Continuing on through the Leicestershire Soar Valley, it passes Loughborough and Kegworth until it reaches the Trent at the county boundary.

The name of the Soar is included in a family of old river-names derived from a root *ser- "to flow", alongside (among others) Saravus (Soar, a tributary of the Moselle in Belgium), Sera (la Serre, la Cère and le Séran, three rivers in France), Serantia (Sierentz, Alsace), Serma (Schremm, Brandenburg), Sora (Cwm Sorgwm, Wales), Sorna (die Zorn, Alsace), Sara (Saire), Saar(e) (Brandenburg), Saros (Sar, Spain), Sarius (Serio, Lombardy), Sarià (Lithuania), Saravus (Saar, Germany), Sarnivos (Sernf, Glarus), etc.

[5] According to a suggestion due to William Somner (1701) the Soar river may formerly have been called the Leir, from Brittonic *Ligera or *Ligora, cognate with the French Loire.

[4] Before flowing through the centre of the city it meets the Grand Union Canal at Aylestone, where it is also joined by the River Biam.

After passing over Freemens Weir, the river splits and recombines with the canal, creating an area of Leicester called Bede Island.

Beyond Blackfriars, the river splits again to form Frog Island and Abbey Park; it recombines at Belgrave where it passes beside the National Space Centre.

Between Stanford and Normanton on Soar, the canal rejoins the river, which then continues to Zouch, passing the 'Devils Elbow' to reach Kegworth.

However the end to textile industries near the river in Leicester and clean-up work by the Environment Agency has now restored it to its natural state.

Several consents have been granted to companies to use the River Soar, however the quantity and quality of the sewage is strictly controlled to a preset amount that is agreed on with the Environment Agency.

"[10] This included buildings and industries like "wind and watermills; brewing and malting; bridges; canal and railway structures; public utilities.

Many of these factories however soon outgrew themselves, moving to new larger sites, which vacated space for other trades such as boot and shoe manufacture, printing or box making.

Leicester City Council has made a move towards re-developing the waterfront "offering one of the most exciting waterside regeneration opportunities in the country.

Research conducted by Newcastle University suggests that people's desire to reside on the waterfront and enjoy recreation offered by the canal is upset by "visually unattractive features, such as run-down derelict areas and poor design".