Hooray, off walking again. Marie and Irene safely back, so off we go. An early start, as we planned to make the most of the lighter nights to cover 10 miles today. Well, it was a good plan. Linda and Irene got stuck in a mega traffic jam on the A38 and we didn't start walking until 4.30 pm!
Marie and I visited the pub in Stathern twice for coffee and drove round identifying different parking places as our end point for the day got closer and closer to Woolsthorp!
Stathern seemed the best end point, there didn't appear to be many stopping off opportunities as the route goes cross country after Woolsthorpe.Another plus was the opportunity to park on the track the route follows as you leave Stathern, so no extra miles and at 4.30 pm that was a big consideration!
So, after finally meeting up in Stathern, we returned to The Dirty Duck in Woolsthorpe, by the canal, to resume our walk. The pub was closed, which was probably a blessing! Please note, if walking in this area, lots of local pubs seem to close on a Monday!
At 4.30 pm, with a predicted 7 miles to cover, we set off at a cracking pace (for us). The route takes you down through the village, then up across beautifully manicured fields with views of Belvoir Castle on the hill above.
You circle around this to pop out on to the road through the estate, which you follow until the Jubilee Way footpath takes you off up across the Terrace Hills.
We were dreading a climb, but the footpath is good and its quite a gentle gradient with good views on both sides. Eventually you meet woodland as the path goes down and up again, until you reach the obelisk in a clearing on Beacon Hill. This was one of the chain of beacons used to give the alert of the Spanish Armada in 1588, being one of the highest points in the area.
The route continues to follow the Jubilee Way, until it meets Taft's Lane (more of a track really) which takes you down to the village of Stathern.
Stathern is a lovely little village. The Red Lion is currently closed, but The Plough and the village shop are still there and the church, St. Guthlac's, is small but interesting.
Fortunately, the walk came in at less than 7 miles and the evening was bright, but it felt like a bit of a yomp! We finished in good light , but still had to retrieve the second car and head on to our hotel in Grantham. No time for a visit to the Spa - it was straight to the bar!
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