(S/E) From St James’s Church, walk along Westgate and turn left into Westgate Fields with its wooden leaf sculptures created as part of Louth Art Trail. Follow the River Lud out of the fields, along Crowtree Lane and into Hubbard’s Hills, following the tarmac footpath through the hills to the southern entrance to emerge on the side of the road to Hallington.
(1) Follow the road to the right, under the bypass, keeping to the right side of the road and facing oncoming traffic. Continue along until you reach a small bridle gate on the right, go through the gate and walk directly over the field to another small gate. Go through this and continue straight ahead, with the hedge on your left.
(2) Turn left at the next signposted path on your left and follow the hedge, now on your right, continue over the stile and straight ahead, crossing a tarmac farm track then crossing the next field to emerge onto a road. Turn right and walk for a short length on the roadside until you reach a stony farm track. From here enjoy good views toward Louth and the coast.
(3) Turn right onto the track. This section of the walk is permissive, agreed with the kind permission of the landowners and is only available to walkers. Follow this track down the hill, through the hedge, over stiles and a footbridge to emerge on the A157. Cross carefully and take the footpath into Welton Vale woodland. Enjoy the different colours of the mixed woodland. As the track emerges to join a bridleway, rest a while on the bench and take a closer look at the remains of the whalebone arch.
The track through the woodland was once the main entrance to South Elkington Hall. The whalebone arc is a reminder of the importance of the fishing industry in Grimsby that influenced the wider area.
(4) Take the bridleway to the right, following the track in the woodland until you reach a footpath to the left. Take this track and continue on it as it becomes a wide stony track through farmland. Follow the track to the left and view the disused gravel quarry on your right.
In the late 19th century, this former river valley was commercially quarried for sands and gravels. Extraction intensified during the 1st and 2nd World Wars to provide materials to build runways. The quarry ceased to operate in the late 1970’s after nearly a century of excavations.
(5) When you reach a small gate on the right, go through and walk across the field, going through two more small gates and continue with the hedge on your right. Follow the track through a metal gate and past the house on your left, opposite the pond n your left, turn right over the stile into the parkland just before you reach the church. If you wish to visit the church or village shop in South Elkington, continue along the road then retrace your steps.
All Saints at South Elkington sits slightly above the village, enjoying a prominent location and surrounded by fine specimen trees. It is partly constructed of locally quarried chalk, with the font and tower dating from the 15th century.
(6) Cross the field, keeping to the higher ground then drop sharply down to the stile hidden amongst the trees. Crossing the stile back into the woods and following the footpath to the right. Once you have crossed the boardwalk, turn left then enter the field through the small gate. Follow the hedge to your left through the field to emerge onto a track with lakes on your left. Cross the stile on your right, into another field, and turn left, keeping the stream on your left. In the far left corner of the field, cross the stile and footbridge and continue up the field to cross another stile to emerge on the Market Rasen Road.
(7) Carefully cross the road and follow the footpath uphill into Cow Pasture Wood.
Once through the woodland, follow the path over the grassland, keeping the trees and hedge on your left, passing Pasture Farm to the bypass.
(8) Carefully cross the bypass, then go over the stile into the field. Cross the field with the hedge on your left and past the old buildings. Follow the track right down the drive and turn left at the road. Ignore the next road on the left, and follow Westgate over the bridge and back to St James’s Church, your starting point.(S/E)
