North West Leicestershire
North West Leicestershire travel guide
Donington's Download weekend, Ashby's castle and the National Forest
Motorsport, music and market towns share this corner of Leicestershire: Donington Park and Castle Donington, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Coalville and East Midlands Airport all sit inside the district. Come in June for Download Festival or from May to September for the forest and heritage sites; a weekend is enough. Costs are very high, and most visa-free visitors need an ETA.
North West Leicestershire is the corner of the county where the M1, the A42 and East Midlands Airport meet, and for most visitors it means one thing: Donington Park, the racing circuit outside Castle Donington that hosts the Download Festival every June. Beyond the circuit gates sits a district of former coalfield towns with a castle ruin and some of the newest woodland in England.
Ashby-de-la-Zouch is the town to stay in. Its castle ruins on South Street were a royalist stronghold in the Civil War until a siege ended in March 1646, and the high street still has old coaching inns such as the Queen's Head. Coalville, the council seat, grew up on deep coal mines that have all since closed.
The coalfield has turned green. The district lies in the National Forest, a long-running scheme to replant the old mining country, and Conkers, the forest's visitor centre near Moira, is where families start. Moira Furnace, a restored blast furnace beside the Ashby Canal, opens at weekends from April to September.
Heritage railway fans head for Shackerstone, the base of the Battlefield Line, which runs south towards the site of the Battle of Bosworth. North of Coalville, the land rises to the rocky hills of Charnwood Forest, and the Cistercian monks of Mount St Bernard Abbey near Whitwick live and work on its slopes.
Castle Donington itself is a village dominated by the airport on the hill above it and the circuit beyond. Outside festival week it is quiet, with pubs on Bondgate and Borough Street and a small museum on Apiary Gate.
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A racing circuit, a royalist castle, industrial heritage and new forest.
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Month by month, so you can pick the weather and the crowds you want.
Moira Furnace is open at weekends, the Battlefield Line runs, and Download takes over Donington Park in June.
Quieter woodland walks in the National Forest and Charnwood, with cooler, wetter days.
Short days and many heritage sites closed or on reduced hours; fine for pubs and Ashby's town walks.
Download is held at Donington Park over a long weekend in mid-June (12-14 June in 2026), with campers arriving from the Wednesday; hotels near the airport and in Ashby book out months ahead.
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Getting there
East Midlands Airport, the M1 and Skylink buses
East Midlands Airport sits on the hill just south of Castle Donington and is served mainly by short-haul European and domestic flights from airlines such as Jet2.com and Ryanair. Skylink buses run from the airport through Castle Donington to Nottingham and Long Eaton, and another Skylink route links Derby, Castle Donington, Loughborough and Leicester. The nearest station is East Midlands Parkway on the Midland Main Line, but it has no local bus link to the village, so a Skylink-served town is often easier. By road, leave the M1 at junction 24 for Castle Donington; Ashby is on the A42 and the A511 between Burton upon Trent and Leicester, about 11 miles from the airport.
- East Midlands Airport (EMA)
- On the hill south of Castle Donington
- Skylink buses
- Airport and Castle Donington to Nottingham, Derby, Loughborough and Leicester
- East Midlands Parkway
- Nearest station, Midland Main Line, no local bus link
- M1 junction 24
- Road access for Castle Donington and Donington Park
- During Download, use the festival's own coach and shuttle arrangements.
- For Ashby, buses come from Loughborough, Burton upon Trent, Swadlincote and Nuneaton.
Where to stay
Ashby, Castle Donington or the airport hotels
Bedrooms are spread across a few small towns and the airport cluster. Choose by whether you are here for the circuit or the countryside.
- Ashby-de-la-Zouch
- Most pleasant base, with the castle, inns and restaurants; a drive from Donington
- Castle Donington
- Walking distance of the circuit, the Bondgate Hotel and pubs; fully booked in Download week
- Airport hotels
- Hilton, Radisson Blu and Premier Inn by the runway; practical, little character
- Kings Mills
- The Priest House, a country house hotel on the River Trent below the village
- Hill Farm campsite at Packington, near Ashby, is a quieter alternative to festival camping.
