Route: Fotherby
Area: Lincolnshire Wolds
Date of walk: 26th November 2020
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 6.0 miles
Ascent: 500 feet
Weather: Weak sun
We started today’s walk in the small village of Fotherby, which lies a couple of miles north of Louth, the subject of our last visit to the Lincolnshire Wolds. We parked on the village street near an information board which sets out the points of interest in the area. We walked south along the street and after 200 yards or so turned right along Short Street. We then carefully crossed the busy A16 bypass. It was good to get the roar of the traffic behind us as we headed gently uphill, following a quiet lane and track past Fotherby Common
We passed through a small woodland area and emerged into a lovely valley. We walked along the valley bottom and then climbed up towards North Elkington. We walked into the village via the site of the medieval village. The earliest record of a settlement here dates from 1066, and the site was occupied until the 16th century. There are no buildings to be seen, but there are remnants of hollow ways – old paths which have been worn down by footsteps, hooves and cart wheels. After walking through the hummocky site we passed through the small existing village to reach the far point of the walk
We started the return leg by passing through Grange Farm, and then followed tracks over the fields on Fotherby Top, passing through Fotherby Top Farm along the way. This was very easy walking and we made quick progress back to Fotherby Common, where we rejoined our original path. From here we retraced our steps back to the start, enduring once more the crossing over the A16, the only black mark against an otherwise very enjoyable walk
Click on the icon below for the route map (subscribers to OS Maps can view detailed maps of the route, visualise it in aerial 3D, and download the GPX file. Non-subscribers will see a base map)
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
Earlier this week, a short walk in North Cliffe Wood...
Two days later, the start of the walk from Fotherby - these almshouses were built in 1869, and in the background is St Mary's Church
Having left the village and crossed the busy A16 we head west, gently climbing up the wold
We follow this quiet lane
Looking back along the lane, with St Mary's Church Fotherby on the left
Another view back over the coastal plain
We pass by Fotherby Common, where the lucky residents of the parish of Fotherby 'have the commoners rights to take of the conies therein'
A view back to Fotherby, with Fotherby Common on the right
The path splits here - we turn left to follow a narrow path through the field and will return along the track on the right
We follow the path through this cultivated field...
The path descends into a valley, unnamed on the OS map...
Looking back along the path
We enter into a small wood
We emerge from the wood into a valley, and a lovely section of the walk
We follow a path along the valley floor...
Looking back
We climb out of the valley and arrive at the site of the medieval village of North Elkiington
This hollow way is one of the streets which ran through the ancient village
St Helen's Church North Elkington, now a private residence
We leave North Elkington, following the route of another ancient hollow way...
Looking back along a ploughed field at the far point of the walk - we emerged from here with our boots caked in Lincolnshire mud
We follow the path to North Elkington Grange and Grange Farm
North Elkington on our right as we start the return leg over the top of the wold
Most of this section is along easy paths through fields
The path takes us around Fotherby Top Farm
Looking back to the farm as we join our original path and from here we retrace our steps back to the start
The end of the walk, and a short diversion to see St Mary's Church Fotherby
