South Kesteven Round.co.uk - 2 Woolsthorpe by Belvoir to South Witham

Woolsthorpe by Belvoir & Belvoir Castle

Woolsthorpe by Belvoir to South Witham 13.2 miles

An Ancient Highway, Newton's Birthplace and The Knights Templars

At a dizzy altitude of 150m you reach the highest point of the walk in this section, as well as walking along the original Great North Road. Sad stories of a lost brewer and an Anglican mountineer but some lovely pubs in which to drink to their memories

Map of this section of the walk

Print a copy of the walk instructions

There are pubs to visit on this section of the walk

Please let me know of any campsites on or close by the walk

Woolsthorpe by Belvoir to Three Queens 3.2 miles

One of the things I love about walking is that you drop across some unusual place names and I'm always interested in the history behind the name. One of these is Brewers Grave near Belvoir Castle. The story goes that in 1843 William Chett, a Brewer at Belvoir Castle died by falling into a vat of boiling beer. I mean for a brewer what a great way to go, but as a drinker what a waste of beer! There are of course other probably more rational explanations for the name such as the word Brewer being derived from the French word Bruer meaning a heath grave, but I know which story I prefer.

Sewstern Lane is an ancient path which could well be over 4,000 years old. It was the original 'Great North Road' and in pre Roman times it was used as a 'salt road' for distributing salt to the towns and villages along the route. In the 18th century Drovers used the route to avoid tolls on the now more easterly Great North Road, when moving cattle from Scotland and the North of England to the pasture in the Midlands and the slaughter houses of London. The Drovers would call at the Three Queens public house, which also had a paddock attached for accommodating the cattle. In part it provides the border between Leicestershire and Lincolnshire,

The highest point on the walk is reached whilst on Sewstern Lane, a dizzyingly high 150m above sea level. Who said there were no hills in Lincolnshire!

After passing the Chequers Pub on your left, you are continuing straight ahead and up a slight incline to the far end of what was once a cricket pitch. Do not follow the drive to the pub car park or the public footpath to your left. Cross over a stile and continue walking uphill with the wood on your left. Make sure you stop to look back at the view over Woolsthorpe and Belvoir Castle on the horizon.
After reaching the crest of the hill and where the wood curves to the left, cross a stile on your left and follow the track half right to the Woolsthorpe/Denton Road and turn right. In a short distance as the road bends to the right, on your left is the area known as Brewers Grave. Pass a stone cottage on the right and gates to Belvoir Castle. Take the public bridleway path to the right, you have now joined Sewstern Lane.
Continue along Sewstern Lane, to reach the Denton/Harston Road, cross the road and continue straight on rising through a wood to 150m above sea level, the highest point on the walk. Continue on Sewstern Lane crossing the A607 where the lane becomes tarmac again. As the lane bends to the left at some cottages, continue straight ahead onto a stoned track which soon becomes a green lane also known as The Drift. You are now entering a site of special scientific interest which contains some of the rarest, wildflower rich, limestone grassland in the country.
Where the lane crosses the next road (Hungerton/Croxton Kerrial) you pass the site where the Three Queens Ale House once stood. Unfortunately the pub is long gone with the name now being associated with the crossroads.

Three Queens to Skillington 4.1 miles

Construction of Saltby Airfied was completed in 1941, it was used as a satellite for nearby RAF Cottesmore, with the US Airforce taking over from Group Bomber Command in 1943. Planes taking off from here flew paratroopers to the invasion of Italy in 1943, the Overlord invasion and the ill fated Arnhem raid in 1944. The RAF closed the airfield in 1955 and it is now used as a by a gliding club.

I think one of the most interesting stories of the walk I've come across is that of the Rector of Skillington Church, Charles Hudson. He was an Anglican Chaplain and mountain climber, who along with Edward Whymper accomplished the first successful ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865. Unfortunately Hudson fell to his death on the way down the mountain. There is a stained glass window in the Church to his memory.

It is said that Isaac Newton begun his education at a school in Skillington Church

The Cross Swords Inn in Skillington provides the perfect mid walk pit stop

Continue on the Sewstern Lane to reach the Saltby/Wyville Road, you walk on the road for a short distance before continuing along the Lane again. The path emerges onto Saltby Airfield. You will see a sign for gliders and then a 3 way footpath sign, Take the Public Footpath straight on that soon bends around to the left. As the conifer plantation on your left ends, walk across the end of the runway, then follow the curved concrete road headings towards the wood.
After passing the first glider sheds on your left and before reaching the wood turn left, you will see some more glider storage buildings in front with Hanger Plantation on your right. Just before you reach the shed in front, you will see a waymarked path to your left, take this initially grassy, then stoned path.
Ok, so you need to do some counting now, as the path at the time of walking was not signposted. Continue along the path passing two fields, where the path turns right continue for a further three fields (you will see the spire of Skillington Church to your left). At the end of the third field when the track veers right, turn left along a grass track between fields with the spire now on your right.
As you reach the hedge, turn right now with the hedge on your left. Continue into the next field with the hedge on your right. Just before the end of the field turn right into the spinney emerging onto a public road.
Turn left and stay on this road through Skillington, past the Church on your left and then the Cross Swords Inn on your right. You may want to enjoy a pit stop here

Skillington to Colsterworth 2.6 miles

Issaac Newton, probably Britain's greatest ever scientist, was born at Woolsthorpe Manor on Christmas Day 1642. His father died before Isaac was born and his mother remarried when he was 3 years old, moving to the Rectory at North Witham with her new husband. Isaac was left behind in the care of his Grandmother, until his stepfather died. In 1654 he went to the King's School at Grantham and in 1661 to Cambridge University, from which he graduated. In 1665 and 1666 during the great plague, he moved back to Woolsthorpe and during those years he completed his main work on the laws of gravity, optics and calculus. Principia was published in 1687 which laid down the laws of gravity and motion and changed the world of science forever. A descendent of the tree from which Newton famously saw the apple fall which crystallised his thoughts on gravity still stands in the garden of the Manor. He died in 1727 and was buried in Westminster Abbey. The house is now owned by the National Trust and can be viewed during their opening times.

