The route is marked with a boat logo.
(S/E) From Navigation Warehouse, where the River Lud enters the canal, follow the canal away from Louth town centre, cross the canal at the first weir, continuing along the towpath.
At Keddington Lock the remains of the original lock finally collapsed in 2018. It is expected a weir and a riprap cascade will manage the water flow into the future. A footbridge leads across the field towards Keddington and St Margaret’s Church. St. Margaret’s Church dates from Norman times but is now sadly redundant. Members of the Ticklepenny family, who Ticklepenny Lock was named after, were farmers, lock keepers and toll collectors in the area, are buried in the churchyard.
(1) Continue along the towpath through a field where the River Lud runs on your right to Ticklepenny Lock.
Ticklepenny Lock is still in reasonable condition after having been repaired by the Louth Navigation Trust in 1996. There used to be a wooden swing bridge here, which has now been replaced by one made of concrete. In the early 1930s, a sheep wash was built alongside the lock and can this be seen amongst the trees on the left-hand side.
(2) Cross the road to follow the towpath. Go past farm buildings and the sewage works on your right. Continue along until you come to Lock Farm at Alvingham Lock, where a tributary of the River Lud runs under the canal, by way of a brick siphon, to feed Alvingham Mill. Cross the road to follow the towpath.
(3) At the junction with two other footpaths, turn left to cross the canal on the concrete footbridge for a chance to explore the village of Alvingham. (There is a farm shop about ½ mile through the village.)
Whilst there are two churches in one churchyard at Alvingham, the smaller of the two, St Mary’s, has an unusual history and setting, being a mile from its parish of North Cockerington. St Mary’s is no longer used for worship but is managed by the Churches Conservation Trust. St Adelwold’s is the only church in the country dedicated to the saint who later became Bishop of Lindisfarne. The present church dates from the 12th century although it is thought that an earlier Saxon church stood in its place before being destroyed, possibly by Viking invaders.
Adjacent to the churches is the site of Alvingham Priory (no public access). It was founded by Hugh de Scotney (1184-54) for the Gilbertine order and closed in 1538 under Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries Act.
(4) From the churchyard, walk through the farmyard and past the watermill on your right. Follow the road straight on.
The present day Alvingham Mill dates from the 17th century. The machinery was installed in 1782 when the building was extended. However, there is evidence that this site has been used for mills previously, with a mill recorded here in the Doomsday Book of 1086.
(5) Where the village road joins the main road, follow the bend to the left and walk carefully alongside the road until you pass over the canal. Turn right to join the towpath near Lock Farm and retrace your steps to Louth, keeping the canal on your right.(S/E)
