The route starts at the Wilton Road carpark in Melton Mowbray, a town 19 miles north-east of Leicester in the county of Leicestershire, 20 miles south-east of Nottingham. Its name comes from the early English word Medeltone meaning "Middletown once surrounded by small hamlets". In Roman times, Melton benefited from proximity to the Fosse Way and other major Roman roads, and to military centres such as Leicester and Lincoln. Melton was also a settlement that was later mentioned in the great Domesday Book the manuscript record of the "Great Survey" of much of England and parts of Wales that was completed in 1086 by order of King William I (William the Conqueror). The land at this time was owned by Geoffrey of La Guerche with a small household of 30 villagers, 100 freemen, 27 smallholdings, 4 slaves and 2 priests with an average population of 18.1 households, it wasn’t until 1549 that the town estate was founded, during the Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation), when two townsfolk sold silver and plate sequestered from the church and bought land to be held in trust for all its inhabitants. The river Eye runs through Melton and is a tributary of the river Wreake and Soar, its origin rises from a spring in the Cotswold Hills in the northern end of the parish of Upper Slaughter at a height of around 524ft (160m), this then flows into the river Soar and at Sysonby Lodge it changes its name to the river Wreake, at Swan's Nest it enters Melton Mowbray as the river Eye, where it flows under the bridge at Wilton Road also known as Lady Wilton's Bridge. This bridge is a grade 2 listed building and was built in 1822, with its five segmental arches with cutwaters and piers between arches, these terminate in pyramidal caps on parapet with the arches graduated in size to the centre with the largest arch. Topped with wrought iron scrolled lamp brackets at each end. The Burton Road bridge is where the river Eye leaves Melton and drifts through the gentle rolling countryside of north-east Leicestershire, by fields bounded by hawthorn hedges after crossing this is also an ideal opportunity for fuel at the BP Garage if required. Melton Mowbray also known for its Melton cloth and has inseparable link with stilton cheese but is most famously known for its delicious Melton Mowbray pork pies.

Melton Mowbray pork pie Mary Dickinson (1768 to 1841) was considered the originator of the hand raised Melton Mowbray pork pie; Mary is credited with using the first wooden dolly to raise a pastry case. Mary’s method has stood the test of time and she is the reason the Melton Mowbray pork pies we all know and love, look the way they do. The pork pie industry originated about the year 1831 from in a little bakery and confectionary shop in Leicester Street, owned by a gentleman by the name of Edward Adcock.

In 1851 at the height of Britain’s Industrial Revolution John Dickerson (Marys Grandson) rented a shop in Nottingham Street making his Gramma’s pork pies and in 1880, John later took under his wing a young apprentice by the name of Joseph Morris, hence saving him from the workhouse. They both seemed to work well together, so in 1886 without further ado John added Joseph’s name to the business, this resulted in the shop name being changed to Dickerson and Morris, the shop was later bought in 1901, “Ye Olde pork pie Shoppe” it is still there today and is now the oldest pork pie bakery in the town.

In 2009, the Melton Mowbray pork pie was granted Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status by the EU, recognising its historical, cultural, and culinary importance. What this means is it guarantees a product's characteristics or reputation, authenticity, and origin, so it protects the product name from misuse or imitation. In short to make Melton Mowbray pork pies they must be made within a certain geographical location.

Originally these pies were made for aristocratic gentlemen, as it was the traditional centre of English foxhunting who had come up for the hunt. They would put them in their saddlebags and eat them while they were out. They were very tasty, filling and eating them would not disrupt the hunt for too long. The black and scarlet hunting coats worn where made traditionally from Melton cloth, of wool that is woven in a twill form. It is thick, due to having been well fulled, which gives it a felt-like smooth surface, also with good weatherproof qualities.

Melton Carnegie Museum opened its doors for the first time in 1977, it is housed in Melton’s former Carnegie Library that was built in 1905 and showcase’s the history of Melton and the people who have lived and worked here from the Bronze Age to the present day. The museum is in the centre of Melton Mowbray, within easy walking distance of the marketplace and is free entry. There is free designated motorcycle parking available at Wilton Road, Chapel Street and St Mary's Way car park.

