Get Lost Mountaineering

Walk 15 Sustrans, Catchwater Drain & Forest Park

Start/Finish

Skellingthorpe community centre where there is usually ample free parking. This is most easily reached from the Skellingthorpe roundabout on the A46 Lincoln bypass. Take the road into Skellingthorpe and the car park is roughly where the cycle track from Lincoln crosses the road.

Distance/Time

5 km/3 miles     About an hour plus

Introduction

This route is on the east and south eastern side of Skellingthorpe. It starts in open country then follows a drain, with good views to Lincoln Cathedral, before returning through Forest Park which is a housing estate in a wood. A highlight late in the walk is the lake behind Farrington Crescent which often has water lilies and swans on it.

Route

(1) From the community centre car park walk cross Lincoln Road and follow the sustrans track towards Lincoln. After about 500 m, reach a path crossing the track (signposts). Turn right and follow the path, alongside Catchwater Drain, towards the A46 Lincoln bypass. Go under the bypass watching your head! Continue alongside the drain on the other side. Cross the access track to Decoy Farm then pass the ends of Eton Close and Rochester Drive before crossing the access track to Scarborough Fen Farm. Continue ahead, behind the houses of Forest Park, to reach another track just after some sluice gates on the drain.

(2) Turn right onto the track then immediately turn right again onto a path, almost alongside the drain. Follow this path into Forest Park the follow the road going straight ahead all way. Pass a road on the left, Euston Close on the right, Shaftesbury Avenue on the left then Chelsea Close on the right. Immediately after Chelsea Close is a passageway, straight ahead, which goes to the access track for Scarborugh Fen Farm. Turn left to reach the start of Rochester Drive and go straight on not right into Farrington Crescent. Soon there are trees on the right with a lake behind them. Take the first path on the right which goes to a notice board by the alke then follow the path around to the right to come out on Farrington Crescent. Turn left and soon reach Skellingthorpe Road. Cross over, turn right and reach the Skellingthorpe roundabout. Cross over, to its left, the follow the road back to the Community Centre passing Daisy Made ice cream parlour and crossing Waterloo Lane.

Notes

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