Thurlby-Lound-Toft-Manthorpe-Thurlby

Description	Distance	7.2 miles
This walk crosses fields, a golf course and with some road walking as well. If you thought Lincolnshire was flat, then you are in for a surprise as this walk is based around Swallow Hill, hardly a mountain but for us Lincolnshire people it is a novelty. The path is clearly way marked when crossing fields.	Time	2 Hours 20 mins
	Difficulty	Leisurely
	Map Link	Local 10

The walk starts in Water Lane which is off Northorpe Lane in Thurlby. Walk up Water Lane and turn right along the track.(You are crossing over the disused Essendine and Sleaford railway line, although it's not particularly evident here you can walk along stretches of this line if you follow Wood Lane towards Bourne)

Follow this track until you come into an open field. Continue walking in the same direction, towards a line of trees, and cross over a small plank bridge and then over a second plank bridge. When you reach a track turn left.

After a few yards on the track turn right at the public footpath sign, head in a slightly left diagonal direction and through a gap in the hedge. Turn immediately left and over another bridge, then start to head uphill following the path slightly diagonal right. Once you reach the brow of the hill you will see a gap in the tree line go through this and cross a wooden bridge and a stile. Keep the hedge on your immediate left as you cross a couple of fields all the way to the busy A6121 Bourne to Stamford Road.

Cross over this road, continuing in the same direction on a minor road signpost Lound. When you reach Lound, go over the cross roads down a hill and follow the road round to the left. Where the road turns right into a farm driveway, continue straight on following a track. Go through  a gate with a substation on your left and cross over the East Glen River. You then come to two gates, go through the pedestrian gate on the left hand side set of gates. Keep the fence on your immediate right and after a short distance follow the line of the fence as it turns sharp right.

Keep following this path with the fence on your right until you come to a wooden gate on your right (just as the field starts to bend to the left). Go through the gate and turn immediate left through a wooded area until you come to a three way public footpath sign. Turn left down a slight dip then up a small hill until you emerge into a field. Follow the path keeping the fence on your left, as the fence ends continue in the same direction across the field.

Before reaching the end of the field and farm buildings you reach some power lines. Turn left and follow the line of the wooden poles until you reach a public footpath sign (if the field is full of crops you may need to walk to the end of the field and walk round the outer edge).

Go over the stile and continue in the same direction keeping the fence and hedge on your right. You will see the village of Toft in front of you. Cross the stile in the corner of the field and continue in the same direction until you reach the road. Turn left and walk along the side of the road, there is no footpath, so please be careful, especially as you cross the bridge. The bridge which carries the A6121 is Grade II listed and originates from c1808.

Once you have gone over the bridge, cross over the road and go through the large gates into the golf course.The public footpath crosses the golf course but please watch out for golfers and stray golf balls. As you pass the building, turn right towards the first green you see and keep the lake on your right . As you get nearly towards the end of the lake look to your left and you will see trees on the horizon. Head uphill and towards these trees. You will see way mark signs showing the footpath across the golf course. Head down the other side of the hill and exit the golf course over a stile. Keep walking in the same direction towards Manthorpe.

At the road turn left and follow the road uphill (do not go into Manthorpe) , There is no footpath but there are wide grass verges. As the road bends round to the right and another road joins from the left, head towards the right of the farm buildings straight in front of you and continue along a narrow path. At the end of the path go over a stile and continue in the same direction across the field walking downhill until you reach a drain/ditch. Turn right and then left over a wood bridge. The path crosses the field to the diagonal opposite corner, but on the day I did the walk the field had been ploughed so I was unable to cross but there is a path to your right around the edge of the field.

Keep walking down hill and go to the right of Swallow Hill Farm buildings. Go through a gate and head diagonally right towards another gate and then continue in the same direction to the corner of the field. Go through a gate and turn right (the path back to the road is a bit hidden). At the road turn left you are back on Northorpe Lane head back to Water Lane and the starting point.

If you have enjoyed this walk, you can find similar walks on my Walks Hone Page. If you have any comments please leave them in the Post a Comment box below.