The Walk

Do it your way

The beauty of the SK round is that you can complete the walk in a way that suits you and the time you have available. Although some people will want to complete the round in one journey, camping or finding some local accommodation en route, others, as I did, will use the 10 sections to break the walk into manageable chunks for weekend walking. But if all this sounds too exhausting and you just want a gentle meander, why not walk one or two of the sub sections, even better if you plan to reach one of the lovely country pubs for a refreshing drink and maybe something to eat before heading back.

Some people will smile knowingly when I say there are no significant hills to climb, but for those who think Lincolnshire is flat and uninteresting you are in for quite a surprise, the walk passes by rivers, lakes, a canal, coniferous and deciduous woodland, parkland, meadows and arable fields. There is inevitably some tarmac walking but this has been kept to a minimum and usually on minor country roads.

All the walks are point to point, so as an alternative, why not use this walk as a guide and try out your own variations, maybe a circle within the circle! - but please always follow registered public footpaths or highways.

As I completed the walk I did find myself becoming intrigued by some of the fascinating history of the South Kesteven area, The walk and this website can only signpost some of the extraordinary links to the past, so I hope that there is enough information within the individual sections for you to dig a bit deeper on any areas that interest you. More of Roberts original research is included in his book, see the Shop Pages.

Maps and Dogs

I have provided links to OS maps for each of the walks, however unless you have purchased the Ordinance Survey mapping app, these will be in a standard map view. I have to be honest and say the OS App for my phone is probably the best investment I have ever made. Not only can you track your progress on the SK Round you can also discover hundreds of walks all around the country. Although you will find the instructions for this walk clear and probably adequate for what you need, from my own personal experience it is always helpful to have a map to hand. The countryside changes over time and with the seasons, a landmark that was visible when the walk was compiled may no longer visible when you complete the walk. As part of the creation of this website I have updated some of the of the original walk description, but I would always recommend that you have access to a map. If you are using paper maps, you will need the following OS explorer sheets scale 1:25:000:

247 - Grantham, 234 - Rutland Water, 235 - Wisbech & Peterborough North, 248 - Bourne and Heckington, 272 - Lincoln, 271 - Newark on Trent.

My trusty Springer, Oscar the Dog has accompanied me on most of the walks that make up the SK Round and I have found the majority of the walks are dog friendly ie they have access through stiles and gates, where this is not the case I reference in the individual walk section. Please observe the countryside code and keep your dog on a lead.

Anything else that might be helpful to know?

Discover South Kesteven have a fantastic website that provides lots of information on the local area, including accommodation, food and drink and activities taking place. You will also find helpful information on the market towns of Stamford, Bourne, Grantham and Market Deeping. I've provided a link to their website in the Download and Links section.

Be careful out there!

Although I have tried to be as accurate as possible when transcribing the walk to this site, it is entirely possible I may have transcribed a right as left, or made some other mistakes. Please use your judgement when out walking.

If you have any feedback or updates on the walk please use the contact us page.

Enjoy your walking and especially the beautiful Lincolnshire countryside.