Visit Ashby de la Zouch & Coalville
Ashby de la Zouch has a charming main street which is great for shopping, the heritage-rich areas surrounding Coalville share the history of its industrial past, and the flourishing National Forest is bursting with places to visit and things to do.
Days out in Ashby de la Zouch
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1620s House & Garden
A beautifully restored manor house with 17th Century period gardens, a barn tearoom and events for all ages.
Conkers
Step into Conkers, a glorious woodland playground sitting right at the heart of the National Forest. Little ones can splash through water features, scramble across rope bridges and peer into the shadowy undergrowth in search of creepy-crawly surprises, while grown-ups breathe in that gorgeous fresh pine scent and remember what it feels like to simply play.
Conkers Hi/Lo Ropes (children only)
Little adventurers will feel on top of the world as they navigate the Hi and Lo Ropes at Conkers, where wobbly bridges and sky-high challenges turn a trip through the trees into something genuinely thrilling.
Greenwood Days
We run over 60 courses a year, teaching beginners and experienced people a wide range of heritage crafts. All our tutors are highly skilled professional craft workers and share our passion for preserving, promoting and passing on these crafts and techniques.
Statfold Country Park
There are so many things to do from Toby’s Barn: Play & Climb, Toby’s Dig It, or Strawberry Play Park to our woodland nature walk and Fellumpa Mini Golf! Statfold Country Park is also home to an award winning narrow-gauge railway which runs both steam and diesel trains plus a her
The Ferrers Centre for Arts & Crafts
Tucked inside a gorgeous 18th-century stable block at Staunton Harold, the Ferrers Centre for Arts & Crafts hums with the quiet industry of potters, jewellers, textile artists and more, each working away in their own snug studio. Sixteen independent makers call this courtyard home, so you might catch the warm smell of beeswax candles drifting past a window, or spot a gleaming automaton clicking into life.
The National Forest
Breathe in the cool air as you step beneath a canopy that simply did not exist a generation ago. The National Forest is one of Britain's most remarkable living stories, stretching across Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire and growing more wonderful with every season.
Places to stay near Ashby de la Zouch
Visiting Ashby de la Zouch — your questions, answered.
What is Ashby de la Zouch famous for?+
Its castle, above all — the dramatic ruins of Ashby de la Zouch Castle, immortalised in Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe. Climb the Hastings Tower for huge views, then wander a handsome Georgian high street that's full of independent shops and places to eat.
What is there to do in the National Forest?+
This corner of Leicestershire sits at the heart of the National Forest — millions of trees transforming former mining country. Conkers is the flagship family attraction with indoor and outdoor discovery zones, Hicks Lodge is the forest's cycling centre, and Moira Furnace adds a fascinating slice of industrial heritage.
Is Coalville worth visiting?+
Coalville is the gateway to the National Forest and proud of its mining roots. It makes a practical base for Conkers, Hicks Lodge and forest trails, and heritage lovers should look out for events celebrating the area's industrial past.
What can families do around Ashby and Coalville?+
Conkers keeps kids busy for a full day, rain or shine. Add castle battlements to storm at Ashby, bike trails for all ages at Hicks Lodge, and canal-side walks at Moira Furnace. It's one of the county's best areas for an active family weekend.
How do I get to Ashby de la Zouch?+
Ashby sits just off the A42/M42 in the north-west of the county, about 30–40 minutes from Leicester, Derby and Birmingham by car, with East Midlands Airport only 15 minutes away.
Is parking easy in Ashby de la Zouch?+
Yes — Ashby is a compact Georgian market town with several central car parks a short stroll from Market Street, the castle and the town's independent shops. Conkers and the National Forest attractions around Coalville all have their own visitor parking.
What can families do around Ashby and Coalville on a rainy day?+
Conkers' indoor discovery zones near Moira are made for wet days, and Ashby's shops, cafés and museum offer a cosy town alternative. If the rain eases, Ashby Castle's tower and the National Forest's sheltered woodland trails are still worth braving.
Where can I walk in the National Forest near Ashby?+
You're spoilt for choice — waymarked trails thread through young woodland across the National Forest, with popular starting points at Conkers, Moira Furnace and Hicks Lodge cycle centre. Routes range from buggy-friendly loops to longer rambles linking villages and reservoirs.