Three Towns Walks - Spilsby to Wainfleet All Saints
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0.00 Miles
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0.00FT
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4.5-5.5 hours
A contrasting walk from the edge of the Wolds in to fenland, with surprising riverbank views.
- Linear Walk - 9.25 miles
- Maps: OS Landranger 122 and OS Explorer 274.
- Parking: In Spilsby there is a pay and display car park off Post Office Lane (Grid Ref: TF 404 661).
- Free car parking is also available in Wainfleet Market Place (Grid Ref: TF 498 589).
- Terrain: Along footpaths which can be muddy at times. Some roadside walking. Part of the route by kind permission of the landowner, subject to closure on 1st November each year. Gentle hills at first, then generally level.
- Refreshments: tearooms, restaurants, pubs and shops in Spilsby and Wainfleet. The Eaves Inn and the Village Store at Little Steeping. Also, The Holly Tree pub at Thorpe St Peter and Three Tuns Inn at Thorpe Culvert.
- Toilets: Public toilets in Spilsby Market Place, next to the bus shelter. Also in Brook’s Walk, off Wainfleet Market Place, next to the Red Lion Hotel Garage.
- Stiles: Numerous. Some are stock proof and therefore may be difficult for some dogs.
- Let's set off!
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1
From the Buttercross in the east Market Place, turn right to walk past Spilsby Methodist Church, crossing over Halton Road at the zebra crossing. Just before Franklin Hall, turn right to follow the tarmac path downhill, crossing a road into an area of housing. At the second road, turn left, then quickly right to climb uphill onto Vale Road. There, turn left, walking across the entrance to Magellan Drive and past Vale Court industrial units. At the next road junction, turn left, then immediately right to follow the signposted footpath alongside a large industrial unit. This narrow path can be slippery when wet, so do take care.
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2
On emerging into open fields, walk straight ahead along the wide grassy track, pausing to appreciate the panoramic views of Spilsby behind you. At the stone track, follow the signposted footpath diagonally left over the next field, dropping downhill towards the left corner of a small reservoir. Then, continuing in the same direction, cross a second field to emerge onto Peasgate Lane, an attractive green lane of known antiquity.
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3
From there, walk straight ahead, following the lane as it bends first left, then right, before turning left to follow the next signposted footpath across the field. Pause on the hill top to notice the tower of St Andrew’s Church at Halton Holegate away to your left, and the onshore and offshore wind turbines in the further distance. Then, heading for the left end of the hedge line coming in from your right, carry on to a footbridge. There, continue diagonally left over the next field, heading towards the white house (Church Farm), with increasingly fine views of the fifteenth century greenstone tower of Toynton St Peter’s Church.
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4
Carry on along the grassy track into Church Lane, turning left immediately after Church Farm to follow the signposted footpath straight across the field in front of the farmhouse. After climbing the ‘gate stile’, continue through old pasture to a stile and footbridge in the top right field corner, making out the corrugations of remnant ridge and furrow plough land as you go. From there, follow the waymarked path over the next two fields to another footbridge. Then, ignoring the farm track, walk diagonally right across the next field, heading towards the signpost visible in the hedge line and the road beyond.
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5
Turn left to carefully walk along Halton Road, with the churches of Toynton St Peter, Spilsby and Halton Holegate all now visible on your left. As the road bends sharply left, turn right, then immediately left to follow the signposted footpath over a stile into grassland. Keeping the fence and hedge to your right, continue ahead to a double stile and footbridge, then along a field edge to another. From there, bear left to a third double stile and footbridge, following the waymarked path to emerge, between fences, onto the road.
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6
Turn right to walk through Halton Fenside, turning left, just past Akita Lodge (number 27), to follow the signposted footpath along a short grassy track. At the field edge, turn right to continue beside the drainage ditch to a footbridge and stile. With the rise of the Lincolnshire Wolds to your left and fine views of St Andrew’s Church at Little Steeping ahead, stride out across old pasture, bearing half left to a double stile and footbridge, then follow the waymarked path to another.
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7
From there, turn right to carry on along a field edge to the next footbridge and stile, continuing half right over the next field towards the signpost visible in the top right field corner. As you walk, look for shallow pits filled with dung. These are badger latrines. Turn right to follow the signposted path onto a grassy lane, then left along a splendid green lane bounded by tall ash trees. Listen for the great tit’s characteristic tea-cher tea-cher tea-cher call, before emerging onto the road beside the Eaves Inn.
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8
Crossing to the opposite pavement, turn right to walk through Little Steeping, quickly noticing an impressive orchard on your left and The Village Store to your right. Continue carefully beside the road, turning left down Ings Lane, the bank of the Steeping River becoming visible on your left.
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9
As the lane bends sharply right, continue straight ahead along a grassy track into old pasture. Keeping the remnant hedge line on your left, carry on to a stile and footbridge beneath the old sycamore tree. Then, continue across the next field, heading towards the waymark post beneath the tall willows. There, turn left to follow the field edge to a stile, walking parallel with the Boston – Skegness railway line.
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10
Now standing below the bank of the Steeping River, turn right to cross two stiles beneath the railway bridge, following the waymarked path initially along the foot of the riverbank, before climbing to the bank top.
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11
Ignoring the footbridge crossing to Firsby, turn right to continue along the bank top. This long riverbank section of the walk is permissive, agreed with the kind permission of the landowner and is only available to walkers. Enjoy its fine panoramic views across a working agricultural landscape, whilst watching for hares in nearby fields. The Steeping River itself is a haven for wildlife, so look out for fish-eating cormorants, summer swallows and winter snipe. Staying on this western riverbank, cross roads at Clough Bridge, Warth’s Bridge and Thorpe Culvert Bridge, pausing at Bycroft’s Bridge to study one of the route’s interpretation boards, before heading downstream to Crow’s Bridge.
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12
There, emerging onto the road, turn left to carefully cross Crow’s Bridge, continuing ahead along Mill Lane. The Steeping River is now to your right, flowing onwards to the sea at Gibraltar Point.
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13
Turn left, to follow the next signposted footpath to the rear of cottage gardens and alongside small fields, onto Mat Pitts Lane. There, turn left, then quickly right to cross a footbridge onto another signposted footpath. Follow this path across a second footbridge, continuing straight over a stone track to a third. Carry on, noticing the striking brick tower mill and ‘beer bottle’ weathervane of Batemans Brewery to your right, arriving beside Station Road, almost opposite Wainfleet All Saints’ Parish Church.
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14
There, turn left, carefully crossing the railway line, to walk along historic High Street to Wainfleet All Saints’ Market Place, your journey’s end. It was here, on the limestone steps of the medieval Butter Cross that John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement, preached in 1780.
- You made it! Well done.