The nave of the church is usually open to visitors, who are also allowed to attend some of the monastic services. To the side of the church is an attractive, short, stepped climb through beautiful gardens. The focus of these gardens is the Calvary, a representation of Christ's crucifixion, with the cross perched on a rocky mound. The abbey grounds are usually open to the public, but the main buildings and grounds that belong to the monastery are private.
On leaving the abbey, you go briefly down a lane before following part of the Charnwood Forest Geological Trail to Blackbrook Reservoir. The present reservoir was built in 1906, to supply drinking water to the growing urban areas of Loughborough and Shepshed. It was constructed on the site of a smaller 18th-century feeder reservoir, supplying the old Charnwood Canal.
A superb wildfowl habitat, the reservoir's permanent residents include Canada geese, coots, moorhens, mallards, and great crested grebes. There is also a rich variety of migrants. During the winter months, there are ducks such as goldeneye, teal, and shoveler, and you may even spot Bewick's and whooper swans that have flown in from Siberia and Iceland respectively.
From Blackbrook Reservoir, you next come to Fenney Windmill. The mill, a Grade II listed building, dates from the 1840s, and was owned and worked by the local Draper family until 1935, when it was abandoned. It had fallen into considerable disrepair by the 1950s, when it was bought and restored as a private residence.
Lanes and good paths take you across fields, through woods, and over Black Brook to Poachers Corner, where there is an excellent view of High Sharpley ridge, a dramatic granite outcrop designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The rocks are over 600 million years old, and some are covered with rare lichens. The surrounding woods are haunted by foxes. High Cademan Wood, which has a tempting trig point at 197 metres high, is one of the woods full of interesting places with granite outcrops within its intriguing canopy of ancient deciduous trees.
From the junction of Swannymote Road and Loughborough Road the walk leads to the edge of the village of Whitwick and then on paths to the woodland of Ratchet Hill which skirts the northern edge of the lake formed by the workings of Whitwick Quarry. Abbey Grange on its edge has been completely demolished. From here, it is a short and pleasant walk across some fields and a country lane back to the abbey car park and start of the walk.
