Exploring Lincolnshire: Walks, Hikes & Sights

In September this year I spent a week in Lincolnshire - an area of the country I would say isn't on most holidaymaker's radars. However, if you're looking for a quiet, peaceful getaway with ample walking opportunities (both coastal and inland), Lincolnshire might just be the place for you. This blog will go into some of the walks we did during the week, as well as a day trip to the city of Lincoln.

The map below shows where we were staying relative to the walking locations and the city:

Accommodation

For those unfamiliar with where Lincolnshire is, it's a county in the East Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber regions on England. From London it was about a 3.5 hour drive (without stops) to get to our accommodation for the week. Depending on what you're looking for, there are various options of places to stay (hotels, lodges, B&Bs etc). We stayed at Kenwick Park, an estate just south of Louth that was home to lodges, a gold club, hotel and spa. We would use this as our base for the week to get to the various start points of our walks.

Kenwick Park was located inside the Lincolnshire Wolds National Landscape, a range of low hills that run roughly parallel with the North Sea coast, from the Humber Estuary to the Lincolnshire Fens. In 1949 it was decided that the Wolds should be protected as Areas of Outstanding National Beauty (AONBs).

During our week, I'd say we got quite lucky with the weather and caught the last of the summer sun. September is definitely an off-peak time to visit Lincolnshire, with schools back on and most people at work. However, as the saying goes in many Nordic countries, "There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing!". That makes September a perfectly reasonable time to visit, if you're prepared.

Walks & Hikes

Chapel Point to Anderby Creek

• Distance: 8.85km

Chapel Point to Anderby Creek was 1 of 2 coastal walks we did whilst in Lincolnshire, and was a great way to explore the undeveloped, quiet beaches that lie between the more touristy Skegness and Mablethorpe. There are various points where you can park and join this circular route from - we started at Anderby Creek. The route takes you inland in one direction, with the trail behind the sand dunes. On the return trip, you will walk along the beach back to the car park.

At one end lies the North Sea Observatory, a purpose built marine observatory with fantastic views of the dunes and sea. It has an observation area, café and hosts activities year around, so worth checking out when you get there. Public toilets are also open at the observatory. Be sure to look out into sea, and you may be able to spot the huge wind farms that have been developed in this part of the North Sea.

Gibraltar Point Nature Reserve

South of Skegness is Gibraltar Point Nature Reserve. Started in 1949, it was one of the earliest official Bird Observatories in Britain. That being said, I'm pretty useless at identifying species of birds, so if you're a bit like me Gibraltar Point also makes for a lovely walking spot. There is plenty of parking on site, and you can pick up a map from the building (which also had a team room and gift shop).

The map linked here shows the various routes around the Nature Reserve, with viewpoints over the marshes onto the coast. We didn't end up seeing any birds during our visit, but nonetheless Gibraltar Point is well worth a trip down. Just a heads up - it is a little far from Lincoln / Louth, so I would try to do this along with the North Sea Observatory on the same day to avoid extra driving.

In the Footsteps of Roman Legions

• Distance: 12km

Our longest walk of the trip took us through 3 villages, a section of the Viking Way and for a while followed the course of a Roman Road. The Footsteps of the Roman Legions walk links the villages of Fulletby, Tetford and Belchford and the hamlet of Salmonby. This was a walk of moderate difficulty, where we discovered that all of Lincolnshire isn't flat! Starting at Fulletby, the walk took us through mostly paths and tracks, with the occasional field. There are a number of stiles and gates to traverse, and depending on the weather sections can be quite muddy.

I found this walk to be a great way to explore rural Lincolnshire and it's agricultural significance. Many of the fields we walked through were growing all sorts of vegetables, giving you an appreciation of the scale of farming needed to feed a nation (Lincolnshire alone accounts for 30% of the UK's vegetable production, despite only having 5.5% of the country's agricultural land!). I recommend some sturdy walking shoes, and bring a packed lunch and plenty of water to stay fuelled. The villages often have a pub (which may or may not be open) to grab extra refreshments. Do have the map printed out with written instructions to supplement the signage on route.

Donnington on Bain Walk

• Distance: 6.4km

I realised that in the previous walk I never explained what the Viking Way was! The Viking Way is a 149 mile walking route through Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Rutland. It opened in 1976 and reflects the path taken by the Norse invaders on the east of Britain. Many of the walks, such as this one, use sections of the Viking Way. Donnington on Bain is a small village (population of ~350) which sits inside the Lincolnshire Wolds. This 4 mile walk was of easy to average difficulty, and very clearly marked. If you have half a day to spare and are based near Louth, this walk also minimises the amount of travel time to the start point.

The walk consists of paths, tracks and fields, with some elevation at times. Again, I would highly recommend walking shoes for this hike. What I liked about this walk (and all the others) was the routes were quiet when we visited. I bumped into about 5 people (and 3 dogs) on the entire walk - perfect if you're looking for a peaceful walk with friends/family. The village of Donnington on Bain is pretty much a single main street, and streetside parking is plenty.

Lincoln

Along with the nature on offer in Lincolnshire, the city of Lincoln is a must-visit when in the area. The old town is small enough to walk around, and with an extensive bus service you won't need your car to explore the city. Below are 3 of the places we stopped by during our day trip, all located close by to each other.

Lincoln Castle

Built on top a hill overlooking the city in 1068, Lincoln Castle has and still does dominate the Lincoln skyline. It was originally built to control the rebellious north of Great Britain. In the same spot centuries before, the Romans had built their fortress. Lincoln Castle has been really well preserved, and upon visiting there's a few key highlights I would recommended for you to go and see.

Magna Carta Vault

Lincoln Castle is the only place in the world where the original 1215 Magna Carta and 1217 Charter of the Forest can be seen side by side. The Magna Carta (translating to 'The Great Charter') is often regarded as the foundation of democracy in England. The vault is worth seeing and quite surreal to have documents over 800 years old in front of you!

Victorian Prison

Within the walls of the castle also lies the Victorian Prison, built in 1788. You can go inside and see the living conditions and communal quarters, getting and idea of what life was like behind bars. There are 3 floors to explore, with rooms showcasing various aspects of prison life.

Medieval Wall Walk

The wall that surrounds Lincoln Castle can be explored through the Medieval Wall Walk. It is about a third of a mile long, and offers great view of the Cathedral and city. The importance of parts of the wall are well explained in the Grounds Tour (more on that below).

Grounds Tour

We booked onto the Grounds Tour, and found that was the easiest way to learn about the history of the castle. Walls and turrets that we would unknowingly walk past were explained of their importance on this tour, giving you a good understanding of the context. I was recommend to do the tour first, then at your own leisure explore the rest of the grounds based on what interested you most.

Lincoln Cathedral

We spent a good 3-4 hours in the castle, and as a result didn't have time to go inside and explore Lincoln Cathedral. It is almost a thousand years old, and tickets can be bought if you'd like to visit inside. The cathedral is hard to miss - it's huge!

Steep Hill

With an average gradient of 16.12º, you can see where Steep Hill gets it's name from! Today it is a shopping lane with various independent stores, ranging from bookshops to places for afternoon tea. If coming from the city centre, you will pass Steep Hill on your way to Lincoln Castle and Cathedral.

And with that concludes my blog on Lincolnshire! I had a great week there, and would recommend it to anyone who is looking to escape the hustle and bustle of city life, especially during off peak periods. With countryside and the city of Lincoln close by, a trip to Lincolnshire can be split between nature and cultural/historic excursions (if that's what you want). There are many, many more walks that you could do in the area, and Lincoln certainly offers more than I've stated here - but I hope this gives you an idea of what you could get up to. Until next time!

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