Walks

• Starting from Baston Church, with the Church on your left, walk to Main Street, cross over the road, turn right and then turn left along Thetford Avenue. At the end of Thetford Avenue, go through the gate turn immediately right and follow this permissive path around the field until you reach a track (North Meadow Road).

• Continue straight ahead over a stile at the side of a metal gate. Follow the path with fences on either side, at the top of an incline, keep walking straight ahead and follow the path until you reach Hacks Drove road. Turn left and follow the road until it turns into a private track.

• At this point you will need to turn round and retrace your steps back along Hacks Drove and the grass path, until just before the path goes down hill. Here you will see a gap in the fence allowing access on your right. Go through this gap and follow the path around the lakes with the fence on your right.

• At the end of the path go through a gap in the fence which allows you to re join North Meadow Road track. Turn left down the track until you reach Main Street, turn right and walk back into the village

• Starting from Baston Church, walk east to Main Street, cross over the road and go up Thetford Avenue on your left. At the end of Thetford Avenue, go through the gate onto a permissive path, turn immediately right and follow the path around the field until you reach North Meadow Road (track)

• Turn left and walk up the track. You will do a slight 'shimmy' to the right where another track crosses, but just keep heading north until you reach the stile.

• Go over the stile and up the bank to the river you are now on the Macmillan Way. If you turn left there is a nice walk that takes you to the A15, and if you turn right you are heading towards the Baston Nature Reserve.

• There are some lovely views from the path as sits higher than the river and surrounding countryside. Follow the same route on your return, or follow the North Meadow Road track to Main Street, turn right and walk back into the village.

• From Baston Church head west past the White Horse Pub, on to Main Street. Cross the A15 and carry straight on along Greatford Road. At King Street look for the wooden bridge, just to your right, cross the road and go over the bridge.

• Follow the path straight on and at the end of the first field follow the yellow way marker sign to the right. Follow the path round the field, past the copse on your right until you come to another wooden bridge. Cross the bridge turn immediate left and follow the path through some trees until you reach Wilsthorpe Lane.

• Turn left and walk along Wilsthorpe Lane until you reach Baston Road. On your left you will see a Public Footpath sign. Walk diagonally across this field (there is no obvious path here), until you reach the top left corner of the field. Walk straight on to the next field annd continue until you see a wooden bridge on your left.

• Cross over the bridge and turn right, follow the path to the next bridge that leads to King Street. Cross King Street head to the left then turn right down the signposted path back to Baston. Cross the A15 and head right down the path at the side of the cottage to School Lane. Turn left down School Lane to Main Street and head back to the Church.

• Setting off from Church Street, with the Church on your left, walk a short distance, when the road bends to the left, take the footpath on your right. Follow this path, past the new houses and onto the fields towards Langtoft.

• Continue in a straight line, through a gate, go past the corrugated farm building on your right and walk along a narrow path with a fence on your right and a hedge to your left. You then cross a field, at the end of this field, turn right, and follow the path until you come to a wooden gate on your right. Go through the gate, turn left and walk alongside the A15 for a few yards until you see a metal gate and a footpath sign on the opposite side of the road. Cross the A15 and take this path.

• Continue straight on for a good distance, until you reach King Street, cross the road and take the footpath directly opposite. There is a way marker sign that directs you diagonally across a field, but it looks like the footpath has been established to the right of the field. Walk straight on and follow the footpath until you come to the end of the field then turn left. Do not cross the ditch. Follow the edge of the field until you reach the farm building.

• At the farm building turn right and after a few yards you will then see a path off to the left. Follow this path (to the left of the ditch) until you come to a waymarker sign that directs you diagonally across a field into Greatford. At the road turn right and then left onto Main Street. Follow the road and then turn right up Carlby Road.

• Just as you leave the village the road bends off to the left, turn right on to a signposted path. Follow this path as it bends to the right. Do not take the first wooden bridge on your left continue walking round the fields until you come to a second wooden bridge. Cross this bridge and follow the path across a field*

• **This path intersects with a path running from Braceborough, cross this path and continue straight on to a concrete bridge with a metal handrail. Cross this bridge and walk diagonally to your right to reach Wilsthorpe.

• At Wilsthorpe turn right and follow the road, as it turns right cross over couple of road bridges than after a short way you will see a sign post for a footpath on your left. Take this path between some trees, cross a wooden bridge turn left and walk round this field until you come to another way maker sign.

• Turn left and walk straight on until you come to a bridge that takes you to King Street. Cross King Street then down Greatford Road back to the A15. Cross the A15 and head towards Baston Church.

