South Kesteven Round.co.uk - 9 Dry Doddington to Grantham

Marston

Dry Doddington to Grantham 14.6 miles

Return Beside the Witham to St Wulframs

The stars of showbiz and star gazing come together on the final section of the South Kesteven Round. Plus a mountain in Lincolnshire! I hope you enjoy the last section of the walk, as you head back to where it all started.

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

Dry Doddington to Marston 5.2 miles

During this section of the walk you will rejoin the Viking way, one of 4 major footpaths that intersect with the South Kesteven Round. Westborough was a settlement in Roman times, and as you walk through the village you will notice its large 13th century Church and attractive houses, plus the unusually named Town Street, indicating that in the past it was a place of some importance.

Leaving the Wheatsheaf, keep right at the village hall (signpost Newark and Grantham) and in a short distance, before a large electrical pole and the white village entrance gates, turn left at a footpath sign onto a green lane. Continue on this green lane with the hedge on your right and a view of Belvoir Castle ahead. Continue through the next two fields with the hedge now on your left. At the end of these two fields turn right for a few metres and then left through a gap in the hedge. Turn right and after a few metres turn left to walk on the field edge with the hedge on your right.
At the end of the field cross a bridge by Gate Lodge farm, to join the Long Bennington/Westborough road. Turn right and in 30 metres turn left at a footpath sign into a field. Here you need to veer right with the hedge on your right, heading towards a stile in the corner of the field. Cross the stile then veer left towards a wire fence and continue with this on your left.
At the field corner pass through a kissing gate which is to the right of the two farm gates, keep straight ahead towards the far corner of the field. Cross a stile and continue for a few metres in the next field, heading for a bridge over the River Witham. DO NOT cross the bridge or walk along the river bank path, follow the Public Bridleway sign and walk to the east across the middle of a field. The South Kesteven Round has now rejoined the Viking Way and will follow it for several miles.
Proceed through the gate at the end of the first field and straight across the corner of the second, on reaching the hedge turn right and walk bedside it. When this hedge comes to an end on the left, continue straight ahead to the footpath sign in front. Turn left here following a path between trees and bushes. On meeting a green lane turn right and walk into Westborough along Bakers Lane.
At the T junction with Town Street, turn right and then left on Church Lane passing All Saints Church. When the tarmac ends continue straight ahead on a footbridge over the River Witham, with a view of Foston village on the rise ahead. Veer left across the field ahead and cross a second narrow field. In the third field veer right heading towards Foston Church Tower. About a third of the way across this field turn left along a broad gravel path/road, heading towards a cluster of electricity poles. On reaching the first of these poles you will see a broad green lane on the left running parallel with the track you are on. Take this short green lane to join Fallow Lane. Turn right and continue for about 350 metres. You are looking out for a 'Public Bridleway' and 'No Motor Vehicles Allowed' signs on your left. Turn left here through the gate and continue along this green lane with Marston Church Spire in front.
At the end of the second field turn left and then right on a track following the Viking Way signs. By a double electricity pole on the right the track turns to the left, leave it here and continue straight ahead between fields to cross a footbridge ahead, Turn left immediately afterwards and walk beside the Foston Beck. Turn right at a pedestrian gate on the right and walk straight ahead along the field edge. Continue through a field gate onto a green lane which joins the concreted Stonepit Lane, taking you into Marston Village. You will see the tower of Hougham Church on the left. Continue down Stonepit Lane until you reach the crossroads and the Thorold Arms

Marston to Barkston 3.4 miles

Barkston has a couple of historical showbiz connections. Arthur Lowe of Dad's army fame, was stationed at Barkston for part of his military service with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, who were responsible for servicing search lights in the Lincolnshire area. Plus, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy (if you are younger than 50 you probably haven't got a clue who I'm talking about) visited the Plough Inn at Barkston in 1947. The pair came to visit Stan's sister Olga who with her husband Bill ran the pub. The Plough has now been converted to a residential property, but fear not the Stag is still very much open for business.

