Get on your bike: Sky Ride Leicester

Sign up for up to 50 FREE Led Cycle Rides across Leicester starting in July. Discover the traffic-free Riverside Way, Leicester Blue Plaques Tour, Lost Villages of Leicestershire or a range of other family-friendly rides. Trained British Cycling Ride Leaders will be on-hand to lead groups and offer cycling advice. Find out about a range of rides for all ages and abilities at www.goskyride.com.

See here for a list of Sky Ride Leicester Local Rides: www.goskyride.com/find-a-ride/default.aspx?cityid=6

Leicestershire Walking Week 2010: 4-12 Sept

Leicestershire Walking Week 2010 has been announced: it will take place from 4-12 September. The Walking Week brings walking, health and fitness, social, wildlife organisations and local authorities together to provide nine days of walking oportunities, exploring the delights of Leicestershire's countryside, villages and towns.

With guided walks taking place throughout the county, the programme aimed to cater for all ages and abilities. The walks included countryside rambles, health walks, heritage trails, and guided walks with themes, such as a history tour, or wildlife wander. The full programme of walks will be available mid-summer 2010.

Launde Abbey restoration gets the go ahead

The Synod of the Diocese of Leicester has approved the project to save Launde Abbey, following fundraising and much prayer. Visit savelaundeabbey.co.uk for full details.

The Launde Prayer

Father,
Here may the faithful find salvation
and the careless be awakened;
Here may the doubting find faith
and the anxious be encouraged;
Here may the tempted find help
and the sorrowful comfort;
Here may the weary find rest
and the strong be renewed;
Here may the aged find consolation
and the young be inspired;
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Leicestershire Walking Week 2009

Leicestershire Walking Week, from 19 - 27 September, offers a fantastic opportunity to get healthy, have some fun and meet new people. The Walking Week launches this Saturday at 10am in Watermead Country Park, just off the A46 near Syston, with a choice of walks around the country park and ones radiating off into the surrounding countryside or into Leicester city. There's a 5 mile walk along the river to Belgrave Hall where the Good Food Fair is taking place, or an 8.5 mile walk exploring the Soar valley downstream.

Walking Week is organised by the Leicestershire County Council in partnership with local walking and heritage groups, district and borough councils, Leicester City Council and the NHS Leicestershire County and Rutland. A total of 78 walks are on offer, including walks for people interested in ghosts, history, wildlife or pubs, and walks suitable for dog owners. Leicestershire has a 3,000 kilometre network of footpaths. The council wants to promote walking as: an easy way to get fit, a chance to leave the car behind and help reduce pollution, a good way to explore the countryside and learn about nature and history, and a chance to get sponsorship for good causes. For a full list of walks see: www.leics.gov.uk/walkingweek

Love the Midlands? Or prefer to leave?

In Home is where the heart is? unless it's in the Midlands, the Guardian reports on a survey that finds that three-quarters of the Midlands' population would leave tomorrow given half a chance.

Skyride Leicester

On Sunday 30th August, much of Leicester will be closed to motor transport for Skyride Leicester. This is one of five Skyride mass-participation cycling events, where the streets of major cities are closed to other traffic and cyclists take over. Each is a great day out for the whole family where you can meet members of the GB Cycling Team, experience live entertainment, take part in challenges and tricks and - fingers crossed - soak up the sunshine!

The Skyride Leicester route will be open and free of traffic from 10am until 4pm.Highlights of the route include: Leicester's cultural (and traffic light!) hub, the Golden Mile, Historic Belgrave Hall, the eye catching and iconic Space Centre, Abbey Park, and Belgrave Hall gardens (home of the Skyride Entertainment for the day).

National Forest Wood Fair 2009

The National Forest Wood Fair 2009 will take place on Bank Holiday Monday (August 31st) at Beacon Hill Country Park, Woodhouse Eaves. It will be the 5th National Forest Wood Fair and it will include:

• live demonstrations of woodworking skills, craft displays and chainsaw sculpting.
• the opportunity to find out more about woodlands - from tree planting to felling. Talk to the experts and watch forestry in action including timber processing and horse logging.
• a Food Area with a great selection of delicious locally produced food.
• and also .. a lumberjack show, longbow displays, charity auction and a fascinating programme of talks on trees and woodland.

The Contemplation Couch

Earlier this month Bishop Tim Stevens and Revd Tim Blewett sat on the Contemplation Couch in the centre of Leicester to highlight the Save Launde Abbey campaign. Braving the rain, the two Tims and their supporters appeared on the BBC, and used the opportunity to explain the value of Launde Abbey as a Retreat House. The appeal has so far raised over £580,000 of the £1 million needed to save the Abbey.

