The key characteristics of the Northamptonshire and Leicestershire Vales are:

89+94. Northamptonshire and Leicestershire Vales

The key characteristics of the Northamptonshire and Leicestershire Vales are:

• Gentle clay ridges and valleys with little woodland and strong patterns of Tudor and parliamentary enclosure.

• Distinctive river valleys of Soar, Welland and Nene with flat floodplains and gravel terraces.

• Large towns of Leicester and Northampton dominate much of the landscape.

• Frequent small towns and large villages, often characterised by red brick buildings.

• Prominent parks and country houses.

• Frequent imposing, spired churches.

• Attractive stone buildings in older village centres and eastern towns and villages.

• Great diversity of landscape and settlement pattern with many sub units, eg Nene Valley and Welland Valley.

For further details on this character area and for an introduction to the region, please see the PDF documents in the box at the top right hand side of this page.