Walk across Main Street into School Lane and turn right at the corner where it becomes Barkston Road. Continue on this road, passing the end of Mill Lane, taking the next turn on the left into Hougham Mill Lane. Proceed down this lane but where it turns left and becomes a private road, keep straight ahead through a gateway towards a chain link fence, and continue with the fence and then a hedge on your left. At a T junction of tracks take the left one and follow it with the reedbeds of Grantham Sewage farm on your left. At a second junction turn left onto a concrete road and follow it round to the right. Take the track to the right of the Sewage Farm entrance gates, signposted 'Public Bridleway' and 'No Motor Vehicles Allowed'. Follow this track to the left, keeping the sewage works on your left to pass through a bridge under the mainline railway.
A few metres afterwards turn left on a stone track and follow the track to the right where it becomes a grass path. At the end of the plantation on your right follow the lane to the left to reach the bank of the River Witham and then to the right to walk beside it. Turn right at a footpath signpost walking up a slope and then follow the path to the left.
Immediately before the bridge over the River Witham turn right at a Public Bridleway sign and walk along the river bank, leaving the Viking Way. Follow the river until the path leads you to some large concrete stepping stones to cross the river. Continue straight ahead through a plantation to reach a gate to the crossing over a railway line. Cross with care.
Veer left and walk beside the hedge on the left to reach the gate in the left hand corner. Keep straight ahead with farm buildings on the right, pass through a couple of gates and continue along the farm access road to reach West Street Barkston. Continue walking in the same direction into the village to reach the A607. The Stag pub is just across the road.

Barkston to Great Gonerby 3.0 miles

Great Gonerby (pronounced Gunerby) used to be situated on the Great North Road and the hill on which it sits was known as the steepest and worst hill on the Road between London and Edinburgh. The area became notorious for highwaymen as horse drawn coaches struggled and slowed on "the mountain" as it was called in the book 'Heart of Midlothian'. Only one of the three Coaching Inns survives to this day, and although the Recruiting Sergeant is not on the route of the walk it would not be too far a diversion if you needed some refreshment.

Turn right on the pavement beside the main road and take the first turn right onto Station Road, (signposted Marston) and walk to the bridge over the Witham. Immediately after crossing the bridge turn left to walk along the river bank.
When you see a concrete bridge on your left follow the farm track around to the right, at a junction of paths stay on the track around to the right passing a belt of trees (Hambleton Screed) on your right. Continue straight ahead passing a second spinney (Aubry's Screed) and after a short distance the track turns left, with Little Oak Wood in front of you. When you reach the wood turn left on a path, follow this path round to the right, walking beside the wood on your right. At the end of the wood continue straight ahead across a large arable field. Cross over a small footbridge and then veer right heading towards a pair of gates in the hedge ahead. Cross the tarmac road, turn right and then immediately left over a stile.
(As you pass Peascliff Farm you are crossing multiple stiles, but from the bottom of the hill to the trees at the top, you are walking in a straight line). Continue in the same direction looking for a gate in the fence on your right, then over a stile on your left and continuing following the path up the hill aiming for a stile in the top right hand corner. Cross a track, over a stile, continuing up the hill, aiming for a stile approx. a quarter of the way up the fence on your right, then immediately over a further stile. Continue in the same direction with the fence on your right heading towards the trees on your right. The path leads you to a stile in the belt of trees, cross this stile and walk through the trees over the Peascliff Railway tunnel, cross another stile, emerging at a large arable field, turn left.
Keep the woods on your left for about 100 metres, then continue to follow the path with the field on your right, passing three ponds on your left, until you reach a hedge at the top of the incline. Turn left, keeping a pond on your left, heading back towards the trees. As you reach the wood cross a stile and turn right to walk along a straight woodland path which emerges into an arable field. Follow the path through the field to the left of a pylon. Turn left at the hedge and walk for about 120 metres with the hedge on your right, then pass through a gap in the hedge turn left and continue walking in the same direction but now with the hedge on your left.
After passing under the pylon wires look out for a market post on the left. Veer right here across the arable field, aiming for the fence corner ahead. Walk through the small paddock beyond to arrive at Belton Lane, Great Gonerby

