South Kesteven Round.co.uk - 7 Folkingham to Ancaster

King Street Roman Road

Folkingham to Ancaster 10.9 miles

By Quiet Villages to a Roman Fort

This section brings to mind the famous Monty Python line 'what have the Romans ever done for us? - well, you will walk along Roman roads, past a Roman settlement south of Sapperton and head to Ancaster, the site of a former Roman Fort. It is possible that chariot races were held in Ancaster valley. If this is not enough history for you, why not have a drink in the pub named after the first Governor of the Bank of England.

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

Folkingham to Sapperton 3.7 miles

Having enjoyed the delights of the historic Market Town of Folkingham, you head off in a westerly direction until you reach Sapperton where you start to head North again. A short section of the walk crosses into North Kesteven, I've heard they are a friendly bunch, so no cause for concern! Pickworth Church which is a very short diversion off the Round contains a set of medieval wall paintings which were re-discovered after a few stray second world war bombs fell close by the Church dislodging some loose whitewash. There are no pubs in this section to sit and admire the beautiful scenery and quiet villages, so you will need to complete the next section to reach Oasby and the Houblon Arms.

At the top of Market Place, turn left into West Street. Pass the New Inn pub on your right and after a short distance turn right (at the side of no 14b) onto a wide tarmac drive/path. At the end of this short path as you enter a housing estate, continue straight ahead towards a grass path to the right of a driveway (the driveway is marked Private). Follow this path to the left around the back of the houses and then through the estate on a broad grass footpath.
Continue walking straight ahead along Wilkie Drive to join Walcot Lane. Cross the lane and continue straight ahead into the village playing field. Head to the right of the fenced playground area heading towards a pedestrian gate in a meshed fence in front. Continue half right through an arable field, keeping to the right of the electric pole. On reaching the far hedge turn left and walk beside it with the hedge on your right hand side.
At the end of this field cross a footbridge and continue straight ahead up the gentle slope, heading slightly to the right of the double electric poles in the far hedge. Cross a footbridge within this hedge and then veer half right in the next field, crossing a footbridge and aiming for a point approximately halfway along the North hedge. On reaching this turn left and walk along the field edge with the hedge on your right. The last two fields have constituted a small diversion into North Kesteven!
On reaching the field corner, cross a footbridge and turn right. In 50 metres, where the hedge turns right, turn left and cross an arable field towards a metal hand gate in the far hedge. Veer slightly to the right in this grass field and head for the left hand corner of the housing development in front. Cross the stile and turn right on a path between hedges to reach Church Lane, Pickworth. Turn left here, then after a short distance turn right opposite Church Fields at a footpath signpost and cross a stile into a grass field (if you want to visit Pickworth Church, continue straight on at Church Fields).
Cross a footbridge in front and proceed straight ahead in the arable field, keeping the curving hedge on your left until Mill Lane is reached. Turn right here then immediately left at a footpath sign and continue straight ahead, keeping on top of the bank. Cross a stile in a fence then a second stile in the far hedge. Cross a second field then over a stile, turn left and then right onto Sykes Lane. Continue straight ahead where the tarmac path soon becomes a footpath. In a short distance at a field corner, keep straight ahead across an arable field heading for the right hand edge of Pickworth Wood.
On reaching the corner of the wood continue along the field edge with the Wood on your left, the grass path becoming a stoned farm track. At the end of the wood, the stoned track follows the wood to the left, Continue in the same direction to the left of the hedge in front and towards an Oak tree in the far corner of the field. At the Oak tree cross the culvert on your right (I couldn't see any bridge here so it's a case of being careful) and continue again in the same direction which means you are walking diagonally across the field to the far left hand corner. Cross a stile and proceed along the edge of the next field keeping the hedge on your right.
On reaching the public road go straight ahead into Sapperton Village. After about 300 metres, at a bend in the road, turn right into the Churchyard of St Nicholas Church.

Sapperton to Oasby 3.4 miles

You first come across King Street, an ancient Roman Road, walking from Market Deeping to Greatford in section 5a, but you will be pleased to know that this part of Kings Street, is used mainly by farm traffic, so you won't have to dodge cars heading towards you at speed. This walk ends at Oasby where you will be able to call into the Houblon Arms. Built around 1700 and formally called the Old Red Lion, it was renamed after Sir John Houblon one of the main land owners in the area and from 1694 until 1697 the first Governor of the Bank of England. His image was featured on a £50 note first produced in 1994, but now withdrawn from circulation.

