Thanks to a new initiative from Leicestershire County Council, bus travel within the county will be free each Saturday for the rest of October and November. This will allow Geopark visitors to travel more easily and sustainably, making your visit to Charnwood Forest even better!
The Free Fares scheme has no age restriction and will run every Saturday until 30th November.
To qualify for free travel, passengers on the participating routes and services will need to start or end their journey in Leicestershire. They will also have to inform the driver on their chosen destination.
The scheme is being delivered on behalf of the Leicestershire Enhanced Bus Partnership under its newly established Leicestershire Buses brand. This is a collaboration between Leicestershire County Council and commercial bus operators, with the scheme funded through Department of Transport Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) grant funding.
Services included in the scheme that run through Charnwood Forest are:
2 – Loughborough – Quorn – Barrow upon Soar – Sileby
16 – Coalville – Whitwick – Thringstone – Shepshed – Loughborough
16A/X16 – Coalville – Whitwick – Thringstone – Shepshed – Loughborough
27 – Leicester – Ratby via Groby Road
28 – Leicester – Ratby – Botcheston – Thornton – Bagworth – Coalville
29 – Leicester – Groby – Markfield – Coalville – Swannington – Ashby de la Zouch – Swadlincote
29A – Leicester – Groby – Markfield – Coalville – Ashby de la Zouch – Swadlincote
29C – Leicester – Coalville – Swannington – Ashby de la Zouch – Swadlincote
74 – Leicester – Anstey via Beaumont Centre
127 – Leicester – Rothley – Mountsorrel – Loughborough – Shepshed
154 – Leicester – Anstey – Thurcaston – Cropston – Swithland – Woodhouse Eaves – Quorn – Loughborough
Why not take a journey on bus route 154. You could take in a stop at Woodhouse Eaves to see our Forest Rock geosite. Or journey further to Swithland for a visit to Swithland Wood, part of the new Bradgate Park and Swithland Wood National Nature Reserve.
Bus routes 16, 16A, X16 and 127 provide easy access to Shepshed, from where you could visit our oldest geosite, Morley Quarry, and discover how the story of Charnwood Forest began.
Route 28 could take you to Thornton, where a short walk would take you to Thornton Reservoir for a relaxing walk or rest next to the water.
Hop on the 29 and 29A for a trip to Markfield to see the Hill Hole geosite, home of the Markfieldite rock! Or alight at the Charnwood Arms at Bardon and take a hike up Leicestershire’s highest peak, Bardon Hill, to see the amazing geology in the nearby quarry.
The 127 could take you to Rothley, where you could visit Rothley Wine Estate and with no driving to do, you won’t have to worry when sampling their award winning wines!
You can find a map of the Leicestershire bus services here.
For a full list of participating operators, please see the ChooseHowYouMove website.