Mount St Bernard Abbey Walks

Visit this Cistercian monastery near Coalville on this short walk. It's a delightfully peaceful place and one of the highlights of the Charnwood Forest.
The Abbey grounds are just a short stroll from the village of Whitwick.... You can follow footpaths past Whitwick Quarry through woodland and countryside to the abbey. Here you can explore the grounds with its beautiful gardens, visit the church and walk up to the cross at 'Calvary'. From the elevated position of the cross there's lovely views over the area. There's also a well stocked shop with pottery made by the monks in the Abbey Pottery.
You can continue your walk to the nearby Blackbrook Reservoir, located just to the north of the site.
The Ivanhoe Way long distance trail also passes nearby. You can pick this up and head south to the highest point in the county at Bardon Hill.
You can further explore the area by picking up the Charnwood Forest circular walk which will take you on a tour of the countryside, reservoirs, woodland and hills of this lovely area.
The nearest major town is Coalville which is located about 2 miles south west of the site.
Postcode: LE67 5UL
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Nearby you'll find another local historic landmark at the 13th century Grace Dieu Priory. The anicent ruins of the priory are surrounded by some pleasant woodland with trails along the Grace Dieu brook. It's located just a couple of miles to the north west so a good idea is to visit both ancient sites on the same walk.
Also near Coalville there's some peaceful woodland trails and a series of pretty lakes to see at Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Wood, Bagworth Heath Woods and Sence Valley Forest Park.
For more walking ideas in the area see the Leicestershire Walks page.

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Nearby Routes

Bardon Hill Ivanhoe Way Charnwood Forest Woodhouse Eaves Blackbrook Reservoir Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Wood Sence Valley Forest Park

Photos

Mount Saint Bernard's Abbey. The Abbey was founded in 1835 and was the first Roman Catholic abbey to be founded in England since Henry VIII implemented the Dissolution in the 1530s.

Mount St Bernard Abbey. The monks brew the only Trappist beer in Britain. Thirteen monasteries—six in Belgium, two in the Netherlands, and one each in Austria, Italy, England, France, and Spain—currently produce Trappist beer as members of the International Trappist Association (ITA)

Footpath to Blackbrook Reservoir from near the abbey.

A view northwards across Charnwood

Footpath to Oaks Road

Granite boulder at Whitwick Quarry. The scenic quarry is located just west of the abbey. You can follow footpaths to the site to extend your walk.

Countryside view just north of the site.

Dry stone wall along Oaks Road with the Reservoir in the background. Photo gives and example of the scenery surrounding the abbey.

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