Continue straight on at the Cross Swords onto Colsterworth Road walking up the hill until you reach the crossroads. At the crossroads continue straight ahead down a grass track. At the end of the track continue straight ahead alongside an arable field, with the hedge on your left. After a stile veer slightly to the right heading towards a tree in the hedge in front: on reaching this turn left beside it and when it ends, continue straight ahead to the far corner of this large arable field to reach a gate.
Go through the gate and continue walking in the same direction heading down the bank (ignore the concrete road) towards a steep embankment. You will see a gate, go through the gate and up some steps. At the top turn right then after about 40m turn left onto a narrow track at the side of a wooden fence then onto a tarmac path between houses with hedges on booth sides. You emerge onto Woolsthorpe Road in Woolsthorpe by Colsterworth.
Cross into Newton Way opposite and stay on this road eventually passing Reads Lane on your left. After Reads Lane you will see Woolsthorpe Manor ahead and to the right. Continue straight ahead passing a field gate on your right then after the road bends to the left, turn right on a short road alongside some cottages to your left and Woolsthorpe Manor to your right.
At the end of this road you will see a public footpath sign to your right, cross over the stile through a paddock aiming for a gate in the bottom corner. If you want to visit Isaac Newtons House turn right here and right again onto Water Lane. - if you are continuing on the round, cross the road going slightly right, through a gate, crossing a paddock, another gate, then up some steps of a former railway embankment and down the other side.
Follow the footpath straight ahead between a grass field and a stream, at the field corner turn right and pass through an old railway tunnel, then a wood beside the river Witham before joining a road. Turn left and keep following the road round to the left crossing over the River Witham. After crossing the river immediately turn right at a footpath sign, follow the footpath which becomes Spring Lane, joining Colsterworth High Street beside St John the Baptist Church and opposite the White Lion Pub.
Turn right and at the crossroads turn left onto Bourne Road, after about 150m turn right at a footpath sign.

Colesterworth to South Witham 3.3 miles

North Witham Church is chiefly notable for its series of 17th and 18th century monuments to the Sherard family of nearby Lobthorpe. As you pass the Church door take a look at the sinester carved stone faces.

As you approach South Witham, you will walk through a field which was the site of a Preceptory of the Knights Templar. They were originally Flemish Knights who had fought the Crusades and subsequently taken monastic vows. Around 1120 they were given accommodation in the temple of Solomon in Jerusalem, hence the title Templar. In 1128 they became a military order by Papal decree and in 1147 were given the right to wear the red cross. The Templars were given their first property in England in 1137 and it is believed that they established their Preceptory in South Witham in about 1164. A Preceptory collected funds for the Order to help maintain the campaign in the Holy Lands. The Templers became very wealthy attracting much jealousy from European monarchs and early in the 14th century were excommunicated by the Pope. In 1308 all the Templars in England were arrested and the Order expired (or did it?). See also section 6 Aslackby

The walk ends at the Angel pub in South Witham, so why not stop and enjoy some well earned refreshment.

A short grass track leads to a small paddock follow the path to the far left corner and cross a stile. Veer half right through a field into a dip heading towards a hedge, bear left up the hill heading towards a spinney. Turn right on to a track beside the spinney, Follow this track to Stamford Road, South of Colsterworth.
Cross the road to the footpath almost opposite, you will see the spire of North Witham Church to the left, head in this direction but well to the left of the spire. Cross a stile into a narrow arable field and then enter a grass field, aim to the right of the field gate that can be seen in front. after crossing the stream a stile can be seen ahead to the right. Cross the stile and turn right on the public road.
Cross a footbridge at the side of the ford to enter North Witham, when you reach St Mary's Church on your left go through the gate past the Church door to a footpath at the back of the Churchyard. Go over the stile and down the narrow lane with a fence on the right and a stone wall on the left. At the end of the path go through a gate over a wooden footbridge, then bear slightly left up the bank and through anther gate emerging into a field. Turn right keeping the field on your left and a hedge on your right. After the hedge curves to the left, go through a gap into the second field and continue with the hedge on your right.
At the field corner turn left beside the hedge for about 60m, then turn right through a gap and over a footbridge to join Bull lane and turn right. Continue for about 150m before turning left through a gate just before the North Witham village sign. Proceed ahead veering slightly to the left. In the second and third fields continue straight ahead parallel to the stream on your left. At the end of this field turn right for about 60m and cross a footbridge into a field which was the site of the Preceptory of the Knights Templar.
Walk across this field inclining slightly to the right, cross a stile then two arable fields cross a farm track and two footbridges. Continue slightly to the right of the next field to a stile near the right hand corner of the sewage works to enter a grass paddock. Bear half right to a roadside kissing gate. Turn left on the roadside path into South Witham, turning left into Church Street, and you will reach the Angel Pub. Congratulations you have completed section 2 why not have a well deserved drink.

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