Get Lost Mountaineering

Walk 3: Old Wood N & NW of Five Way Junction

Start/Finish

Five Way junction where there is some rough parking for a few cars. From Skellingthorpe Co-Op, take the road towards Saxilby but soon turn left, on a right hand bend, onto Woodbank and follow it to its end near a pillar box where there is space for a few cars. Fork right, pass some houses to reach the five way junction where there is a sign post.

Distance/Time

5 km/3 miles    About an hour

Introduction

Skellingthorpe Old Wood is one of the largest woodlands in the area and is relatively quiet to walk around. It contains a mixture of good tracks, boggy tracks and many footpaths. Boots are needed and gaiters after wet weather. The wood is very natural and, in March, white wood anemones abound. There is much to explore in this wood. This is a very similar walk to walk 2. The main difference is that instead following the edge of the wood, the route leaves the edge towards the centre before heading back out to the edge again.

Route

(1) Walk north from the five way junction, almost straight on. After about 300 m, pass a major track on the left. Continue for about another 300 m to reach the edge of the wood on its northern side. Just before the edge of the wood, a footpath goes off left which shadows the edge of the wood but is about 20 m from the edge. Further this path becomes boggy and almost a swamp so bypass this section by going into the trees nearer to the edge of the forest. This is dry but a little awkward in places. Rejoin the path/track after the very boggy section and continue. Further on, reach a sign suggesting you go left. Do so and follow the path to reach a major track.

(2) Do not join the track. Instead take the reverse right fork back towards the edge of the wood. This is joined by a track coming from the left after a short distance. Continue ahead and reach a narrow path along the edge fo the wood. Turn left onto this path and soon after, pass a wooden bridge, on the right, (path to Carr Farm).

(3) About 200 m further is an obvious path going off left back into the wood. Take this path which can be very boggy in places perhaps necessitating another detour through the trees on the right. Reach a major track and go straight across and reach a T junction. Turn left and reach another T junction. (If you wish to return via Wood House, go right here and follow the track back to the start.) This route goes left to reach a crossroads where a major track goes left and right with a footpath straight ahead. There are some picnic benches on the right and a carving of a bird of prey on a fence post close to the start of the grassy path. Turn right onto the major track and follow it to its end at a gate, passed early in the walk. Turn right and soon reach the start.

Notes

(a) This walk took place in April, 2020.