Leicester to Milton Keynes: Distance, drive time & best stops

The distance from Leicester to Milton Keynes is 55 miles, with a 1h2m driving time. The best road trip stops on the Leicester to Milton Keynes drive are Rugby School, the Althorp Estate and the Canal Museum in Stoke Bruerne.

Finding the best things to do between Leicester and Milton Keynes

The drive from Leicester to Milton Keynes takes you from the East Midlands to a new town with a fascinating history.

Leicester is one of the most multicultural cities in England. It offers scavenger hunts and the National Space Centre. The latter is all about space exploration, and houses a Blue Streak Rocket, and Apollo Moon Lander and exhibitions about the UK’s contribution to the space race. The highlight, however, is the shows in the massive planetarium.

Also worthwhile is the King Richard III Visitor Centre, which tells the remarkable tale of the former king’s remains being found beneath a Leicester car park.

Oft-maligned Milton Keynes is a new town gradually coming into its own. There are lots of fun attractions here, including the Snozone indoor ski centre and indoor skydiving at iFly.

Top of the list of Milton Keynes experiences, however, should be Bletchley Park. This was the secret codebreaking centre in World War II, where teams of mathematicians and scientists made key breakthroughs that turned the tide of the war. The stories are fascinating, and the on-site National Museum of Computing takes you through the history of computers.

Leicester to Milton Keynes distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Leicester to Milton Keynes is 55 miles. That makes for a driving time of around one hour and two minutes. The quickest route is down the M1. The best stops between Leicester and Milton Keynes are Rugby School, the Althorp Estate and the Canal Museum in Stoke Bruerne.

Things to do between Leicester and Milton Keynes: Rugby School

Rugby School is a private school in Rugby, Warwickshire. There are public tours every Saturday at 2pm, which would be mildly interesting if it was just a case of looking at the handsome, historic school buildings.

It’s the playing fields that are truly historic, though. This was where William Webb Ellis picked up the ball during a football match, giving birth to the sport of rugby union.

Leicester to Milton Keynes road trip stops: Althorp Estate

A ten minute detour off the M1, the Althorp Estate is home to one of England’s finest and most lavishly decorated stately homes. The Spencer family still lives there and tours are seasonal.

However, most visitors are going for the Diana connection. Althorp was Princess Diana of Wales’ family home, and her grave is on the estate.

Leicester to Milton Keynes drive: The Canal Museum, Stoke Bruerne

Stoke Bruerne is a pretty little village on the Grand Union Canal. The Canal Museum here looks at life on the canals, with interactive displays showing what it has historically been like to live and work on Britain’s canals.

There’s a narrow boat parked outside – the Sculptor – which is now a museum boat with a convoluted backstory. During World War II, it was pressed into action putting out fires in London.

More Leicester road trips

Leicester to Cambridge | Leicester to Coventry | Leicester to Nottingham | Luton to Leicester | Northampton to Leicester.

More Milton Keynes road trips

Milton Keynes to Birmingham | Coventry to Milton Keynes | Derby to Milton Keynes | Leeds to Milton Keynes | Sheffield to Milton Keynes.