Breedon on the Hill

Breedon on the Hill is a small village in North West Leicestershire, tucked close to the Derbyshire border about five miles north of Ashby-de-la-Zouch and two miles south of Melbourne. Its name is a curiosity in itself, layering the Celtic, Old English and modern words for 'hill' one on top of another, so that Breedon on the Hill literally translates as 'hill hill on the hill'. What the name lacks in imagination, the village more than makes up for in setting: a cluster of stone cottages and a handful of streets gathered beneath a limestone outcrop that has shaped the landscape, and the village's fortunes, for well over a thousand years.

That outcrop is Breedon Hill, and it dominates every view for miles around. Half of it has been worked as a limestone quarry since the 1940s, leaving a sheer cliff face on one side, while the other slope still carries the ramparts of an Iron Age hillfort known as The Bulwarks and, right at the summit, one of the most remarkable parish churches in the Midlands. It is an odd, slightly unsettling thing to see a medieval church balanced on the edge of an active quarry, and that tension between industry and history is very much part of what makes Breedon worth a detour. The village sits within the National Forest, the ambitious multi-decade project to blanket a swathe of the Midlands coalfield in new woodland, so gentle walking country and young plantations spread out in every direction from the village.

Top things to do in Breedon on the Hill

Breedon is a small place, but it punches well above its weight for history and views. These are the highlights worth building a visit around.

• Church of St Mary and St Hardulph — An Anglo-Saxon minster founded around 675 AD, rebuilt as a priory church in 1122 and sited spectacularly on top of the hillfort above the quarry. It holds one of the finest collections of Anglo-Saxon carved stone friezes in England, including the famous Breedon Angel, plus later monuments to the Shirley family.
• Breedon Hill and The Bulwarks — The Iron Age hillfort ramparts encircling the churchyard are still visible in places, and the short, steep climb up from the village is rewarded with wide views over the quarry workings and out across the Trent valley into Derbyshire.
• Cloud Wood nature reserve — A Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust reserve just southeast of the village, rated among the county's best sites for wildflowers, with over 220 recorded plant species and orchids including bee orchid and greater butterfly orchid appearing through late spring and summer.
• National Forest walking and cycling — Breedon sits inside the National Forest, and the surrounding lanes and permissive paths link to newer community woodlands, making the village a good, quiet base for short walks that mix farmland, young forest planting and long sightlines back to the church on its hill.
• Breedon Priory Garden Centre — A local garden centre with a café, useful as a low-key stop for coffee and cake before or after a walk up the hill.
• Melbourne — The handsome Derbyshire town two miles north, with its own Norman church, Melbourne Hall and gardens, and a wider choice of independent shops and cafés, makes an easy add-on to a day in Breedon.

Getting to Breedon on the Hill

Breedon on the Hill sits just off the A453/A42 corridor between the M1 and the M42, roughly 10 miles from M1 Junction 23A and about 4.5 miles from East Midlands Airport, so it is well connected for a Midlands base despite its rural feel. Derby, Leicester and Nottingham are all within half an hour or so by car, and the village makes a convenient stopping point for anyone travelling the A42/M42 corridor. There is no railway station in the village itself; the nearest mainline stations are at Derby and East Midlands Parkway, both a short drive away, with local bus services connecting Breedon to Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Melbourne and Castle Donington. A car is really the practical way to explore, both to reach Breedon and to get around the wider National Forest area.

Best time to visit Breedon on the Hill

Late spring through to early autumn is the best window, when Cloud Wood's orchids and wildflowers are at their peak and the climb up to the church rewards you with clear, long views rather than mist and mud. Summer weekends bring a gentle trickle of walkers and church visitors, but Breedon never feels crowded. Autumn colour in the surrounding National Forest plantations is worth timing a visit around too, while winter has its own appeal for anyone who wants the hilltop church and its Anglo-Saxon carvings to themselves.

Where to stay in Breedon on the Hill

Accommodation in the village itself is limited, in keeping with its size, so most visitors base themselves in or around nearby Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Melbourne or Castle Donington, all a short drive away and offering a wider choice of inns, guesthouses and hotels. Farm-based campsites and glamping sites in the surrounding countryside are a popular alternative for visitors who want to be closer to the National Forest landscape, and East Midlands Airport's hotel cluster is useful for anyone combining a stay with early flights.

Food and drink in Breedon on the Hill

The village has long been served by traditional pubs including the Three Horseshoes and the historic Holly Bush, a pub with roots going back to the 16th century, both offering the kind of straightforward, welcoming atmosphere you would hope for after a walk up the hill. The café at Breedon Priory Garden Centre is a handy daytime option, and the wider choice of independent cafés and restaurants in nearby Melbourne and Ashby-de-la-Zouch fills out the picture for evening dining.