Wolds welcome walk

Type : Walk

Distance : 9 mile circular walk

Time required : The walk will take about 6 hours at a leisurely pace with a couple of hills and 20 minute stops at each church.

Difficulty : 3/5

What to bring : Footwear with good grips, ideally boots with ankle support, are essential. Waterproof and warm clothing during the colder months are important too.

Lincolnshire

Blow away the cobwebs and take in hilltop panoramas and shady valleys, partly following the course of the Viking Way long distance footpath.

Explore three delightful Lincolnshire churches in the villages of Belchford, Scamblesby and Fulletby whilst taking in the breathtaking views of the rolling Wolds.

The walk is mainly on well trodden paths and tracks, although some sections can be muddy. There are some stiles and gates as well as two gentle hill ascents. Refreshments are available at Belchford and Fulletby churches.

Opening times may vary, please check individual church pages.

The route is detailed below.

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A church with two rectors

St Peter & St Paul, Belchford is a delightful church with a delightful story of how it became owned by two priories. Both priories claimed the right to appoint rectors to the parish, resulting in two rectors in the years prior to the dissolution of the monasteries. The lists can still be seen within the church.

Fragmented font restored

The 13th century font, once a focal point in the church, was removed when it was restored by Victorian architect Fowler, who, placed his own font in pride of place instead. Years later, the original font was discovered rather worse for wear, in the churchyard. Following restoration it proudly stands once again in St Martin, Scamblesby.

A record breaker

Victorian poet Henry Winn walked the Wolds to gain inspiration for his poetry. St Andrew, Fulletby honours his life with a splendid exhibition focusing on his poems and also his entry in the Guinness Book of Records. He was the longest serving parish clerk in the country, holding the post for 84 years.

The route

Start and finish at Belchford, LN9 6LR.

This walk can be found within OS Explorer Map 273. Grid reference: TF 294 754. GPS coordinates N53° 15 35.38 W000° 03 41.690.

1 : Leave Belchford church with the village hall to your left. Walk along the main road around a slight bend passing the Blue Bell pub to your right, up to a sign post for the ‘Viking Way’ on your right hand side. (0.2 miles)

2 : Follow the well defined path with the field boundary initially to your right, across the River Waring for the first time, using a small stream bridge, and up a slope to a gate with a hill to your right and woodland to the left. (1.08 miles)

3 : Keep straight on through another couple of pedestrian gates following the now descending path until it joins the metalled track leading towards Scamblesby (1.7 miles)

4 : Carry along the lane until it meets a lane on the left. (2.4 miles)

5 : Turn left and follow that lane to the top of the rise where the short track to Scamblesby church is on the left. (2.5 miles)

6 : Retrace your steps to the signpost mentioned above, now to the right. (2.8 miles)

7 : Follow the path right, initially up a small incline to the hedge where the path veers slightly left. Continue forward, through a small belt of trees to a path crossing. (3.3 miles)

8 : Turn left following the path up the hill to the left hand side of more trees on the skyline. Through a large gate, forward to another gate just short of former farm buildings on the hill crest, now converted to holiday cottages. (4.1 miles)

9 : Keeping straight on, the path once more descends with ponds and light woodland to the left alongside a large hedge to the right until it becomes a path after a 100m or so. Still carrying straight on, join the main road once more at East Farm. (4.9 miles)

10 : Turn right keeping to the right so as to face the traffic, taking great care due to the speed of oncoming traffic, walk for approximately 0.4 miles until reaching another bridleway sign on the opposite side of the road. Ignore the first track to Manor Farm. (5.3 miles)

11 : Follow the bridleway until it descends to a bridge next to which is a large ash tree. Cross the bridge over the River Waring for the second time. (5.9 miles)

12 : Again follow the path uphill passing farm buildings to your right until reaching a well defined track which in turn meets a local road, Hemingby Lane. (6.8 miles)

13 : Turn left up the road towards Fulletby village. Passing a garage on the left , take the first left junction (Mill Lane) Follow that for a few metres taking the first right on to a small lane with Fulletby church on your left. (7.25 miles)

14 : Leaving the church, turn left descending slightly to the corner where again the route goes left. Follow the metalled lane to a small wooden gate on the right. Go through the gate which first crosses a hummocky field before reaching a kissing gate.

15 : Pass through the gate once more climbing gently with the boundary on the right before the path descends to some large bushes / small trees at which point turn sharp right and then immediately left until reaching the small River Waring for the third time at which point follow the path to the right. (8.5 miles)

16 : After a few metres, turn left over the narrow bridge ignoring the path ahead. Having crossed the bridge, walk up to a gate which leads on to a track. Turn right and follow the track 150m or so back in to Belchford where the church lies to your right. (8.74 miles)