One of the largest counties in Britain, Lincolnshire has a vast and rich landscape, with 2,500 square miles of jaw-droppingly beautiful countryside to discover and 50 miles of dramatic coastline to explore. Dotted with market towns, idyllic villages, wild nature reserves, rolling arable land and impressive limestone cliffs, there’s much to see in this epic county.
Our opinion? There’s no better way to see it all than on foot to ensure you spot the amazing flora and fauna that call Lincolnshire home. Luckily, the county provides a plethora of paths, trails, and bridleways throughout. Slow down, take a breath, and soak in your surroundings.
To help you, we’ve compiled a list of our favourite walks in Lincolnshire - all you need to do is pack your walking boots!
The Viking Way
Stretching over 147 miles, the Viking Way weaves between the River Humber in Lincoln and Oakham in Rutland. Opened in 1976 and named after the Viking invasion, there are 13 different walks to choose from in Lincolnshire alone. There are also plenty of ‘Viking Way shorts’ to pick from if you don’t want to walk too far. With markers showing a yellow disk with a Viking helmet, the paths are clear and easy to follow, so you can find your way with ease.
Caistor Walk
Distance: 3.75 miles
Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Starts/ends: Market Place
Parking: Caistor Car Park, Caistor LN7 6RX
Landmarks: Syfer Spring on Fountain Street, numerous Grade II listed buildings
Caistor Walk links the market town of Caistor, a gateway into the Lincolnshire Wolds National Landscape and once a Roman fortified town, with the village of Nettleton on the edge of the Wolds. At just under 4 miles long, it’s a wonderful way to experience the history of the area as well as the stunning countryside.
On this walk you’ll pass a stunning selection of Victorian and Edwardian houses, 56 of which are Grade II listed - any earlier houses were unfortunately destroyed by a fire in 1681. There are, however, whispers of Caistor’s Roman past, including the small sections of the defence wall that can still be seen, while the Syfer Spring on Fountain Street would have been of great importance to the Romans and the Britons before that.
Bardney Long Walk
Distance: 8.5 miles
Time: 4 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Starts/ends: War Memorial at the junction of Silver Street, Horncastle Road and Church Lane
Parking: Parking available on roads around Bardney
Landmarks: Southrey and Scotgrove Woods, Tupholme and Bardney abbeys
A longer, 8.5-mile walk, Bardney Long Walk explores the beautiful Lincolnshire Limewoods area; a shady, natural, wildlife-lovers' paradise dotted with ancient ruins. A perfect combination of both natural and human history.
As there has been continuous woodland here for over 8,000 years and it's home to a nationally important collection of small-leaved lime trees, the Lincolnshire Limewoods is a designated National Nature Reserve. Providing essential habitat for hundreds of species of flora and fauna, this is an actively managed woodland, so you may see coppicing at work as you walk, passing the haunting ruins of Tupholme Abbey and Bardney Abbey before making your way back into the village of Bardney.
Belchford
Distance: 4.5 miles
Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Difficulty: Moderate
Starts/ends: The Blue Bell Inn
Parking: On-road parking
Landmarks: Fulletby, Winn Cottage, ancient meadows
Starting in the pretty village of Belchford in the Lincolnshire Wolds, this 4.5-mile circular walk takes you to the hilltop village of Fulletby along the Viking Way, passing through gentle, rolling meadows where, on a clear day, you can spot Lincoln Cathedral in the distance.
Waymarked with a skylark symbol, the walk starts and ends in Belchford and passes over the River Waring, along old bridleways, and across gently sloping meadows filled with wildflowers. At the summit you’ll find the pretty village of Fulletby, which, at 137 meters above sea level, is one of the highest villages in Lincolnshire. You’ll pass Winn Cottage, home of Henry Winn, who spent an amazing 76 years as a parish clerk, earning him a place in the Guinness Book of World Records! The rest of the walk enjoys stunning views across the countryside before returning to Belchford.
The Lincolnshire Wolds
Covering 216 square miles of idyllic countryside, the Lincolnshire Wolds, the highest point between Kent and Yorkshire, is the perfect place to head for a walk. Uncover multiple paths, trails, and bridleways and the most beautiful, far-reaching views.
