Discover Ashby De La Zouch

Ashby De La Zouch offers you a journey through history, literature, nature and vibrant local culture. The mix of historic buildings, a museum with year-round events, a Victorian market hall and an extensive woodland area is particularly appealing. This allows you to vary your days: with culture and stories, a walk or observations of nature.

Discover history and local culture

Ashby de la Zouch Castle recalls the period when the site reached its greatest prominence as a status symbol purpose-built by William, Lord Hastings. Anyone interested in medieval history and the development of important buildings will find a notable starting point here for exploring the town.

The Parish Church of St Helen also takes you far back into the past. Its core dates from the 14th century and was extended from 1474 onwards. Ashby Market Hall adds another facet to this historic picture: it was founded in 1856 by Henry Isaac Stevens and is home to independent retailers and caterers in a Victorian setting. This means that, alongside architectural history, the site's present-day use is also a focus.

Ashby Museum offers a year-round programme of events and exhibitions. For your travel planning, this provides an additional cultural option that you can consider independently of any one historic building. The reception area, both exhibition galleries and the toilets are all on the same level; a gently sloping ramp leads to the main entrance.

Literature, walks and woodland landscapes

The Ivanhoe Way is named as a tribute to Sir Walter Scott and his novel Ivanhoe. The novel is set around Ashby de la Zouch Castle and the surrounding landscape. This literary connection gives your journey a special narrative: you can experience history and landscape not only through buildings, but also through their connection to a well-known novel.

Another historic walk leads through the Bath Grounds in Ashby-de-la-Zouch. There, you can read information about the former Ivanhoe Spa and the Edwardian parachutist Dolly Shepherd. The walk thus combines local history with an unusual personal story, without requiring you to focus on a single theme.

Ingles Hill Wood is ideal for experiencing nature. The 24-hectare woodland includes a mix of deciduous and coniferous trees, hay meadows, bat boxes and a good variety of butterfly species. It can be accessed on foot via Burton Road or by car via a car park at the Ashby Bypass. When planning your day, you can therefore decide whether to include the woodland as a destination for a walk or for observing nature.

Which type of accommodation search suits your trip?

If you are primarily looking for historic sites and cultural impressions, the castle, parish church, museum and market hall can form the focus of your trip. If you are more interested in literature, walks and nature, the Ivanhoe Way, the Bath Grounds and Ingles Hill Wood complement this selection. This allows you to choose a holiday apartment in Ashby De La Zouch according to your preferred travel theme, without having to commit to just one type of holiday.

This thematic division is also helpful for families with different interests: while one day can be devoted to historic buildings and exhibitions, another can make room for woodland, landscapes and unusual stories. When searching for your accommodation, consider which focus should shape your trip and plan the remaining experiences as additions.

More places for planning your trip

If you would also like to compare other places, you can find additional destinations here: Broughton Astley, Stathern, Quorn, Medbourne, Moira, Orton, Buckminster and Lutterworth.

For the higher-level travel overview: Leicestershire.