Get Lost Mountaineering

Walk 7: Old Wood SW

Start/Finish

The end of Wood Bank, a minor road. 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.

Distance/Time

3 km/2 miles    Less than 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.

Route

(1) Continue ahead at the pillar box and walk up the rough road past some houses until it becomes a bridleway. Continue ahead, passing two obvious paths going off to the right until a crossroads of paths is reached. The path on the right is the weaving path towards Old Wood House but this route goes left. Follow the path, passing some other paths on the right to pass under a large wooden arch just before joining the sustrans track from Skellingthorpe to Harby.

(2) Turn left onto the tarmac sustrans track and follow it back towards Skellingthorpe. (To the right is Doddington Road old railway bridge). Pass the new sustrans track going to Doddington Hall. Across a large open field on the right is a wood called Ash Lound. Further on, there is a “picture” on the right. Soon after, a footpath goes left. Take this and follow it to a rough track which eventually crosses a flat bridge just before a T junction. Turn right and soon reach the start.

Notes

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