LE18 ? is that the south side of Leicester? not my patch I'm afraid
To the west of there out towards Hinkley and south towards Lutterworth its fairly flatish rolling countryside, a few vantage points but not easily "panoramic".
If you head north west from Leicester you get into the Charnwood Forest area, also known at one time as Little Derbyshire, that's a group of hills rising almost 1000 feet. Junction 22 off the M1 gets you into there, and it covers an area roughly upto J23. Bradgate park (as already mentioned) is in there, its got quite a high lump of rock on it called Old John with a folly castle on the top that lets you see how flat the area to the south is, Beacon Hill gives you views east and there's a little known vantage point at Markfield almost on top of J22 that gives views of flat countryside to the south west. However the Charnwood area is scenic in itself with lots of lumpy landscape and trees everywhere.
If you head east from LE18 then you are into a lesser known area stretching down from Melton Mowbray to Market Harborough and east to Rutland Water. Take a good map and drive around that triangle to the east of Leicester and there are some very good panoramic views to be found, especially if you get off the A47 and into the lanes.
Some good spots to try :
- Tilton on the Hill, on the B6047, to the north side of the village is a convenient layby, there is a magnificent old railway viaduct to the north at Marefield
- a couple of miles further north and to the east of the B6047 there is Burrough on the Hill, a pre-Roman hill fort on a high hill, carpark at the top. Wrap up well, the wind cuts through you up there.
But basically that triangle east of Leicester is chocabloc with panoramic possibilities at every turn.
