Humberstone Park LNR

Humberstone Park LNR is a small green pocket in east Leicester: a 2.4-hectare Local Nature Reserve set within the larger Humberstone Park. It is owned and managed by Leicester City Council. If you want an easy, quiet walk that shows how a city blends recreational green space with protected wildlife habitat, this is a good choice.

Where is Humberstone Park and how do you explore it?

The park lies roughly 3 km from Leicester city centre, on the eastern side of town. It opened in 1925 and covers around 20 hectares. The nature reserve is only a part of it. Most of the park is open grass, while the protected area is the wooded and grassy ground along a former railway line. The reserve footpath begins near the Saltersford Road entrance and crosses the Bushby Brook.

What will you see in the reserve?

For such a small site, the reserve offers a good variety of habitats. There are mature trees, hazel coppice and patches of open grassland, supporting a wide range of plants and animals. A sunken garden adds a sheltered, contrasting corner next to the wilder areas.

The most distinctive feature is Rally Bank, the old embankment of the Great Northern Railway. Today it is a steep, wooded slope with mature trees, hazel stands and open grassy clearings. The embankment was built into the park's layout and left to benefit wildlife, so a walk here feels quite different from crossing the playing fields.

Bushby Brook

A small stream, the Bushby Brook, flows through the park. The water and its banks add variety to the landscape and create extra habitat for plants and animals. The reserve path crosses the brook, so crossing it is part of the walk.

What else is in the park?

Humberstone Park works as a local recreation space. It has three football pitches, four tennis courts, a cricket pitch and a children's playground. The Humberstone Park Cafe is open seven days a week. Trees in the park are mostly willow, birch and hazel. The park's name is said to derive from the Danish name Hubba's Ton.

Who looks after the reserve?

Leicester City Council manages the reserve through its Parks Services. In the past it was looked after by Groundwork Leicester and Leicestershire and then by The Conservation Volunteers; today the work is carried out by Leicester Environmental Volunteers. That makes the reserve a living community project rather than just a patch of green on a map.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an entrance fee for Humberstone Park LNR? It is a public city park managed by the council, and nothing in our material mentions an admission charge. Check the Leicester City Council website for current details.

How big is the reserve? The reserve covers 2.4 hectares, while the whole park is about 20 hectares.

Is there a cafe in the park? Yes, Humberstone Park Cafe is open seven days a week.

What can you do here with children? The park has a playground, and the reserve offers a woodland path and a stream crossing to explore.

Is it a good place for a short walk? Yes. The park is about 3 km from the centre of Leicester, and the mix of open lawns, the Rally Bank embankment and the brook gives you several different landscapes in a short time.