Great Gonerby to Grantham 3.0 miles

Well this is it, the final section of our 130 mile adventure which ends where it started at the main West Door of St Wulfram's Church. As you approach St Wulfram's you will pass the Old School where both Isaac Newton and William Cecil (Lord Burghley) were educated. You will also see a blue plaque on the school wall for Arthur Storer, a lifelong friend of Isaac Newton. Storer was the first named astronomer in North America taking readings of planets and stars and noting what is now known as Halley's Comet. The Old School building is now the Kings School Library.

NB: The route of the original South Kesteven Round is currently blocked South of Belton Lane between the villages of Great Gonerby and Manthorpe. This blockage is currently subject to a DMMO (Definitive Map Modification Order) but there is no clear date when this legal process will be completed. Permissive Access has been requested along a route which appears to have been established by walkers between the two villages. However this is private land and there is currently no agreement to follow the route in italics below.

Turn right on Belton Lane , cross over the road and after about 200m, after passing house number 54, you will see a footpath on your left. Turn down this narrow footpath with hedges on both sides. The path opens up with houses on your right, continue to follow the path downhill. At the bottom of the hill follow the path round to the left.
After passing the sewage works on your right go over a stile and then after a short distance cross over another stile, turn left, then right crossing a third stile, Veer left towards some trees, cross over a stile onto a wooden bridge. Follow the path across an agricultural field towards the hedge in front.
PLEASE NOTE: The instructions in this bullet point direct you along a well worn but undefined Right of Way. The path used when the walk was first created, although shown on the definitive map, is not recorded as a Right of Way and over time has been lost. As I write this, I have asked if permissive access can be granted along the route described below and the path has also been noted and recommended as High Priority on the Ramblers, Don't Lose Your Way Campaign. This is one of 49,000 miles of historic paths missing from official maps in England and Wales. When you reach the hedge follow the path around to the right keeping the hedge on your left. Pass through a gap in the hedge on your left and continue in the same direction. Follow the edge of the field round to the left then right, when you see a farm track on your left pass through a gap in the hedge on your right, turn left and continue walking in the same direction. now with the hedge on your left.
When you reach the field corner and a belt of trees, turn right. Walk alongside the trees until you see a path on your left which takes you through a tunnel under the mainline railway. Turn left, cross a footbridge and turn right alongside a field. At the corner of the field, continue straight ahead through a gap in the hedge and then across an arable field, parallel to but some distance from, the hedge and houses on your right. When you reach a hedge on your left, continue in the same direction, keeping close to the hedge until you reach a gate leading to a tarmac path and the A607 in Manthorpe.
Cross the road and turn right, in a few metres take the first turn on the left. Turn right at the crossroads and walk along Low Road until you rejoin the A607. Keep left on the pavement and in a few metres turn left at a footpath sign (before the Manthorpe sign), follow the path round to the right and through a gate. The footpath veers half left and goes through a gap in the hedge emerging into a play area, turn left on this stoned track. Just before the river Witham, turn right at the ornate National Cycle Network, direction Grantham Town Centre and Nottingham. Take the high path closest to the river and just continue to follow this until you reach Belton Lane.
Cross the pedestrian crossing and turn left over a footbridge, then right and continue with the river on your right. Pass the white balustraded bridge and take the next (Iron) footbridge on your right over the river leading to the end of Red Cross Street. Walk to the end of this street and then with the Kings School in front, turn left onto Castlegate.
On reaching Grantham House on your left, turn right into Church Street, passing the former Headmaster's House and then Newton's 'Old School' on your right. Turn left into St Wulframs Churchyard and to the main West door.
Congratulations, your journey is complete.

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