Stomp Round Leicester and explore our city!

This summer the elephants have come to Leicester and they are the perfect way to make a day of it in the city. Take a Stomp Round Leicester and explore our cafes, restaurants and attractions while you find these fantastic pieces of public art and follow the LOROS elephant trail!

Start off from Bede Park where you can find Morris in them main square by Western Boulevard then walk up through De Montfort University (maybe have a quick look in their free gallery) to find Threads of Unity on Mill Lane. Take a wander through The Newarke before cutting into Castle Gardens to find The Grey Wanderer! Back onto Castle View, Pastellie can be found near St Mary de Castro church (where Chaucer was married). Walk round past St Mary de Castro (you could stop for a drink in the excellent The Castle micropub) and through the 15^th century Rupert’s Gateway and head towards The Gateway to find Remembering Leicester.

Leicester’s Old Town is located around the Cathedral but for this historical Stomp you’ll want to start at the newly opened Jewry Wall Real Roman Experience. The Centurion elephant overlooks one of the tallest pieces of Roman architecture in the country and you can explore the museum once it opens on 26 July.

From there head to Jubilee Square, where An Elephant’s Tale showcases Leicester’s favourite sites and attractions. Head past the historic Guildhall (and pop in, it’s totally free to look around the museum and medieval hall!) before finding Elephant King, a King Richard III inspired design in Cathedral Gardens, then pop into Leicester Cathedral itself where you can find the last resting place of the Lost King himself (plus some more baby elephants). And if you want to know more about the story of King Richard’s discovery then pop into the KRIII Visitor Centre just across from the cathedral and find some more baby elephants in their entrance.

After you’ve done the KRIII Centre turn right and you can find the abstract Lexi outside Middleton’s steakhouse and Veeno wine bar. If the weather is nice and sunny it’s the perfect time to grab a genuine Italian Gelato from Gelato Village. Pop into St Martin’s Square, a fantastic pedestrianised area full of great restaurants like Giggling Squid, Mowgli and The Frame where you can find Cellie-bration. Head through the lanes and arcades towards High Street where Remember Me can be found in the This & That LOROS shop.

The Highcross Shopping Centre has three of the trail’s large elephants in and around it, plus a few baby elephants inside the Centre. Find the sparkly Twist and Stomp next to Next, and then head outside for XL (created by the Leicester Tigers) and a friendship-inspired elephant in St Peter’s Square. Once you’re there pop into one of the eateries – either pizza, Caribbean, Japanese or Italian – to refuel before you head off to add more to your list!

Over by the Haymarket Shopping Centre you can find Sunflower right next to the Clock Tower and Daft Elephant, designed and created by Kasabian’s Serge Pizzorno. Inside the centre there are some more baby elephants right in the central atrium.

By Leicester’s historic Town Hall and fountain you can find Elefont and from there head up Horsefair Street to discover Anushku, an Indian-inspired design in Gallowtree Square . Carry on towards the Curve Theatre, right in the heart of Leicester’s Cultural Quarter and you will find Sir Stomp-a lot in the middle of Orton Square. He cuts a shiny figure as he’s completely covered in coins.

Soak up the atmosphere in the Cultural Quarter by grabbing a drink from Baton Rouge country bar or The Exchange Bar. Cut your way through St George’s churchyard (and enjoy some of the fantastic street art) to find the Geometric Elephant on St George Street. Head right and then follow the ring road to the top of Granby Street where you can find Taking Strides Towards Peace and Unity, then cross the road to Leicester Train Station and All Ears.

Your final tour takes in the city’s historic pedestrian promenade New Walk. Right at the bottom in The Circle you will find Harry the Dryadephant, inspired by basket weaving. Make your way up New Walk and you will find the Leicester Museum and Art Gallery and their Fossilphant. Inside this free museum are some fantastic displays and exhibitions, including the Elmer and Friends exhibition based upon the charming patchwork elephant and the dinosaurs and fossils which inspired Fossilphant.

Further up New Walk, on De Montfort Square Flora & Fauna was inspired by the wildlife of Leicestershire. Once you’ve walked the mile of New Walk, you’ll reach Victoria Park, one of the city’s largest green spaces. Right next to the Edwin Lutyen’s designed war memorial is The Mindful Elephant, then round the park’s edge and just inside the University of Leicester campus (next to the library and the house where Sir David and Lord Richard Attenborough grew up) is Ele-Gene Voyager, inspired by two of the University’s specialisms, DNA sequencing and space science.

Right on the other edge of the park is Ellie, the only one of the Stomp Round Leicester designs made to look like a real live elephant. And since you’ve made it this far you can treat yourself to a drink or meal in one of Clarendon Park’s many cafés, restaurants or bars, plus find a few more baby elephants in the LOROS bookshop and Knighton Library.

We’ve covered loads here, but check out the Stomp Round Leicester website for all the locations, and download the app to check them off your list!