Keep to the right of the Church and cross the stile into the field beyond. Turn left through a gap in the hedge to join a grass track. At the end of the track veer slightly to the right across the arable field heading for a dip in the roadside hedge ahead. On reaching the stoned by-way turn right, you have now re-joined King Street which you follow for 1.8 miles.
When you reach a crossroads continue straight ahead, from this point onwards the lane is known as Long Hollow. Pass a large quarry on the left before reaching the A52 main road. Turn left and walk for a short distance along the wide grass verges at the side of this busy road. Look out for a Public Bridleway sign on the opposite side of the road. Cross the A52 with care, walk through a gap in the hedge, turn right walking along the field edge with the hedge on your right, until you reach a further Public Bridleway sign.
Turn left at the sign and proceed straight ahead across an arable field aiming for the left hand side of the mound in front. Walk beside the base of the grass escarpment, then pass a farm building on your right. Continue straight ahead heading for the left corner of Long Nursery Wood in front. Stay on the path past a three way Public Bridleway sign, keeping the Wood on your right, go straight ahead through a metal hand gate. Walk along a lovely path through three grass fields, with a hedge on your left and a grass escarpment to the right.
At the end of the third field, continue straight ahead through a metal hand gate and after 15 metres turn left through a wooden gate, cross through a spinney, then turn right along the edge of a field to Oasby village. When the footpath meets the public road, turn right and after about 100 metres turn left into the village to reach a small Village Green. You are taking the footpath straight ahead at the side of Corner Cottage, but if you fancy a break, turn left to the Houblon Arms

Oasby to Ancaster3.8 miles

The history of Ancaster as a settlement goes back at least to the Iron Age, when the region was occupied by the Corieltauvi tribe. Early in the first century the tribe appears to have cooperated with the Roman invaders. Ancaster was probably first used by the Romans as a 'marching camp' en-route to Lincoln. A fort was built around AD 47, with further fortifications added around AD220. The Romans finally withdrew in the 4th century.

You can find out more about the history of Ancaster by following three Roman Trails provided by Lincolnshire County Council. I've added a link to the trails on my Downloads & Links page.

I've changed the end point so that, if you want to, you can finish section 7 at the Railway Inn, Ancaster. It's a slight diversion off the Round, but always nice to reward yourself for all your hard work with a beer or two.

Follow the path with Corner Cottage on your right, proceed straight ahead into a paddock and continue in the same direction through two further paddocks. At the end of the third paddock do not cross the stile but turn left beside the hedge keeping it on your right. Continue to the corner of the field and go through a 'tunnel' within the hedge and then cross a footbridge. Do not head towards Heydour Church but continue straight ahead across the arable field to the signpost ahead.
At the road junction go straight ahead along the road (signpost Kelby) and after about a quarter of a mile turn left at a signpost reading Permissive Bridleway onto a broad track. At the end of this short track, after passing only one field on the right, turn right in the second field and walk along its edge with the hedge on your right. At the top corner of this field turn left and, in a few meters right, onto a grass Bridle Track. Continue North on this wide grass and stoned track. Stay straight ahead eventually passing an Ordnance Survey triangulation point (91m above sea level) on the left with views of Kelby Church to the right. (This section of the walk passes for about 0.7 miles through North Kesteven). Keep straight ahead until you reach a public road.
On reaching the road at Wilsford Heath, cross over and continue straight ahead at a Public Bridleway sign, firstly beside an arable field, past a mobile phone mast and then along a pleasant path through a tunnel of trees. At the end of the tree tunnel you come to a three way footpath sign post, turn left down some steps into Ancaster Valley Nature Reserve, pass through a hand gate and turn right.
Walk along this lovely valley, where you will get occasional glimpses of St Martins Church spire ahead, pass through a gate and continue straight ahead along a short track leading to the A153 Grantham/Sleaford main road. Turn left and cross over the road and then cross over the old Roman Road, Ermine Street (B6403). If you wish to take advantage of the shops and explore some of the history of Ancaster turn right on Ermine Street and walk through the village. You can turn left along Water Lane to re-join the walk.
If you are not heading into Ancaster, proceed straight ahead beside the A153 direction Grantham, after about 30 metres past the traffic lights, turn right into a lane, walking past St Martins Church on the right and then the cemetery on your left. When you reach a four way footpath sign continue straight ahead on a tree lined track until you reach a T junction of tracks. Turn right and then at a second T junction (with Water Lane on the right, where anyone who has been exploring Ancaster will rejoin the walk) turn left towards the railway crossing. Cross the railway with care, through a pedestrian hand gate. The walk continues straight ahead, but a nice end to this section is to turn right and walk for about 150 metres where you will find the Railway Inn at the end of the track on your left.

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