Get Lost Mountaineering

Louth Canal 1: Riverhead to Alvingham

Start/Finish

Either Riverhead where there is street parking or Louth Bus Station

Distance/Time

6 km    About 2 - 3 hours

Peaks

No peaks or hills as almost all of the route is on a path by a disused canal.

Landranger 113: Grimsby (map not really essential for this walk)

Introduction

This is a pleasant walk with much historical interest. Louth canal has been disused for many years and the lcoks have decayed but their remains are still visible. In places, the canal now resembles an overgrown ditch. The route can be walked there and back or just one way if two cars are available. With one car, one can park just inside Alvingham village then walk back to the White Barn Farm (large white building by a T junction) and catch the bus (PC Coaches) opposite the farm to Louth. Note that there is no bus stop but the bus will stop if signalled to do so. The bus will take you to Louth bus station. From there, exit and go left to meet Eastgate then turn right to reach Morrison's supermarket. Take the road opposite Morrison's (memorial stautue of a soldier) and follow it to a roundabout where you turn right and follow the road to Riverhead which is just past the Woolpack pub.

Route

(1) Follow the path from Riverhead with the canal on your right. At the first opportunity, cross over (at Top Town Lock but now a series of weirs) and continue with the canal now on your left. Follow the path out into open country and continue for about 5 km, crossing one road and a farm track, to reach the road into Alvingham (after Alvingham Fishing Lakes). Continue a little further to reach a footbridge. St. Adelwold's church with its high tower should now be visible from the canal.

(2) Cross the footbridge then a smaller one to reach a churchyard and two adjacent churches. The church with the taller tower is St. Adelwold's (the only such named church in the UK) and the smaller tower church is St. Mary's. There are two churches because they were once in two different parishes. Strictly speaking, St. Mary's church is in the parish of North Cockerington. The churches are usually locked but may be open on certain days so enquiries could be made if you wanted to go inside. Exit the churchyard into a farmyard and continue ahead through the village of Alvingham. There is a set of old leg stocks on the corner where the village notice board stands.

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 7^th July, 2026.