Leicestershire Round goes Audio‏

The Leicestershire Round is on the radio. Chris Baxter, the afternoon presenter on BBC Radio Leicester has recently walked the Round and 10 minute recordings of his travels are being featured on his programme for the next two weeks. They're also available as RealAudio files on the BBC Leicester website. Along with some nice mellow music it's reminiscent of Julia Bradbury's walking programmes on TV.
[provided by Andrew]

Bluebells in Charnwood

It is the peak time for viewing bluebells in and around Charnwoood at present. The following sites are recommended if you want to wander walk through bluebell-carpeted woodlands: Serpentine Wood on the Calke Abbey Estate, Outwoods in Charnwood near Loughborough, Jackson’s Bank in Staffordshire or Staunton Ridgeway through Spring Wood Nature Reserve, near Staunton Harold.

See :

- Rolling Out The Blue Carpet in The National Forest

- The National Forest leaflet showing where to see wildlife, including wildflowers.

National Forest Walking Festival

The National Forest Walking Festival will run from 16-25 May 2009. Volunteers will be leading 42 walks over the 12 days, including several evening walks. Walks will range from 1 - 12 miles in length. You can download the Walking Festival brochure on the NF website.

Walking the Charnwood Peaks

On Saturday a reduced group of four tackled the Charnwood Peaks walk. This 15-mile walk takes in the four peaks that define Charnwood Forest. We varied the route by starting at Woodhouse Eaves, so that we reached Bradgate Park at an appropriate time for a tea shop!

The Charnwood Peaks route can be downloaded from the National Forest website; and PDFs of other National Forest walks are also available for download.

Christ in the Centre 2009

Over the past six years, the Christ in the Centre production has reached out to the people of Leicester. The 2009 event starts at 10.30am in St. Peter's Square in the new Highcross Centre. The theme this year is The Cross, and this first section includes short scenes showing the lives of Christians who have followed Jesus - some with connections to Leicester like William Wilberforce and Lady Jane Grey.

These will be followed by a procession following the cross, along the pedestrianised High Street to Humberstone Gate, where the remaining events of this year's production will unfold on the main stage after about 11.15am. After several scenes of Jesus' ministry, linked to his words from the cross, the passion story will tell of Jesus' final hours from his triumphal entry into Jerusalem , the Last Supper, his arrest, trial and death on the cross, before we see his glorious resurrection and appearance to his followers.

• Timetable and route map
• Photos from 2008

Borrow books and save money

Did you take advantage of the Library Free Day last weekend? Here's another credit-crunch offer: just borrow 6 books on your ticket and save money with a free loan of any CD, DVD or talking book. This seasonal special offer is available in all Leicestershire libraries from 23 February until 6 March.

Library Free Day: Sat 21 Feb

A special event is being held across libraries in Leicestershire where literally everything is FREE! On Saturday 21st February, until 5pm, if you’ve forgotten to take a book back recently or if you’ve been too scared to take it back for a while, now’s your chance, as you won’t have to pay a penny in overdue charges.

The event celebrates the free nature of libraries - everybody knows it’s free to join the library, you can borrow books for free and most people know libraries have computers, with access to the internet via broadband which is also free, but what else can you get for nothing that day? No overdue charges, free DVD hire, free CD hire, free talking book loans, free requests, and free printing (note: some conditions apply).

Link: Find your local library

Snowfall in Leicestershire

The BBC Leicester website has a great photo gallery of shots taken round the county: Your (Leicestershire) Snow Pictures.

Shop till you drop?

Despite the credit crunch, new shopping centres keep being opened, including Highcross in Leicester (right). Here's some retail-related stories:

• Although shoppers are keeping a tighter grip on their purse strings, with the economy plunging into recession but shopping centres have always been one step ahead in getting the consumer to splash cash
• Charity shops are seeing a rise in sales
• Something for (nearly) nothing: accessories on the cheap
• The art of Swishing involves getting your friends together to swap clothes and party at the same time. Each participant must bring at least one good quality, clean item of clothing, or an accessory, that she'd feel proud to hand on.
  
• For ethical clothing browse the Lift the Label ethical directory

Web-enabled walking

Ahead of the Leicestershire Walking Festival in two months time (Saturday 5th July), this is the first in a series on Internet resources for walkers. First up are some free resources from Leicestershire County Council:

• Parish Walks Series: This popular series of leaflets provide written directions and a map; all routes are circular and range in distance from 1 - 9 miles. Leaflets can be downloaded direct from the website or requested by email.
• Walking Through Time - Staunton Harold: download map and route directions for three walks
• Walks to Nature - Charnwood: download map and route directions for the Outwoods

[Above right: logo from Leicestershire County Council's Parish Walks series]

Christ in the Centre 2008

Leicester Book News on Facebook

Are you a member of the social network Facebook? If so you can now find out about everything to do with books and reading in the city on the Leicester Book News Facebook group. The group is a great way to get involved with the latest live reading events, chat with other people who enjoy books and even join in with great book promotions, like Leicester favourite book. Go to Leicester Book News on Facebook.