Hiking in Lincolnshire

The wolds’ your oyster

Some of thebest hiking routes in Lincolnshire explore the county’s designated AONB: the Lincolnshire Wolds. This region of gorgeous chalk hills, secret valleys, burbling streams and picturesque villages is a wonderful place to discover. Very much a working landscape, the Wolds’ patchwork countryside evolves wonderfully with the seasons, rewarding repeat visits. 

It’s a landscape that has inspired some of Britain’s greatest poets. The remarkable Alfred, Lord Tennyson was born and raised in the village of Somersby, while Fulletby poet and historian Henry Winn’s words bring an entire era vividly to life, revealing what it would have been like to live in a Victorian village. 

An award-winning coastline

For nature lovers, many of the finest hikes in Lincolnshire can be found along its wonderful North Sea coastline. There’s everything from seaside resorts, where you can enjoy a traditional fish ‘n’ chips by the amusement arcades, to serene, unspoilt beaches, where the only sounds are that of the lapping tide and the calls of the wading birds.

The coast is home to nine separate nature reserves and almost endless opportunities for walkers. Birders are superbly catered for at Chapel Point and Gibraltar Point Nature Reserve, which both boast modern observatories and many amenities. Every November and December, Donna Nook Nature Reserve witnesses the awesome spectacle of thousands of grey seals, who come to the sands to give birth to their pups.

Historic cities, pretty market towns and scenic countryside

There are plenty of other magnificent walks in Lincolnshire, many beginning from its market towns or from its historic cathedral city, Lincoln. The city is a beguiling place to explore, with its magnificent cathedral taking centre stage. Upon the completion of its central spire in 1311, it was thought to be the tallest building in the world, an accolade it held until 1548, when the spire collapsed.

The towns of Grantham and Stamford are great bases for exploring the countryside of the Kesteven Uplands. Among the counties’ country parks, Burghley House near Stamford is one of the most impressive, with its 16th-century gardens.