St Marys Church is one of six churches that are in the Melton Mowbray area, dating back mainly from the 13th – 15th centuries with some parts dating back further to Norman times - 1170. It has been described as "one of the finest parish churches in Leicestershire". It is built on a plan more usual for cathedrals with its grand cruciform church with isle transepts (one of only five in the country) normally found in a cathedral and a crossing tower with 100ft (30m) tower of scrubbed limestone that has dominated the town for centuries. The belfry since 1802 only had six bells but now contains ten bells, with the earliest one dating back to the fourteenth century.
Anne of Cleves building in Burton Street, next door to St Mary's Church it began its life in EST. 1384 and is now one of Melton's oldest surviving pubs, with original features still showing from the early fourteenth century. It was originally home to fourteen chantry monks who ministered to the leapers at the hospital, it was set up by Roger de Mowbray, the building including the lands of the Priory of Lewes was passed over to Anne of Cleves after the Dissolution as part of her divorce settlement from King VIII.

The Crosses these could be found sited all around Melton near the marketplace, there was six originally recorded. The Corn Cross, Butter Cross, Sheep Cross, Sage Cross, Thorpe Cross and Kettleby Cross. The corn market was held on Cornhill, at the top of the High Street or Merridine Street, as it was previously called and stood in the centre of the roadway where around it was the corn market. All the original crosses were removed or destroyed during the Reformation and other iconoclastic periods, or to make room for traffic or other development. So, the Corn Cross that can be seen today is a modern version that was erected in 1996 to replace the earlier medieval one. The same as the Butter Cross this was erected in 1986 to commemorate the 900th anniversary of the Domesday Book in which "Medeltone" Market is recorded, these are the only two that remain.

Shortly after leaving Melton Mowbray on the B6047 to Market Harborough this stretch of road is known locally as the “Big Dipper” for reasons that will soon become apparent with its undulating rise and fall of the road through the lovely Leicestershire countryside. There is also the first of many route options by continuing Straight onto Burrough Road then Melton Road for approximately 3.5 miles you can visit one of the most striking, prominent and historic features in the landscape of eastern Leicestershire. This well-preserved Iron Age hillfort that dramatically crowns a steep-sided promontory of land reaching 690ft (210m), with superb views and ready-made arena. The site is free and there is off road parking for a fee of £2.50 a day at the ticket machine.

With the “Big Dipper” behind you it is a brief stop in Market Harborough just in the county of Leicestershire, it was first established as a small village built by the Anglo Saxons during the 5th and 11th century. With plenty of free parking why not take some time to stroll around this quintessential market town, have some light refreshments and soak up some of the town’s history, culture and delicious food, be sure not to miss the amazing old grammar school perched high on its stilts that was founded in the 1607 to educate the poor children, St Dionysius an Anglican Church with its stunning stained glass windows and the Harborough Museum with free entry that celebrates the towns long history as a centre of trade and industry in the heart of the Welland Valley at the crossroads between Leicestershire and Northamptonshire.

Leaving Market Harborough, we head out onto the B670, there is a route option here at the junction with the A6003, turn right onto Main Street to visit the famous Rockingham Castle set on a hill overlooking five counties with some stunning views, built by William the Conqueror. The Castle was a royal residence for 450 years. In the 16th Century Henry VIII granted it to Edward Watson and for 450 years it has remained a family home. There is an admission fee that includes your parking, it is only open seasonally so do check times before you visit.

Further on the B672 there is also another route option, turn Left onto Gretton road and travel for 1 mile, here you can visit Lyddington Bede House, an historic house in the county of Rutland, England. The existing Grade I listed building is a part of a former palace of the Bishops of Lincoln, in 1600 it had passed to Sir Thomas Cecil, son of Queen Elizabeth’s chief minister, who converted it into an almshouse for 12 poor ‘bedesmen’ over 30 years old and two women (over 45), all free of lunacy, leprosy or the French pox. Situated next to St Andrew's Church in the picturesque ironstone village of Lyddington. It is now owned and run by British Heritage, so there is a £7 entrance fee, unfortunately there is also no onsite parking, so visitor have to park on the street.

