Park- before it was flattened to make a
 motorway junction.

Up the road, junction 23 passes over the historic home of the DeLisle family, who then moved to Quenby Hall, and now are downsizing even more.  All that is left is the temple to Venus.

Temple of Venus

Junction 23A is where the A45 (leading to M45) joins the M1.  It is a massive transport hub, and is to also get the crossing of HS2.  Amazingly this train will not stop at East Midlands Airport, and will only stop on the edge of Nottingham in Toton.

The M1 crosses the county boundary and into Derbyshire/Nottinghamshire.  You can see the rapids on the river Trent.

Sawley rapids

Here there are a series of hill top houses and castles to spot.  Hardwick Hall, and then Bolsover castle with it's two council estates tumbling down the hillside on either side.

Hardwick Hall

Bolsover Castle

 Next the road off to Chesterfield.  Then off through Sheffield and Rotherham and into Yorkshire.  Soon you can see the impressively tall Emley Moor  Radio Tower.

Emley Moor Radio Mast

The second mast at the site collapsed on
19th Marrch 1969

North of Sheffield is Wortley Hall.  Conurbations near the road at Chapeltown, and then Barnsley.  Passing Wakefield is the sign that I am nearly there.

Wortley hall

I normally visit my friends in Halton Moor, on the edge of Leeds.  I pass signs for Temple Newsam Hall.

Leeds University pleases me with it ultra modern Health Sciences Building so the journey's always worth it.

Charkes Thakrah Building
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