Getting around
Car, local buses and forest trails
This is car country. Towns are 5 to 10 miles apart, and Conkers, Moira Furnace, Staunton Harold and the Battlefield Line at Shackerstone are all easiest by road. Buses link Ashby, Coalville and Castle Donington to the larger cities, though services are less frequent in the evening and on Sundays. Walking and cycling trails run through the National Forest plantations and along the Ashby Canal towpath at Moira.
- Car
- The A42 and A511 tie Ashby and Coalville to the M1
- Buses
- Ashby, Coalville and Castle Donington to Leicester, Derby and Loughborough
- Ashby Canal
- Towpath walks and boat trips from Moira Furnace
- Check bus timetables before relying on them after dark; the Coalville Skylink only runs part of the day.
Know before you go
What makes North West Leicestershire worth the trip, and what catches visitors out.
Why travelers love it
- Download weekend at Donington Park, the descendant of the old Monsters of Rock festivals.
- Ashby Castle's tower, the ruin of a royalist garrison besieged until 1646.
- Moira Furnace by the Ashby Canal, with boat trips on summer weekends.
- Conkers and the National Forest trails, planted over old coal workings.
Good to know
- Donington is busy in June; book rooms early for Download.
- Moira Furnace opens only at weekends from April to September.
- Evening buses are sparse, so plan lifts or taxis after events.
Trip fit
BookingMentor editorial ratings out of 5, based on a first-time visitor's experience.
Weather in North West Leicestershire, month by month
Month-by-month climate figures for North West Leicestershire are being researched.
Ashby Castle to Donington Park over a long weekend
A long weekend covers North West Leicestershire. Day one takes in Ashby-de-la-Zouch Castle, the Queen's Head on Market Street, Moira Furnace and the Conkers trails in the National Forest. Day two visits Staunton Harold and rides the Battlefield Line from Shackerstone. Day three is for Castle Donington and Donington Park, home of Download Festival in June.
Day one, Ashby and Moira. Start at Ashby-de-la-Zouch Castle on South Street, climbing the tower for views over the town, then walk Market Street and stop at the Queen's Head, a 17th-century coaching inn. In the afternoon drive to Moira for the restored blast furnace and a boat trip on the Ashby Canal (weekends, April to September), and finish at Conkers for the National Forest trails.
Day two, the forest and the railway. Spend the morning at Staunton Harold, then cross to Shackerstone for a ride on the Battlefield Line towards Bosworth. In the evening, head to Coalville or back to Ashby for dinner.
Day three, Castle Donington. Visit the small local history museum on Apiary Gate and walk to Donington Park, where race days through the season draw motorsport fans. If you are here in June, this is Download Festival weekend. Leicester and Nottingham both make easy onward stops.
Bondgate pubs, Market Street inns and Tynt Meadow ale
Food in North West Leicestershire is pub-led. Castle Donington has the Cross Keys and the Nags Head plus Indian, Chinese and Italian restaurants on Borough Street, and Ashby-de-la-Zouch has the district's widest choice. Look for Melton Mowbray pork pies, Red Leicester and Tynt Meadow, Britain's first Trappist ale, brewed at Mount St Bernard Abbey.
Food here is pub-led. In Castle Donington, the Cross Keys on Bondgate and the Nags Head on Hill Top are the village's established pubs, and Borough Street has Indian, Chinese and Italian restaurants plus a fish and chip shop. At the airport, most food is airside, so eat in the village before a flight.
In Ashby-de-la-Zouch, the Queen's Head on Market Street is the historic coaching inn, and the town centre has the widest choice of restaurants in the district. Leicestershire's own staples turn up on local menus and in delis: pork pies from nearby Melton Mowbray and Red Leicester and Stilton cheeses.
One local oddity worth seeking out is Tynt Meadow, a dark Trappist ale brewed by the monks of Mount St Bernard Abbey near Whitwick, the first Trappist beer from Britain. Buy it from local shops, since few bars stock it.
