Gateway Walks - Round Louth Walk

0.00 Miles
0.00FT
7-8 hours

Three circular walks; one of 2 miles, one of 6 miles and one of 14 miles, round the historic town of Louth and surrounding countryside.

The Round Louth Walk circles the historic market town, journeying into the surrounding countryside of the Wolds and Marsh. Although the full walk is 14 miles long, there are shorter circular routes using various public footpaths back into the town if you don’t want to do it all in one day.

Distance: 14 miles (22 km); 6 miles (9.5 km); 2 miles (3 km).
Time: Approx. 7-8 hours at a leisurely pace for the longest route; approx. 3 hours at a leisurely pace for the second route; approx. 1 hour at a leisurely pace for the shortest route.
Maps: OS Landranger 122 and OS Explorer 282.
Parking: Parking at northern end of Hubbard’s Hills and numerous car parks throughout the town – please check for parking tariffs.
Terrain: Some road walking, good footpaths and bridleways which can be muddy at times. Mainly level walking with few steep climbs.
Refreshments: Café at northern end of Hubbard’s Hills; cafes, pubs and shops in Louth.
Toilets: Public toilets at the northern end of Hubbard’s Hills; on Eastgate, behind the New Market Hall and at the Bus Station, Church Street.
Stiles: A few. Many are stock proof and therefore may be difficult for some dogs.

The route is marked by a spire logo.

Looking after the Wolds - The Lincolnshire Wolds Countryside Service works in partnership with the Lincolnshire Wolds Joint Advisory Committee and other groups and individuals to help protect, enhance and raise awareness of this nationally protected landscape. For more information about the Wolds, please visit the Lincolnshire Wolds AONB website.

Step by step instructions

Let's set off!
1

From the southern end of Hubbard's Hills, turn right and walk along Hallington Road and under the bypass. Ignore the footpath on your right, continuing until you reach a bridleway on your right.
2

Go through the gate, cross the grass field and through another gate to join a track. Follow this track, ignoring any other paths until you reach the A157 road.
3

This is a busy road so please take care as you cross straight over and turn right to follow the road to the junction of the A631. Here go left, taking care as you cross the road to join the tarmac footway towards South Elkington.
4

Just past Brickyard Cottages, take the right turn up a tarmac farm track. This section of the walk is permissive, agreed with the kind permission of the landowner and is only available to walkers. Continue through Acthorpe Top, staying on the track as it continues to Acthorpe Farm.
5

Where the track meets a road, turn right and after approximately 200 metres, turn left along a grassy footpath.
6

Continue on this route as it passes woodland, arable and crosses a small stream and a farm track to emerge onto North Elkington Lane, opposite a wood. Here turn right and follow the road as it bends right then left, toward the A16.
7

The A16 Fotherby bypass should be crossed with care. Once crossed, continue on the minor road and cross another road to join Little Grimsby Lane. Follow this for a while as it crosses the line of the old railway until a sharp left hand bend.
8

There, turn right on a track and follow the footpath through the grounds of Brackenborough Hall. Cross the cattle grid and follow the tree lined avenue before crossing another cattle grid to join Brackenborough Road. Turn right and follow the road, taking care.
9

As you enter Louth, turn left at the crossroads, following Keddington Road past Grosvenor Road, until you take the footpath on your right (before Elm Drive). Follow this down, crossing another road to reach Louth Canal. Cross the canal by the weir footbridge.
10

Turn left and walk along the canal towpath, until you reach another footbridge on your left. Ignore this and turn right over another footbridge. Go through a gate and cross the field to a stile and the road.
11

Carefully cross the road to join the tarmac footway and turn left, ignoring the first footpath on your right. Take the second footpath on your right that passes close to the remains of Louth Abbey (no public access) to cross Monk’s Dyke and over farmland to Stewton.
12

At the road go straight ahead, then follow the road to the right. Stay on Stewton Lane, ignoring a footpath on the left to take the second left footpath, over a footbridge. Follow the path round the edge of the fields, with a hedge on your right.
13

Go over a footbridge and turn left towards some houses. Cross another bridge. Go straight on down the paved road, turn right at Blanchard Road and then take the first left. Cross the road and take the footpath next to Bradley Close. Ignore the turning on the right and continue to the end of the cul-de-sac. Take the narrow footpath straight ahead, between two fences. Turn left onto Florence Wright Avenue.
14

At the main road turn left and cross the road at the island. Turn into Kenwick Road, then turn right over a stile onto a footpath. Follow the edge of the next two fields, then turn right. Turn left just past a house. Follow the edge of the playing fields to the car park.
15

As you emerge onto London Road, turn right uphill and walk past the cemetery. As the road starts to go downhill, turn left into Meridian View. Turn left into Bluestone Rise. Almost immediately, turn right between two fences. Continue along the road, following it right downhill. Turn left at Horncastle Road, going uphill, then cross the road.
16

Follow the road downhill past a house (Wolds End), then turn right on a footpath crossing the golf course. Go down the steps to Hubbard’s Hills, your starting point.
You made it! Well done.
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