Get Lost Mountaineering

Full walk around Hartsholme Lake including White & Black Bridges

Start/Finish

Car park just inside the entrance to Hartsholme Country Park. The entrance is off Skellingthorpe Road between the level crossing and Birchwood Avenue. If coming from the level crossing, go past the school and shops; the entrance is a little further. If coming from the A46 Lincoln bypass, it is about a mile. Go past the petrol station at the start of Birchwood Avenue. The park is after the houses on the right, you will see the lake before you reach the entrance. The car park can be muddy and soon fills up. There is a cleaner alternative on the other side of Skellingthorpe Road about 100 m towards the bypass

Distance/Time

5 km/3 miles     About 1 – 2 hours

Introduction

Hartsholme Country Park and Swanholme Lakes are separate entities but are adjacent, joined by several paths and occupy the undeveloped area bounded by Skellingthorpe Road, Birchwood, Doddington Road and the railway line behind Tritton Road. Hartsholme Country Park is a former stately home so its grounds are well laid out; the former hall is no longer standing. Swanholme Lakes was formerly a series of gravel pits (common in this area). Work ceased in the 1960s and the land has gradually reverted to wild with some management in recent years. The gravel extraction left a number of fairly shallow lakes with very irregular shapes making for very pleasant walking. There are three major lakes: Dragonfly Lake, Sanctuary Lake and Coot Lake which has major and minor sections; there are many more unamed lakes some of which are quite large. This walk is only in the country park but other walks will also include Swanholme Lakes. There is an abundance of wildlife including swans, ducks, geese, squirrels and deer.

Route

(1) From the main entrance, take a path which shadows the Skellingthorpe Road. This soon reaches the lake. Continue ahead, still alongside the road, on what is probably an old promenade. At the end of the promenade, follow the path left around the lakeside. A bank soon blocks views of the lake but look for paths going left which give better views before rejoining the main track. Follow the main track around the edge of the lake until White Bridge is reached.

(2) Do not cross over White Bridge but continue ahead, on the obvious track, following the now narrow lake which gradually becomes narrower. Reach Black Bridge and cross over to where there is a useful map and information sign. Turn left and follow the track back to White Bridge.

(3) Reach White Bridge but do not cross over. Stay by the lake following a good track past the old boathouse. Continue, trying to stay as close to the Lake as possible. Reach a “garden” on the left with steps on the right. Continue ahead to rejoin the outward route at the start of the promenade. Turn right and return to the entrance.

Notes

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