Download in June and the heritage season around Moira
The best time for North West Leicestershire is April to September, when Moira Furnace opens at weekends and the Battlefield Line runs. June brings Download Festival at Donington Park (12 to 14 June in 2026), with heavy traffic around M1 junction 24 and full hotels. October to March suits castle visits and pub lunches.
The year divides cleanly. From April to September the heritage sites open up: Moira Furnace runs at weekends, the Battlefield Line operates its timetable, and the National Forest trails are at their best in the long evenings. October to March is quieter, wetter and better suited to castle visits and pub lunches.
June is the big month. The Download Festival has been held at Donington Park since 2003, following on from the Monsters of Rock concerts held there until 1996. It runs over a long weekend in mid-June (12 to 14 June in 2026), and campers can arrive from the Wednesday. Expect heavy traffic around M1 junction 24 and the A453, full hotels from the airport to Ashby, and packed Skylink buses.
Donington Park also runs motor racing through the season, so check the circuit calendar if you want quiet roads, or a race day, on your visit.
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How we research our North West Leicestershire travel guide
North West Leicestershire District Council (nwleics.gov.uk) is our local reference for transport, events and opening times, with VisitBritain and the GOV.UK ETA pages for visiting and entry.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Quick answers to the questions travelers ask most before visiting North West Leicestershire.
Getting there
Skylink buses run from the airport through Castle Donington. The village is on the edge of the airport, only a few minutes away by taxi.
Junction 24 of the M1. Castle Donington is about 10 miles south of Derby and 11 miles north of Loughborough.
Timing & weather
Download is held in mid-June each year; the 2026 edition runs from 12 to 14 June. Campers can usually arrive from the Wednesday.
Moira Furnace opens on Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 4pm between April and September. Canal boat trips run from the site.
The best time to visit North West Leicestershire is May to Sep. Longest days for the forest, Moira Furnace's open season and Download in June.
- Summer: May - September (Moira Furnace is open at weekends, the Battlefield Line runs, and Download takes over Donington Park in June)
- Spring and autumn: April, October (Quieter woodland walks in the National Forest and Charnwood, with cooler, wetter days)
- Winter: November - March (Short days and many heritage sites closed or on reduced hours; fine for pubs and Ashby's town walks)
General
East Midlands Parkway on the Midland Main Line is closest, but it has no local bus to Castle Donington. Derby, Nottingham or Loughborough with a Skylink bus is often easier.
It is the nicest town base, with the castle, inns and restaurants, but you will need a car, taxi or festival shuttle to reach Donington Park.
The castle was a royalist stronghold until it fell after a siege in March 1646. The ruins, including the tower, can be visited on South Street.
A large replanting project across the old coalfield of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire. Conkers near Moira is its visitor centre, with trails and play areas.
The heritage railway is based at Shackerstone and runs south towards the area of the Battle of Bosworth.
No. North West Leicestershire is in England, so the Foreign Office's overseas travel advice does not apply; check the circuit and festival travel notices instead.
This is car country. Towns are 5 to 10 miles apart, and Conkers, Moira Furnace, Staunton Harold and the Battlefield Line at Shackerstone are all easiest by road. Buses link Ashby, Coalville and Castle Donington to the larger cities, though services are less frequent in the evening and on Sundays.
North West Leicestershire is best known for:
- Download weekend at Donington Park, the descendant of the old Monsters of Rock festivals
- Ashby Castle's tower, the ruin of a royalist garrison besieged until 1646
- Moira Furnace by the Ashby Canal, with boat trips on summer weekends
- Conkers and the National Forest trails, planted over old coal workings
Visa & documents
Visitors who do not need a UK visa, including citizens of the EU, the US, Canada and Australia, must get an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) online before they travel. Other nationalities need a Standard Visitor visa. Irish citizens need neither.
Health & safety
Serious crime against visitors to the UK is uncommon. Pickpocketing and phone snatching happen in busy parts of London, such as Oxford Street, the West End, Westminster and the main stations, and in other big cities. Keep your phone in a pocket on busy streets.