Woodhall Spa Woods
Distance: 3 miles
Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Starts/ends: Various access routes
Parking: Woodhall Spa car park
Landmarks: Sculptures, Kinema in the Woods, woodland and canal
For a woodland stroll, pay a visit to Woodhall Spa, a gorgeous broadleaf paradise with a plethora of paths to discover as you wind your way through the leafy undergrowth. Teeming with wildlife, keep your eye out for Muntjac deer, butterflies, and birds such as woodpeckers, the elusive treecreeper, and the colourful goldcrest.
The route is about 3 miles, flat, and follows the disused railway line between Horncastle and the Old Woodhall Junction part of the Horncastle Canal, making it particularly good for wheelchairs and pushchairs. Traffic-free, you’ll spot some wooden, stone, and metal sculptures along the way, hidden among the trees. For a really unique experience, head to Kinema in the Woods, a cinema tucked away amongst the trees that’s been showing films since 1922!
Red Hill Nature Reserve
Distance: As far as you like
Time: Varied
Difficulty: Moderate
Starts/ends: Red Hill Nature Reserve car park
Parking: There is a small car park at the reserve - Asterby Lane, Louth LN11 9UE
Landmarks: Coronation Meadow, red chalk exposure
Covering 4 acres, Red Hill Nature Reserve is a lovely place to walk. A steep, chalky hill with wildflower meadows and old red chalk quarries rich with fossils, it’s a great place to roam with beautiful views. It’s also home to Lincolnshire’s Coronation Meadow, one of 60 across the country to celebrate the Queen’s 60th coronation, chosen for its spectacular wildflowers.
While there’s no fixed path, it’s a lovely spot for a wander, with rare chalk-loving flowers such as bee orchids, yellow wort, and felwort. It’s also a haven for grassland moths and butterflies, as well as lizards and grass snakes. The rocky terrain isn’t suitable for those with mobility issues, but the car park has stunning views over the countryside without the need to head into the reserve.
Walesby from Tealby Circular
Distance: 5 miles
Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
Difficulty: Challenging
Starts/ends: Front Street, Tealby
Parking: You can park on Front Street, or near Tealby Church
Landmarks: Tealby and All Saints Church
Another favourite walk is the Walesby from Tealby Circular, a 5-mile trail starting in the picturesque village of Tealby, which is mentioned in the Domesday Book. The trail passes through beautiful countryside to Walesby, where you’ll find the medieval church of All Saints, whose stunning interior was lovingly restored in the 1930s and memorials for family members of Alfred, Lord Tennyson lie outside.
Covering some of the highest points in the Wolds, this is probably the most well-known hill walk in Lincolnshire. It’s a challenging walk, but you’ll be well rewarded with spectacular views, and as you end the walk back in Tealby, you can pop into one of the lovely tea rooms for a well-earned treat.
Other great walks in Lincolnshire
Chapel Point to Wolla Bank
Distance: 4 miles
Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Starts/ends: North Sea Observatory
Parking: Parking available at the North Sea Observatory
Landmarks: Lincolnshire Coastal Country Park, Wolla Bank Reedbed Nature Reserve
This is a fantastic circular coastal walk just under 4 miles that starts and ends at the North Sea Observatory. A marine observatory overlooking the sea and surrounding dunes, you’ll find displays providing information on the area’s natural history as well as a lovely café and art gallery. From here, the walk takes you into the Lincolnshire Coastal Country Park, which has over 5 miles of sandy beach and nature reserves.
Highlights of the walk include the Sound Tower, which amplifies the sound of the wind, as well as Wolla Bank Reedbed Nature Reserve and Wolla Bank Pit Nature Reserve. On the walk, you’ll pass through arable farmland, as well as a pillbox or two - remnants of WWII lookout points - a reminder of how important this stretch of coast was during the war.
Boston Waterways Walk
Distance: 12 miles
Time: 6 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Starts/ends: The Guildhall
Parking: 4 South Square or Custom Quay car park
Landmarks: Havenside Local Nature Reserve, Hussey Tower, the Pilgrim Father’s Memorial
Boston is a pretty market town with an inland port southeast of Lincoln and boasts waterways dating back to the medieval period. Once a thriving port that rivalled London, the waterways have been conserved to create an important wildlife habitat and a fantastic circular (and flat) 12-mile walking route.
