The Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward is setting off on an ambitious 150-mile walking trail, designed to connect communities, promote local pride, support local businesses and stimulate the regional economy.
Over the next year, the Mayor will walk the entire route of ‘The Loop’ in stages, visiting towns, villages and local landmarks along the way, showing off the region’s natural beauty and inspiring people who live and work here to take on the route.
The walking trail follows a network of historic waterways and existing public paths, connecting lesser-known locations and high streets that stand to benefit from increased footfall.
Mayor Claire will be meeting with “local heroes” throughout the route: individuals and groups whose work reflects her key mayoral priorities – from tackling climate change to creating new jobs, boosting hospitality and tourism, backing clean energy and breathing life back into underused high streets. The Mayor wants to showcase real people and projects already making a difference.
Importantly, the route also links to the spatial development plan for the region, laying the groundwork for a more connected, sustainable East Midlands of tomorrow. The Spatial plan is due to be unveiled at UKREiiF next week.
This is the first time a walking route has been designed to connect the entire East Midlands. Whilst it’s not an official route yet, the project aims to spark bigger investment, as the Mayor looks at the infrastructure along ‘The Loop’ to see what needs to be done to make the trail permanent and well-marked in the future.
The goal is simple: attract more visitors to smaller towns and rural areas, support local pride and bring the region closer together. Whilst also support local shops, cafés and hospitality businesses and promoting walking and cycling as part of a greener future.
Mayor Claire Ward said: “The East Midlands is a vibrant, connected and investable region – full of brilliant people, proud communities and untapped opportunity. But for too long, parts of our region have been overlooked. The Loop is my way of changing that – it’s more than just a walking trail. It’s a symbol of unity, ambition and pride. It’s about linking people and places across our towns, cities and countryside, and showing that every corner of the East Midlands has something to offer.”
“Through the Loop, I will highlight the local heroes and everyday champions who are quietly making a difference – whether that’s a small business revitalising a high street, a volunteer-run nature reserve, or a school leading the way on sustainability. These stories deserve to be seen and celebrated.”
“The Loop is also a call to action – for visitors to explore new places, for businesses to invest, and for all of us to come together behind a shared vision for the region. If we want to grow our economy, bring in good jobs, and create more opportunity, we need to show what we have. And we have a lot. This trail is a statement: the East Midlands is open, proud, ambitious – and full of potential.”
With ‘The Loop’, Mayor Claire is putting her mission into action – quite literally step by step.
Through this journey, she hopes to send a clear message:
✅ The East Midlands is open for business.
✅ The region is ready for change.
✅ And the future is something we walk toward together.
Follow the journey and explore ‘The Loop’ on our website, our YouTube channel, and across The Mayor of East Midlands social media channels:
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Published on: 14 May 2025
Categories: News, Transport, Visitor Economy