Stoney Stanton

Stoney Stanton sits in the Blaby district of Leicestershire, roughly five miles east of Hinckley and ten miles south-west of Leicester. It is one of the county's larger villages, recorded in the Domesday Survey of 1086, and its name gives away its story: the settlement grew up on a seam of hard basalt and granite rock, and from the eighteenth century onwards that stone was quarried in earnest at Carey Hill, Lane's Hill, Clint Hill and Hall's Court. The quarrying shaped the place both physically and economically, and it is the reason the village is known today for one thing above all else.

That reason is Stoney Cove. The old granite quarry at Lane's Hill flooded after excavation stopped, and by the 1960s divers had discovered its deep, clear water made an ideal training ground. It has since grown into the UK's National Diving Centre, with wrecks, training platforms and depths to 36 metres, and it draws visitors from across the country who would otherwise have no reason to find this corner of Leicestershire on a map. Around the diving centre, the village itself remains a working, residential place rather than a tourist destination, which suits anyone looking for an unassuming, well-connected base in the middle of England.

Top things to do near Stoney Stanton

Stoney Stanton itself is modest, but it sits within easy reach of some genuinely good days out across Leicestershire and neighbouring Warwickshire.

• Stoney Cove — the UK's National Diving Centre, a flooded former granite quarry on the edge of the village with wrecks including the Stanegarth, a Nautilus submarine replica and a recovered Elizabethan-era vessel, plus a training pool, dive shop and on-site bar and restaurant.
• Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre — around a 20-minute drive away near Market Bosworth, marking the site of the 1485 battle where Richard III was killed and the Tudor dynasty began, with an interactive museum and waymarked trails across the battlefield.
• Twycross Zoo — one of the UK's leading zoos, on the Leicestershire/Warwickshire border, notable as the only UK zoo to keep all four great ape species alongside one of Europe's largest gibbon collections.
• The Battlefield Line — a heritage steam railway running through the countryside around Market Bosworth alongside the Ashby Canal, one of only two preserved railways in Leicestershire.
• Triumph Motorcycles Factory Visitor Experience — in Hinckley, the global home of Triumph, offering factory tours and a look at the marque's classic and modern machines.
• Burbage Common and Woods — one of the largest green spaces in the area, on the edge of Hinckley, with miles of footpaths through ancient woodland and open grassland.
• Market Bosworth Country Park — 87 acres of parkland with an arboretum and children's play area, part of the wider Bosworth market town worth a wander in its own right.

Getting to Stoney Stanton

Stoney Stanton is well placed for road travel, sitting close to the M69 between Leicester and Coventry, with easy links onto the M1, M6 and A5. Hinckley, five miles to the west, is the nearest sizeable town and has a railway station on the Birmingham to Leicester line via Nuneaton, useful if you are combining a visit with public transport for part of the journey. Leicester itself, around ten miles north-east, has a mainline station with fast services to London St Pancras and the Midlands, plus East Midlands Airport is roughly 30 minutes'drive to the north.

Best time to visit Stoney Stanton

Spring through early autumn is the most comfortable time for exploring the area on foot or by bike, and for anyone visiting specifically for Stoney Cove, the diving centre operates year-round but the water is noticeably more pleasant, and visibility generally better, from late spring to early autumn. Winter can still suit a quieter countryside break, with shorter days better spent around Bosworth Battlefield's indoor exhibits or a stop at Twycross Zoo, though some outdoor attractions reduce their hours over the colder months, so it is worth checking ahead.

Where to stay near Stoney Stanton

Stoney Stanton itself has little in the way of formal accommodation, so most visitors base themselves in Hinckley or the surrounding Leicestershire and Warwickshire countryside, where a mix of pubs with rooms, small hotels and rural bed and breakfasts serve the area. The National Diving Centre also has camping and caravan facilities on site at Stoney Cove for those visiting specifically to dive. Leicester, a short drive away, offers a fuller range of city hotels for anyone wanting more choice of restaurants and evening options after a day out.

Food and drink near Stoney Stanton

The village has a handful of local pubs serving the community, typical of a Leicestershire village of its size, and Stoney Cove's own Nemos bar and restaurant caters for divers and visitors on site. For a wider choice, Hinckley's town centre has a good spread of independent cafes, pubs and restaurants, while Market Bosworth's historic market square is a pleasant spot for a coffee or lunch stop when combining a visit with the battlefield or the Battlefield Line railway.