East Midlands - A563

Road: A563 - Where: The main Leicester Ring Road

Why do it?

For a city, Leicester has a surprisingly beautiful and tree-lined ring road that varies from single-lane urban main road to (mostly) two lanes and sometimes three lanes running through pretty countryside, particularly in its western and northern sections.

Where does it go?

Going anti-clockwise and starting at the University of Leicester where the A563 intersects with the south-bound A6, you’ll pass by the racecourse, through Knighton Park and over the pretty River Soar valley. You’ll then swing north to run parallel with the M1, past Braunstone Park, along the appropriately-named New Parks Way (which is its fastest section and where a lot of accidents take place) and over the A50. Then past Beaumont Park, over the start of the north-bound A6 before running through Humberstone and hitting the A47, where the ring road ends.

What to watch out for?

• It’s going to be very busy during commuter rush hours.
• Pork Pie roundabout in the western section – it’s got three lanes.
• There are several tricky junctions were oncoming cars will be waiting to turn across your path and may not see you. The main traffic lights at West Knighton are a good example, as are those at the north-bound A6 junction.
• Watch out when you’re on Attlee Way in the western section– there’s a row of shops on one side, and a large residential area on the right – so pedestrians are often attempting to cross.

Top tip: On many parts of the A563 you are riding in among traffic on a fast, dual and occasionally three lane main road which is going to test your filtering skills.

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