 There is a moderately urbanised A6 corridor between the two population centres and close to the River Soar, including Quorn, Barrow-on-Soar, Mountsorrel, Birstall, Sileby, Thurmaston, Syston, Queniborough and East Goscote.To the south of the borough Birstall, Queniborough, Thurmaston and Syston, form part of the Leicester Urban Area, while Quorn and Shepshed (the second largest town in the district), amongst others, might be considered to be part of a Loughborough urban agglomeration.The highest point is Beacon Hill (248m/814 ft) to the north of the Charnwood Forest 'area of natural beauty' extending WN-west into the National Forest

There are two Parliamentary constituencies covering the district.