Thringstone & Swannington

Thringstone and Swannington are neighbouring villages situated on the western edge of Charnwood Forest in North West Leicestershire. The area is characterised by a mix of residential housing and open countryside, with views towards the distinctive ridge of the National Forest. Historically, both settlements were shaped by coal mining, with their development closely linked to the now-defunct local collieries that once dominated the landscape and local economy.

A specific legacy of this industrial past is the restored Swannington Incline, an early railway slope that forms a prominent feature within the countryside. The area now offers a network of public footpaths and bridleways, including routes along old mineral railway lines, connecting to wider trails through the regenerating woodlands of the National Forest project. The villages maintain their own community facilities and local pubs, serving a population that now largely commutes to nearby towns for work.