6 Of The Best Walks In Lincolnshire

 

Some of the country’s best walks are in Lincolnshire, a county with a contrasting landscape of spectacular countryside and historic market towns, like Binbrook and Market Rasen.

Getting around the area on foot is a brilliant way to explore and experience the scenery of this region, which is full of impressive places to stretch your legs. Whether you’re wandering around the woods in Willingham or strolling along the award-winning Lincolnshire coast at Anderby Creek, you’re in for a treat.

Here’s our guide to the best walks in Lincolnshire…

Fall in love with the Lincolnshire Wolds

The Lincolnshire Wolds is a largely undisturbed expanse of fine British countryside, as well as a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Over time, the lush grassland, ancient woodland and abandoned chalk pits here have become home to an abundance of wildlife and rare flowers.

Snipe Dales is part of this gorgeous landscape and a fantastic place to go for a scenic walk. It’s split into two halves:  a local nature reserve and a country park. The reserve has one of the only semi-natural wet-valley systems still existent in the county and is rich in birds, insects and other wildlife.

There are three well-marked and accessible trails in the park area (maps can be collected from the warden’s office) and the valleys provide spectacular views over the Wolds. Please note that dogs are welcome on a short lead in the park, but are not allowed in the nature reserve – this is to protect and maintain the rare habitats that flourish here.

For those who prefer a long-distance walking experience, the Lindsey Loop is for you. This 105-mile walk links the six market towns in east and west Lindsey that border the Lincolnshire Wolds AONB. You don’t have to tackle the entire thing in one trip though, as the loop can be conveniently split into eight stages, varying from 9.5 to 14.5 miles.

Escape reality for a few nights and stay at one of our campsites in Lincolnshire.

Follow the Fossdyke Canal Trail

The Fossdyke canal is the oldest in the UK and was originally built by the Romans to join Lindum Colonia (now known as Lincoln) to the River Trent. This 11-mile-long waterway was also used to transport goods for around 2000 years, including the stone that was used in the rebuilding ofLincoln Cathedral back in the 11th century.

Walk, run or cycle the six-mile route that runs alongside the canal from Lincoln to Saxilby, taking a break at the Pyewipe Inn for some lunch or a drink by the water.

There are also boat trips and water taxis available along the canal from Burton Waters, a marina development not far from the city centre.

Explore Willingham Woods

Willingham Woods is part of a large pinewood to the east of Market Rasen, a bustling market town on the western edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds.

It’s a popular spot all year round and there are various trails through the woodland and around the park’s ponds. A particularly well-loved walking routehere is Willingham Wood circular – a two-mile loop that’s a firm favourite with dog walkers and cyclists. The entire forest is open to the public though, so feel free to explore a little further afield.

There’s also a wide range of family-friendly activities available, such as horse riding and mountain biking. And if you tend to get lost easily, there’s an orienteering course available on site for those interested in developing their map-reading skills.

The medieval market town of Binbrook is a short drive away from Willingham Woods and there’s a lovely walk there that’s just shy of three miles long. Follow the public footpath out of the village and you’ll pass various places of interest, including Grimsby Road Pump. The accompanying plaque states that the pump was built in the 19th century so that local farmers could collect water to power their machinery and ‘quench the thirst of their workers’.

Check out some campsites near Market Rasen.

Amble around Hubbard’s Hills

Hubbard’s Hills is in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and thousands of people from all over the world visit the site each year. Entry is free and the scenery is simply outstanding, so it’s a lovely place to amble around for an afternoon.

A glacial overspill channel was formed here over 40,000 years ago as a result of the last ice age and runs through the green space, adding to its beauty. Spend an afternoon by the water with a picnic or, if you haven’t come prepared with lunch, head to the on-site café for some refreshments.

There are lots of pretty woodland trails to explore and dogs are welcome here too, so you can take your pooch for a paddle in the stream or play fetch with them in the sunshine.

A coastal walk from Chapel Point to Anderby Creek

This 5.5 mile circular walk starts at Chapel Point and continues to Anderby Creek in Lincolnshire's coastal grazing marsh area. Stroll along quiet lanes and field paths, experiencing the grounding smells and sounds of nature along the way.

During the walk, you’ll pass an old pill box (a bunker that was used for defence in World War II) and a few nature reserves where you can explore the wide variety of wildlife that thrives in the area. There’s also a chance to stop off at Cloud Bar – the world’s first cloud-viewing platform. It may not serve alcohol, but it does provide a scenic spot to relax and watch the nimbus float through the sky. 

It’s relatively easy and level walking, but if you fancy a shorter route then return to the North Sea Observatory via the beach rather than following the path behind the dunes to the Round and Round House birdhouse.

Browse a selection of campsites in and around Anderby and take a look at the 6 Best Beaches In Lincolnshire if you need your fix of sea and sand.

Go back in time at Gainsthorpe

Have you ever walked around a deserted medieval village? There are around 2,000 of them in the UK, but Gainsthorpe in Lincolnshire is one of the best preserved. It was mentioned in the Domesday book and in 1208 the village was recorded as having a chapel and a windmill. 

The site is open to the public all year round and visitors will be able to see remains of what was thought to be part of a manor house complex. Many parts of the village also survive as a group of earthworks, so you should be able to make out where streets, houses and barns would have once existed.

No one is sure exactly why the village was abandoned – but legend has it that unhappy locals demolished the site as they thought it was a den of thieves.

If you’re ready to start planning your trip, then take a look at 11 Things To Do In Lincolnshire to get some more ideas for your stay.