Get Lost Mountaineering

Louth to South Elkington Circular via Acthorpe Farm & Heron Lake

Start/Finish

Anywhere in Louth ideally close to St. James Church. There are several pay car parks in Louth but also plenty of free on street parking. Louth is a traditional market town with some very nice shops and places to eat not to mention several market days each week.

Distance/Time

9 km   About 3 – 4 hours

Peaks

No obvious peaks but the highest point is on theActhorpe Farm Road.

Explorer 282: Lincolnshire Wolds North

Introduction

No one would claim that any part of Lincolnshire is mountainous but walks on its gentle rolling hills are enjoyed by many. A fair amount of this walk is on the road but very quiet roads apart from the A631which is joined at South Elkington. St. James' Church in Louth is the tallest church in the county and the seventh tallest in the UK. It can be seen from miles around. Note that the busy Louth bypass has to be crossed twice on this walk and there is no proper crossing point. This is a very similar walk to one which doesn't include Heron Lake which is well worth a visit, only adds about 1 km of extra walking and avoids walking alongside the busy A631 from South Elkington. Heron Lake can often be a very good location for photgraphing reflections of trees etc in the lake's waters.

Route

(1) Find your way to St. James' Church then walk slightly downhill on Bridge Street, soon crossing a bridge over the River Lud. Continue onto Grimsby Road which soon starts to climb. When the gradient eases, there is a new estate on the left of the road with Fanthorpe Lane just after and a Spar garage further on up Grimsby Road. Go up Fanthorpe Lane. After the houses, continue on a path which drops down steps to cross the bypass. Continue on the other side, still on Fanthorpe Lane until that becomes a grassy track then a path but it's all almost straight. Pass through some fields to reach a minor road.

(2) Turn left, SW, and follow the road as it climbs gently offering great views to the north. The Humber Estuary is not that obvious but if you can spot some distant wind turbines then these are across the river. Follow the road which winds through Acthorpe Farm before continuing, roughly W. After the highest point on the road, descend gently passing Linford House to reach the busy A613 at South Elkington opposite the war memorial.

(3) Cross over the A 631 and follow the road into South Elkington passing the shop which is set back on your right. The shop is well worth a visit andserves tasty snacks, ice creams as well as having a selection of local gifts plus a nice sitting out area. The shop has limited opening hours so best to check before arriving. On a few specified days it does open later for bikers. Walk into the pleasant village of South Elkington until reaching the prominent Church Institute (just after School House on the left) which is on the right opposite a large meadow with a minor road running down its left side. Turn left on this minor road and follow it past some modern houses to reach a diagonal crossroads. Go straight ahead onto a narrower minor road which soon reaches a T junction by a large house. Turn left, passing a caravan site and Cobweb House before reaching “The Doghouse” which has a white house close by. Turn right and go through a gate onto a track which leads down to Heron Lake. Follow the track to pass through a gate to reach the end of the lake. Just before the track follows the other side of the lake, there is a gate, marked by a footpath arrow, which takes one onto a footpath alongside the edge of a wood.

(4) Keep following the obvious path almost straight ahead to reach a large gate. Pass through and ascend the field to the busy A631. Cross over and go through the gate onto an obvious footpath. Follow this footpath which slants uphill to pass some houses before entering Cow Pasture Wood. Follow the path through the wood then down past Pasture Farm to recross the bypass. Continue on the obvious path which soon becomes a path, passing Thorpe Hall farm before descending down to meet the B1200 road into Louth. Follow the road down, across the bridge over the River Lud, then into Westgate and back to St. James' Church.

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 28^th June, 2025.