In the Footsteps of Roman Legions

This walk links the villages of Fulletby, Tetford and Belchford and the hamlet of Salmonby. It is a walk with great variety - woods, fields, lakes and fine views.
The route takes in a section of the Viking Way long distance footpath and, for a while, follows the course of a Roman Road.

Details

2321496
Creation:
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Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.99 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 97 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 104 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 144 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 53 m

Description of the walk

The route is waymarked with an alder leaf symbol.

(S/E) Start the walk on the edge of Fulletby, at the ‘T’ junction of the High Street and Belchford Road. Take the footpath in the corner of the field going downhill.

(1) Cross the field to Salmonby Carr. ‘Carr’ is an old Norse word derived from ‘kjaar’ - a marsh. Alders flourish in such boggy locations where few other trees will grow.

(2) After Salmonby Carr, the path eventually cuts through the hedge and kissing gate towards Salmonby Lake. A variety of water birds can be seen throughout the year here, including mute swans, Canada geese, moorhens, coots and ducks.

Follow the path towards the lake and cross the stream. Go to the left of the wood and cross the field, with the wood on your right. Leave this field in the right hand corner and cross another, before turning left down a driveway.

(3) Turn left at the road, and turn left again at the next junction.

(4) Take the first footpath on the right, keeping the hedge on your right. Turn right at the road then left along the footpath. Walk along the edge of the field to the lakes.

(5) Follow the path between the lakes bearing left before turning right over a bridge. You may just be lucky enough to see the brilliant flash of blue as a kingfisher whizzes by. Continue into Tetford, turning left at the road. If you need refreshments, Tetford has an inn, The White Hart. The Dymoke family are connected with the village and church. They have been the hereditary ‘champions of England’ from the time of Richard II and carry the Standard of England Flag at coronations.

(6) Follow the road left and continue to the outskirts of the village. Where the road turns sharp right, go straight ahead on the bridleway. The bridleway, Platts Lane, is part of a Roman ‘salt road’ - one of a number linking the east coast salt producing area, with Lincoln. Salt was of major importance to the Romans for preserving meat, fish and beans. Continue to follow the signposted bridleway to Oxcombe Road.

(7) When you meet Oxcombe Road, turn left and continue to Belchford.

(8) South of Oxcombe Road is a classic ‘English’ hedgerow. The hawthorns have been laid, and there are mature ash and sycamore trees every 15 metres.

(9) The glauconite in the Spilsby sandstone has weathered the church of St Peter and St Paul to the typical green colour – hence the local name of ‘greenstone’.

In Belchford, opposite the Blue Bell Inn, turn left into Dams Lane. Turn left down the footpath, following the Viking Way, to cross the stream. The Viking Way is a 147 miles long distance footpath running from the Humber to Oakham in Rutland.

Follow the waymarked path. At a track, turn right and then left uphill bearing left off the track to the field edge. Bear along the edge of the next field, with the hedge on your right then left.

(10) Bear left along the edge of the next field near the telegraph pole, turn right along the field boundary.

(11) Descend the next small field to cross the stream at the bottom. Go straight across the next two fields heading for the corner of the second, near the bungalow.

(12) At the end, turn left. Leave the Viking Way and continue straight up the hill to High Street. Turn left and return to the start.(S/E)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 143 m
  2. 1 : km 1.35 - alt. 75 m - Salmonby Carr
  3. 2 : km 1.95 - alt. 60 m
  4. 3 : km 2.36 - alt. 53 m
  5. 4 : km 2.95 - alt. 62 m - Lakes
  6. 5 : km 3.89 - alt. 56 m
  7. 6 : km 4.73 - alt. 61 m - Platts Lane
  8. 7 : km 7.69 - alt. 86 m
  9. 8 : km 8.22 - alt. 87 m - English Hedgerow
  10. 9 : km 8.89 - alt. 87 m
  11. 10 : km 9.36 - alt. 89 m
  12. 11 : km 10.74 - alt. 124 m
  13. 12 : km 11.5 - alt. 128 m
  14. S/E : km 11.99 - alt. 143 m

Notes

Maps: OS Explorer Map 273

Parking: Considerate parking in the village.

Terrain: A mixture of grassy paths and tracks - may be muddy in places.

Stiles: A few.

Refreshments & Toilets: Pub in Tetford and Belchford.

The Lincolnshire Wolds is a National Landscape, designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in 1973. Covering an area of 558 square kilometres or 216 square miles, the AONB contains the highest ground in eastern England between Yorkshire and Kent, rising to over 150m along its western edge. Rolling chalk hills and areas of sandstone and clay underlie this attractive landscape.

The Lincolnshire Wolds has been inhabited since prehistoric times and the appearance of the countryside today has been greatly influenced by past and present agricultural practices.

A Countryside Service helps to protect and enhance the landscape through partnership projects with local landowners, farmers, parish councils, businesses and residents of the Wolds.

Office Address :
Lincolnshire Wolds Countryside Service
Navigation Warehouse
Riverhead Road
Louth
Lincs LN11 0DA

Phone: 01522 555780 X @LincsWoldsNL FB @LincsWoldsNL

Website: https://www.lincswolds.org.uk

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 11 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.2 / 5
User 9084001

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Great walk in the Lincolnshire Wolds. Lovely views and an easy to follow route. Only issue were some high styles with no dog gate, making it quite difficult to get out larger dog over. Other than that, a thoroughly enjoyable ramble.

Efka
Efka

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Very nice, superbly marked, quiet walk. Would revisit in different season.

dianecoc
dianecoc

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 30, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A very easy walk which we enjoyed in excelent weather. Well sign posted so we didn´t get lost! Nowhere to eat picnic but as the weather was dry & warm, we were able to sit on some fallen logs & take in the beautiful view.

Medeb76
Medeb76

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 30, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

A decent walk through the wolds, luckily had nice weather.
Visited pretty villages, some of the walk is on the road, no paths, not ideal with the dog.
The pub was closed too, the bluebell? I think, which was disappointing, worth checking opening times before hand.

Best foot forward
Best foot forward

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 25, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A well signposted walk. Well done for maintaining the stiles in such good condition. We struggled to find somewhere to sit and eat our sandwiches, but eventually came across some felled trees which were perfect. I can't remember where they were now though!

Darcy2018
Darcy2018

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 31, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

An excellent walk, stunning scenery and a quaint pub to stop for refreshments.

Susaned14
Susaned14

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 04, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Well signposted route, lovely views, very quiet.

Sylviahiker
Sylviahiker

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 01, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Most of the walk was quite good .one stretch of road was average.

Hogman
Hogman

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 03, 2012
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Very good. Great views.

Rubys
Rubys

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 22, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Nice walk, the start was the best bit. Took us 3 hours

timshaw1966
timshaw1966

Overall rating : 2.5 / 5

Date of your route : May 23, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : Not used / Not applicable

Had to abandon the walk at the first field which we were chased out of by aggressive bulls - beware. We have reported the incident to the Health and Safety Executive as this way beyond merely being interested cattle.

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