• You've definitely earned a pint at the White Horse!!

• * A variation to this walk is to take the the first bridge and walk across the field into Braceborough. Immediately as you emerge into the village you will see a farm on your right. Walk through the farm to re-join this walk here**

• Starting from Baston Church, with the Church on your left, walk to Main Street, cross over the road and turn left up Thetford Avenue.

• At the end of Thetford Avenue, go through the gate turn immediately right and follow the path around the field until you reach North Meadow Road (track). Turn left and follow the track all the way to the stile. Cross the stile walk up the bank and turn left.

• Follow the path (Macmillan Way) until you reach Kates Bridge, go over the stile and cross the A15 to a footpath on the opposite side of the road.

• Follow the footpath with the ditch on your right. When you come to the farm follow the waymarker sign through the farm yard with the house on your right. Continue up the track until you reach the road. Turn left and follow the road into the hamlet of Obthorpe. In Obthorpe, look out for a public footpath sign on your left (at Croft Farm), walk to the back of the farm buildings and then walk diagonally to your right across the fields, over a wooden bridge until you reach the road, turn left and follow the road into the village of Wilsthorpe.

• Follow the road through Wilsthorpe, after a sharp left then a sharp right, cross over a couple of bridges, than after a short way you will see a sign post for a footpath on your left. Take this path between some trees, you will reach a wooden bridge, cross over turn left and walk across this field until you come to another way maker sign.

• Walk straight on until you come to a bridge that takes you to King Street. Cross King Street then down Greatford Road back to the A15. Cross the A15 and head towards Baston Church.

• Starting at Baston Church with the Church on your left, walk towards Main Street. Cross over and turn left up Thurlby Avenue, when you reach the fields turn right and follow the path until you reach the track (North Meadow Road).

• Turn left and follow the track all the way up to the stile, cross over, up the bank to the path at the side of the river. Turn left and follow the path all the way to Kates Bridge and the A15. At the A15 turn right along the side of the road for a short distance, past Cresslands, until you come to a sign for a permissive path off to your right, take this path.

• As you reach the farm yard, go through the gate, turn immediately left and walk along side the cow sheds, keeping them on your right. Just continue on this path with the Cardyke on your left all the way to Thurlby Church. Go through the cemetery and onto the road, turn left and walk to the A15. You could stop here and have a pint or two at the Horseshoe Pub.

• Cross over the A15 and walk up High Street, until you see a Public Footpath sign on the left hand side of the road. Turn left, walk past the corrugated building and over a couple of stiles and a small wooden bridge. Follow the field round until it turns right, you will shortly come to another style on your left, cross over this stile and walk diagonally across the field until you come to Obthorpe Lane. Turn left and walk along the road until you reach the junction*

• Turn right and walk towards the hamlet of Obthorpe. Look out for footpath sign at Croft Farm on your left, walk to the back of the farm buildings and then walk diagonally to your right across the fields. There was no obvious footpath when I walked, but it is a right of way, it cuts off the corner and it is a bit more pleasant than walking on the road.

• When you re join the road turn left, walk until you reach the T junction, then turn left and follow the road through Wilsthorpe. At the end of the village after a sharp left then a sharp right, cross over a couple of bridges, then after a short way you will see a sign post for a footpath on your left. Take this path between some trees, you will reach a wooden bridge, cross over turn left and walk round this field until you come to another way maker sign.

• Turn left and walk straight on until you come to a bridge that takes you to King Street. Cross King Street then down Greatford Road back to the A15. Cross the A15 and head towards Baston Church.

• * At this junction an alternative route is to continue straight ahead down the track, past the farm until you reach Kates Bridge and the A15. Cross over and pick up the Macmillan Way path along the river.

• Follow the path over a couple of stiles, until you come to a stile on your right at the bottom of the bank. Cross over and follow the track all the way back to Main Street. Turn right and follow the road back into the village.

• Either route is approx the same distance and both are lovely to walk, so live life and mix it up a bit.

• The walk starts on Greatford Gardens, which is off Carlby Road in Greatford. Walk down Greatford Gardens, pass through some gates with a 'Woodlands' name plate (the footpath passes through a private garden). As you pass the final house on the right you will see a Public Footpath sign that sends you down a path on the right and then over a bridge, After crossing the bridge turn left and walk along a path in a lightly wooded area.

• Follow the path around to the right until you see a footpath sign on your left. Head across the field heading slightly right, pass a small marker post at the end of the field and cross the next field in the same direction to the right of a large tree.