Back on the B672 you see the Welland Viaduct come into view in the distance, this viaduct goes over the river Welland and both the B672 and Seaton Road, so it is also sometimes referred to as the Harringworth Viaduct or Seaton Viaduct. It is the longest masonry viaduct across a valley in Britain and took 13 months to construct using 30 million bricks. At a staggering 3825ft (1166m) long it certainly makes an impact on the landscape around it, with its 82 arches each with a span of 40ft (12m) and stands at 60ft (18m) high. It was built in 1878 and is now a Grade II listed building. The viaduct lies on the Oakham to Kettering Line and carries the twin-track non-electrified line between Corby and Manton Junction, where it then joins the Leicester to Peterborough line. There is a convenient stopping point for a photo opportunity in the tarmac layby on the opposite side of the road, where you can stand in ore and take in this monumental construction.

From here it is approximately a 30-mile ride on roads with lovely long sweeping corners, until the next stop in the town of Bourne. This town lays on the eastern slopes of the limestone Kesteven Uplands, on the southern edge of Lincolnshire bordering the fens. The earliest record of the town again was in the Doomsday book, in which it is recorded as Brune this is derived from an Anglo-Saxon word Brunna (Stream). The more modern name it was known by was Bourn, this was later changed in 1893 when the “e” was added by the post office to stop confusion with a similar named place in Cambridgeshire. It is believed at some point it became a Roman settlement as vast amounts of Roman coins have been found in the town location. It is most famously known for Bourne Eau this can be found in Wellhead Gardens where it rises up from an artesian spring, this is fed from a limestone aquifer some 165ft (50m) below the surface, so would have been of great interest to settlers as a drinking water resource, which now provides, both locally and Spalding with water. This spring then goes into a short river that was once used to power three water mills, it then flows in an easterly direction to join the river Glen at Tongue End. This is also an ideal opportunity to stop for some lunch or refreshments where there are a few cafes to choose from. Other recommended attractions include the jewel of Bourne Architecture, Red Hall built in 1605 an Elizabethan Hall, built with local red bricks that give its name, Tudor Cinema now a Chinese restaurant on North Street that opened its doors for the first time in 1929, Smiths store that’s been established nearly 150 years that in 2001 was converted into a pub but still retains Its original façade. There are several famous people that were born in Bourne these include Raymond Mays who lived there all his life, he was famous for motor car racing, Robert Bourne who it is claimed was the first person to ever write in English, William Cecil he was Lord High Treasurer to the Queen and Frederick Worth, who was the founder of the Paris Fashion House. The town also boast an outdoor Lido one of only a few hundred that are left now in the country. To really get a full appreciation of the history of Bourne you would be best to visit Bourne Heritage centre with free entry, it is about 656ft (200m) from the market on South Street. But please do check the opening times as they are only open at weekends, free parking can be found just off south street for all the attraction.

After Bourne we continue northwards for a short while before heading westerly and heading back towards Melton Mowbray. After coming off the A52 onto the B1176, this is the infamous Bitchfield Bends where the road meanders through the South Kesteven district in the heart of the Lincolnshire countryside. At Corby Glen it is then onto the B676 with its superb wide right and left angle sweeping corners. Approximately 6 miles before you arrive back at Melton Mowbray there is one final route option by taking the next left onto Wymondham Road and following for 1.7 miles you can visit a local attraction. Wymondham Windmill was built with local ironstone over 200 years ago, this historic five story flour mill with an ogee cap, fantail and originally with six sails. Set in seven acres of land where visitors are free to explore, with its very own tearoom that sells hot food and you can also buy fresh milled flour, there are a host of bespoke shops and ample free parking also onsite.

The route finishes in the Wilton Road carpark in Melton Mowbray.