Starting and ending in the centre of Boston at the Guildhall, it weaves its way into Havenside Country Park, passing sights such as the Hussey Tower, all that remains of a hall dating back to 1489. You’ll also find the church of St Botolph’s and Havenside Local Nature Reserve, a gorgeous natural area that boasts mudflats, ponds, grassland and meadows.
It’s full of wildlife too, with birdlife including oystercatchers and yellowhammers, so keep an eye out as you walk. The path is dotted with WWII pillboxes, as well as the Pilgrim Father’s Memorial, erected in 1957 in memory of a group of Puritans who were arrested for attempting to flee for religious freedom.
Gibraltar Point National Nature Reserve
Distance: As far as you like
Time: Various
Difficulty: Easy
Starts/ends: Visitor Centre car park or North car park
Parking: Visitor Centre car park, North car park
Landmarks: Dunes, woodlands, pools
Following the coast south from Skegness to the Wash, Gibraltar Point National Nature Reserve is famous for its size and varying ecosystems, which include undulating dunes, freshwater pools, and woodland. As a reserve, there are plenty of paths that wind through the landscape, with most accessible for wheelchairs, prams, and mobility scooters. It’s a lovely place to visit throughout the year, with migrating birds arriving in spring, skylarks singing away overhead in summer, large flocks of wading birds in autumn, and huge flocks of overwintering birds in winter.
As such, the reserve is home to one of the earliest Bird Observatories in the UK, set up in 1949 to monitor bird populations and migration patterns. After your walk, head to the visitor centre for gorgeous views over the dunes and sea from the rooftop viewing deck, plus a shop, café, and toilets. Please note that dogs are permitted in the nature reserve, but must be kept on short leads and aren’t allowed on the beach between April and September.
Fossdyke Canal Trail
Distance: 6 miles
Time: 3 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Starts/ends: Foss Bank
Parking: Orchard car park
Landmarks: Fossdyke Canal, Burton Waters
This lovely 6-mile walk follows the Fossdyke Canal, which was built by the Romans to join Lincoln (then called Lindum Colonia) to the River Trent. In use for nearly 2,000 years to transport goods in and out of the city (such as the stone used to build Lincoln Cathedral in the 11th century), the canal offers a flat, pleasant walk that is particularly lovely at sunrise or sunset, with beautiful views.
With places to stop en route (such as the Pyewipe Inn), there’s also the option to have a wander through Burton Waters, an inland marina with shops and eateries. This is a well-paved route much loved by cyclists, so it’s great for those with limited mobility or pushchairs. As you walk alongside the water, following the footsteps of thousands of people over the centuries, keep an eye out for dragonflies, kingfishers, and other wildlife. Once you reach the village of Saxilby, you can either turn around and retrace your steps, or catch the train back to Lincoln.
Hubbard’s Hill
Distance: 1 mile
Time: Up to 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy
Starts/ends: Hubbard’s Hills
Parking: Crowtree Lane
Landmarks: River Lud, memorial fountain
To the west of Louth, Hubbard’s Hill is set in a National Landscape that formed over 40,000 years ago, channelled by a glacier. The park, which has been open since 1907, is a beautiful wood-lined valley with the River Lud running at the bottom, sunny sloping fields, woodland trails, and a path alongside the river.
A short walk (just over 1 mile, there and back) follows the top of the ridge with pretty, leafy views down into the valley before dropping down to the river to walk alongside it. Say hello to the ducks and swans enjoying the water, and pause at the stepping stones, which are always a big hit with little ones.
There are lots of lovely grassy spots for a picnic, and for dogs to have a good run around without having to walk too far, with an Edwardian pleasure garden and lake for some additional wow-factor. There’s also a memorial fountain hidden amongst the trees to look out for. There are two entrances, with the main one just off Crowtree Lane and nearest to Louth, which also has a café and toilets.
Feeling inspired? Take a look at our stunning holiday cottages in Lincolnshire and start planning your getaway today.
