Set among the rolling hills and peaceful valleys of High Leicestershire, Burrough on the Hill is a small village with a remarkable history and one of the county’s most striking natural landmarks.
Whether you enjoy walking, history, wildlife, photography or simply spending time in the countryside with family, friends and four-legged companions, Burrough on the Hill is well worth discovering.
Explore Burrough Hill Country Park
Rising to approximately 210 metres — 690 feet — Burrough Hill is crowned by one of Leicestershire’s best-preserved Iron Age hillforts.
Its ancient banks and ramparts have stood above the surrounding landscape for more than 2,000 years. From the grassy summit, visitors can enjoy panoramic views across farmland, picturesque villages and the beautiful countryside beyond.
It is a wonderful place to experience Leicestershire’s changing seasons: fresh spring mornings, summer picnics, autumn colours and crisp winter walks. Its elevated position and enormous skies also make it a memorable place to enjoy dramatic clouds, golden evening light and spectacular sunsets.
Walking and Outdoor Adventures
Burrough Hill Country Park offers plenty of space to walk, explore and enjoy the fresh air. A shorter self-guided route around the hillfort is approximately 1.2 miles, while the surrounding network of footpaths, bridleways and country lanes provides opportunities for longer adventures.
The park also adjoins the Leicestershire Round, a 100-mile walking route encircling the county. The nearby Somerby Festival of Walking celebrates this wonderful landscape with organised country walks and occasional guided archaeology experiences.
Some paths are uneven and can become muddy, so walking boots or suitable footwear are recommended.
Bring Your Dog
Dogs are warmly welcomed at Burrough Hill Country Park, making it an ideal destination for a countryside walk together.
The park remains part of a working rural landscape where sheep and cattle may be grazing. Dogs should therefore be kept under close control — and on a lead around livestock. Please remember to close gates and take all litter and dog waste home if no suitable bin is available.
After exploring the hill, you and your dog will be equally welcome at The Stag & Hounds.
Wildlife and Big Leicestershire Skies
The park’s mixture of open grassland, farmland and varied habitats supports an abundance of countryside wildlife.
Look and listen for skylarks, kestrels, woodpeckers and other native birds while enjoying the wide, uninterrupted views. Photographers are particularly drawn to the hill’s changing light, distant horizons and atmospheric skies.
From brilliant summer sunshine to colourful sunsets and special astronomical occasions, no two visits ever feel quite the same.
A Village Filled with Stories
The surrounding village has its own extraordinary history. Nearby Burrough Court was visited during the 1930s by Edward, Prince of Wales — later King Edward VIII. It was there that he first met Wallis Simpson, beginning the relationship that would eventually lead him to give up the British throne.
During the Second World War, members of the 10th Battalion of the Parachute Regiment were stationed in this area before leaving for the Battle of Arnhem. Captain John Myles Henry and his wife, Pamela, spent the first months of their married life at The Stag & Hounds, making the pub their temporary wartime home.
Beside the pub, Parish Brewery continues more than four decades of local brewing tradition, producing characterful cask-conditioned ales in the heart of the village. Read the full history →
Finish Your Adventure at The Stag & Hounds
No countryside outing is complete without a welcoming village pub at the end of it. After walking over Burrough Hill, exploring its ancient history or watching the light change across the Leicestershire countryside, make your way to The Stag & Hounds.
Relax with friends, bring the family and rest those muddy paws while enjoying a refreshing local ale, a glass of wine, a hot drink or our freshly prepared, home-cooked food.
Burrough Hill gives you the walk, the views and the fresh country air. The Stag & Hounds will be waiting with the warm welcome.
Walk the hill. Discover the history. Enjoy the view. Then join us at the pub.