Walking, Cycling, Swimming and Golfing!

• You can walk or cycle the Water Rail Way from Kirkstead Bridge to Lincoln (or from Langrick Bridge to Boston) following the River Witham on the disused Lincoln to Boston railway line. Along the way, you can spot sculptures inspired by all that is great about Lincolnshire. This is part of the Sustrans cycle Route 1.

• Walk or cycle the Spa Trail which now goes all the way from Woodhall Spa to Horncastle. Loads of sculptures along this disused railway line too plus information boards with interesting historical facts.

• The Stephen Langton Trail – To celebrate the 800^th anniversary of Magna Carta, a 16 mile off-road walking trail linking the village of Langton by Wragby (birthplace of Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury who played a key role in the signing of the Magna Carta) to Lincoln and Lincoln Castle, home to an original copy of the 1215 Magna Carta.

• Jubilee Park – Why not swim in this outdoor heated pool. A great destination with or without kids!  There’s also a playground and picnic area, bowling, croquet, tennis and cycle hire.

• You can play Golf! Two top-class golf courses in Woodhall Spa, and there’s another one at Blankney, just down the road.

• Bike Hire – Bike hire from Woodhall Country Park in Woodhall Spa, Jubilee Park in Woodhall Spa, Bardney Heritage centre and Hirebike in Lincoln.

Nature Reserves

There are loads of Nature Reserves in Lincolnshire dotted about – here’s just a few; –

• Gibraltar Point National Nature Reserve, nr Skegness– brilliant walk along the beach south of Skegness. There are sand dunes and saltmarshes and alot of open space. Also many twitchers during migration periods, but at most times you can see shorebirds, waders and other sea birds.
• Donna Nook National Nature Reserve nr Saltfleetby– See a thriving colony of grey seals that have been breeding on the Lincolnshire coast since the 1970’s. Every November and December, the seals give birth to their pups near the sand dunes – a wildlife spectacle which attracts visitors from both the UK and abroad. A great place to get close to nature with a number of different habitats to explore – dunes, slacks and inter-tidal areas – and plenty of wildlife to discover.
• Snipe Dales Country Park & Nature Reserve – a really lovely place to spend the day. There’s plenty of woodland planted with pines but there’s also deciduous and natural woodland too supporting a wide range of birds, wild flowers, butterflies and other insects.
• Chambers Wood Nature Reserve near Bardney is a fascinating place for anyone interested in flora and fauna situated on the site of medieval woodland. Events all year long.
• Far Ings Nature Reserve, near Barton – Famous for its reed beds, Far Ings is situated on the south bank of the Humber Estuary, a major migratory route for birds – the sight and sound of a skein of geese flying over is spectacular! The pits and reedbeds here and along the Humber bank are a legacy of the tile and cement industry which flourished for more than a hundred years here from 1850.
• Whisby Nature Park, outside Lincoln is a beautiful landscape, full of wildlife, walks and trails. Originally a quarry for sand and gravel, nature has reclaimed the pits, creating habitats for many species.
• There are several small Nature Reserves near Woodhall Spa which are all are worth a visit. Just for a peaceful walk, or for enthusiasts there is plenty of wildlife to watch out for. Reserves include Moor Farm near Kirkby on Bain, Roughton Moor Wood just outside Woodhall, Kirkby Moor between Woodhall and Tattershall Thorpe and Kirkby Gravel Pits at Tattershall Thorpe.

 Animal and Farm Parks

And for the children don’t forget all the farm parks around here!  Rand Farm Park, Woodside Wildlife and Falconry Park, Lincoln, The Jungle Zoo, Cleethopes, The Mablethorpe Seal Sanctuary, Parrot Zoo, Boston, Donna Nook Nature Reserve, Seal Sanctuary at Natureland, Skegness, Radcliffe Donkey Sanctuary, Huttoft, Rushmoor country Park, Louth, Tattershall Farm Park, Whisby Animal Centre, nr Lincoln, Pink Pig Farm, Scunthorpe, Hall Farm Park, South Kelsey, Hardy’s Animal Farm, Skegness & more!!

Parks and Gardens

• Doddington Hall, Belton Hall, Gunby Hall, Grimsthorpe Castle and many more all have lovely gardens and walks. Go to them all!
• Normandy Hall is something really special, offering “a nostalgic step back in time to the great heyday of kitchen gardening”. Although it’s a good hour’s drive north of here at least (nr Scunthorpe) it is really worth visiting. The Victorian Walled Kitchen Garden is a must for any gardener!
• Easton Garden, which you could combine on a day to Woolsthorpe Manor, is also a lovely place to visit – they’ve worked so hard over the past few years to make it what it is today.
• Goltho Gardens near Wragby is very nice and the potager provides the teashop with delicious herbs and vegetables and many of the plants are propagated on site and can be purchased in the nursery.
• Maitreya’s Pureland Japanese Garden and Meditation Centre, at North Clifton near Newark – The beautiful Japanese garden, one of the finest of its kind, “reflects the harmony of nature and the inner peace of man, providing a place for relaxation and spiritual revitalisation”. It really is a peaceful place…

The Coast

Lovely long walks along the beach.  Can easily get away from the crowds even at Skegness (most of them are up gambling at the machines or eating fish & chips in the town!).  Watch wildlife in their natural setting or just enjoy the sand dunes, sea, and sandy beaches. Top spots are Gibralter Point, Anderby Creek and Donna Nook

• Gibraltar Point National Nature Reserve, nr Skegness– brilliant walk along the beach south of Skegness. There are sand dunes and saltmarshes and alot of open space. Also many twitchers during migration periods, but at most times you can see shorebirds, waders and other sea birds.
• Many people recommend Anderby Creek further north for a scenic visit.
• Donna Nook National Nature Reserve nr Saltfleetby– See a thriving colony of grey seals that have been breeding on the Lincolnshire coast since the 1970’s. Every November and December, the seals give birth to their pups near the sand dunes – a wildlife spectacle which attracts visitors from both the UK and abroad. A great place to get close to nature with a number of different habitats to explore – dunes, slacks and inter-tidal areas – and plenty of wildlife to discover.