• At the end of the field pass through a gate and cross a small field used for pasture, heading for the top right hand corner. Go through a gate and you will then end up on a signposted path. Turn right (left takes you to Stamford). After a short distance veer slightly right into a field and follow this path through a second field heading towards a wooden bridge. Cross the bridge.

• Follow the path through the field and after a short walk the path skirts around the edge of the field. At the end of the field cross over a road and continue in the same direction along a road SP Braceborough.

• Turn right at the village hall towards the church and then first right opposite the Old Rectory. The path splits off to the left, but continue straight on. Go through the gate at Mead Cottage, follow the path at the side of the hedge. Go over a stile and continue in same direction, then over a second stile. Cross the field continuing in same direction. Go over a wooden bridge then turn right and follow path around the edge of the field. This will lead you back onto Carlby Road. Turn left along the road and then right again onto Greatford Gardens. and the end of the walk.

• If you are in need of refreshment there is a pub on Main Street in Greatford, called the Hare & Hounds.

• The walk starts in Water Lane which is off Northorpe Lane in Thurlby. Walk up Water Lane and turn right along the track.(You are crossing over the disused Essendine and Sleaford railway line, although it's not particularly evident here you can walk along stretches of this line if you follow Wood Lane towards Bourne)

• Follow this track until you come into an open field. Continue walking in the same direction, towards a line of trees, and cross over a small plank bridge and then over a second plank bridge. When you reach a track turn left.

• After a few yards on the track turn right at the public footpath sign, head in a slightly left diagonal direction and through a gap in the hedge. Turn immediately left and over another bridge, then start to head uphill following the path slightly diagonal right. Once you reach the brow of the hill you will see a gap in the tree line go through this and cross a wooden bridge and a stile. Keep the hedge on your immediate left as you cross a couple of fields all the way to the busy A6121 Bourne to Stamford Road.

• Cross over this road, continuing in the same direction on a minor road signpost Lound. When you reach Lound, go over the cross roads down a hill and follow the road round to the left. Where the road turns right into a farm driveway, continue straight on following a track. Go through a gate with a substation on your left and cross over the East Glen River. You then come to two gates, go through the pedestrian gate on the left hand side set of gates. Keep the fence on your immediate right and after a short distance follow the line of the fence as it turns sharp right.

• Keep following this path with the fence on your right until you come to a wooden gate on your right (just as the field starts to bend to the left). Go through the gate and turn immediate left through a wooded area until you come to a three way public footpath sign. Turn left down a slight dip then up a small hill until you emerge into a field. Follow the path keeping the fence on your left, as the fence ends continue in the same direction across the field.

• Before reaching the end of the field and farm buildings you reach some power lines. Turn left and follow the line of the wooden poles until you reach a public footpath sign (if the field is full of crops you may need to walk to the end of the field and walk round the outer edge).

• Go over the stile and continue in the same direction keeping the fence and hedge on your right. You will see the village of Toft in front of you. Cross the stile in the corner of the field and continue in the same direction until you reach the road. Turn left and walk along the side of the road, there is no footpath, so please be careful, especially as you cross the bridge. The bridge which carries the A6121 is Grade II listed and originates from c1808.

• Once you have gone over the bridge, cross over the road and go through the large gates into the golf course.The public footpath crosses the golf course but please watch out for golfers and stray golf balls. As you pass the building, turn right towards the first green you see and keep the lake on your right . As you get nearly towards the end of the lake look to your left and you will see trees on the horizon. Head uphill and towards these trees. You will see way mark signs showing the footpath across the golf course. Head down the other side of the hill and exit the golf course over a stile. Keep walking in the same direction towards Manthorpe.

• At the road turn left and follow the road uphill (do not go into Manthorpe) , There is no footpath but there are wide grass verges. As the road bends round to the right and another road joins from the left, head towards the right of the farm buildings straight in front of you and continue along a narrow path. At the end of the path go over a stile and continue in the same direction across the field walking downhill until you reach a drain/ditch. Turn right and then left over a wood bridge. The path crosses the field to the diagonal opposite corner, but on the day I did the walk the field had been ploughed so I was unable to cross but there is a path to your right around the edge of the field.

• Keep walking down hill and go to the right of Swallow Hill Farm buildings. Go through a gate and head diagonally right towards another gate and then continue in the same direction to the corner of the field. Go through a gate and turn right (the path back to the road is a bit hidden). At the road turn left you are back on Northorpe Lane head back to Water Lane and the starting point.

Technically not in South Kesteven, but close enough! The site is open all the year round and parking is available at several points close by, although visitors are encouraged to use the car park on Wittering Road.