Having returned from our Scottish adventures of last week, today, myself and Angela did a 6 mile circular walk at Culverthorpe Park in Lincolnshire.
Culverthorpe Park is home to Culverthorpe Hall – a grade 1 listed building of the Palladium style. The walk is one designated by North Kesteven District Council as a ‘Stepping Out’ Walk.
Culverthorpe ParkSigns in the car park
Arriving early at the designated car park we set off passing one of the lakes on a fine summers morning.
The lake at Culverthorpe Park
Our route would take us along fields and across ditches. The contrast between the flat agricultural landscape of Lincolnshire and the rugged mountainous landscape of Glen Coe was striking.
Within minutes of setting off we had seen two deer and a hare darting across a field. Wonderful!
Church spire in Heydour village visibleAngela crossing one of the stiles on the walk.
Quite a few of the crops in the field’s looked as though they were ready for harvesting and others had already been done.
Arriving into Culverthorpe we couldn’t help but notice a large sign directing traffic to the walks car park.
We passed through gates leading to Culverthorpe Hall and the route took us away from the hall (private land) and down to the lakes where we saw some lovely brown cows that looked hot in the sun.
Gates to Culverthorpe HallA brief glimpse of the Hall
Soon we were back in the car park. It was an easy walk and we had avoided the heat of the day.
Summer has finally arrived and I was looking forward to going out walking early this morning on a familiar 8-mile circular route taking in The Grantham Canal, Denton Reservoir and the old Ironstone Railway track.
Lock 17
I parked on the road next to The Dirty Duck pub at Woolsthorpe by Belvoir and set off following the towpath past locks 17 & 18. The Grantham Canal Society ‘Three Shires’ cruise boat was moored close to lock 18.
Lock 18The Three Shires Cruise boat
The sun was warm on my face and the towpath was clear – wonderful!
I was soon passing under Longmoor bridge which is a fine example of a skew bridge – the bridge does not sit at 90 degrees to the canal and the brick courses under the arch are skewed which gives the bridge greater strength. There are also slots in the roof to allow bats to roost.
Longmoor bridge – a skewed bridge.
Next up was my favourite bridge along the canal- the Casthorpe bridle bridge. I think I like it because it reminds me of the Mathematical Bridge at Cambridge.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematical_Bridge
Casthorpe bridle bridgeThe Mathematical Bridge, Queens college Cambridge
As I walked further along I spotted a ‘weed-berg’ floating on the surface of the canal – these could get wrapped around the prop of a canal boat and are best avoided.
A ‘weed-berg’ in the canal
I passed four groups of Duke of Edinburgh award students navigating their way along the canal.
As I neared Harlaxton the vegetation along the towpath was crowding in and the sense of openness I had felt earlier on the walk disappeared.
I left the canal at Harlaxton bridge, peering into the murky waters of the canal as I crossed.
The canal at Harlaxton
A nice walk across fields (I remember the same fields in spring being sodden with mud) brought me to the open expanse of Denton Reservoir – built to supply water (it has a capacity of 60 million gallons) to the canal.
Denton Reservoir
I sat for a break taking in the quiet and the view. Anglers could be seen dotted around the outside of the reservoir.
An angler reeling in his catch
Leaving the reservoir I passed through the village of Denton and headed up the road to pick up the dismantled track of the former Ironstone railway by a bridge.
My access from the road to the old railway track
It was a nice walk along the track, partially in the shade and no one to be seen.
The old Ironstone railway track
Passing through the support pillars of a dismantled railway bridge I picked up the Viking Way which brought me back to the canal.
A short walk along the canal brought me back to the car and the end of todays walk.
My Walking Journeys 