190517-JA2

North Kesteven Cycle Route

Safety first Be a responsible Cyclist On all routes – Please be courteous! Always cycle with respect for In 2016, 18,477 others, whether cyclists, pedestrians, people in wheelchairs, horse cyclists were injured riders or drivers, and acknowledge those who give way to you. in reported road On shared-use paths: accidents, including • Give way to pedestrians: leave them plenty of room to • Keep to your side of any dividing line and keep to the left when 3,499 who were killed you meet other cyclists or seriously injured • Be prepared to slow down or stop if necessary • Don’t expect to cycle at high speeds – Source ROSPA. • Be careful at junctions, bends and entrances • Remember many people are hard of hearing and visually impaired - don’t assume they can see or hear you Before setting out on • Carry a bell and use it - don’t surprise people your bike it’s important • Give way where there are wheelchair users and horse riders to make sure you’ll be When cycling on roads: safe when cycling. • Always follow the Highway Code • Be seen - most accidents to cyclists happen at junctions • Fit lights and use them in poor visibility • Always wear a helmet and conspicuous clothing Thank you • Keep your bike roadworthy • Do not cycle on pavements except where designated - for cycling! pavements are for pedestrians • Use your bell - not all pedestrians can see you

The Gov.uk website In the countryside: provides further advice • Always follow the Countryside Code • Respect other land management activities, farming or forestry on what to do to stay and take litter home with you safe on the roads • Keep erosion to a minimum if off-road • Try to cycle or use public transport to travel to the start and including following finish of your ride the Highway Code. • Match your speed to the surface and your skills

Beginning in the historic market town of Sleaford, travel north until Digby, where you will then head East to Walcott and venture down country roads through , and the picturesque South Kyme, cycling beside the Kyme Eau and on to . Pass Heckington’s famous eight sailed windmill and then follow a twisting route back to Sleaford, through , Scredington, Burton Pedwardine and Silk Willoughby. For feedback on this route or to make enquiries please email [email protected] Whilst great care has been taken on compiling this information into this leaflet, North Route is long distance (65.1km) and mostly flat. Kesteven District Council cannot be held responsible for any errors, omissions or The route avoids main roads and is suited to experienced cyclists. alterations contained within it. The inclusion of an establishment within this leaflet does not imply any official recommendations by District Council. • From Boston Road Rec, turn right down Boston Road, 1 leaving Sleaford and go up over the overpass into Kirkby la Thorpe. Turn right heading down from the overpass, into the Digby Billinghay South Kyme village and follow this road until a left turn for Evedon Road. Two Bronze Age stone The settlement is mentioned in South Kyme contains axes, about 4,000 years old, the Domesday Book. The name a public house, The • Take this Road into Evedon and then the second left onto were found in Digby, one originates from a Saxon name Hume Arms, and a golf 2 Papermill Lane. This road takes you over the Old now in private possession, for a fishery. The topography in club. The River Slea, via Washdike Bridge and over the River Slea. the other at Lincoln Museum. Also found ancient times would have been that of a small settlement on which is called the ‘Kyme Eau’ from Ferry Farm • Eventually you will come to East Road (A153) and here were two Bronze Age arrowheads, again a gravel mound surrounded by marsh which was flooded in a mile or so to the north of South Kyme, runs one in private possession, the other at winter. After the draining of the fens in the late 18th century parallel to the main road, passing under three 3 you will turn right until the left hand turn for Moor Lane Lincoln Museum with a Neolithic partly the area became rich agricultural land as it is today. bridges, and eventually flowing into the River (B1209). Turn onto Moor Lane and continue until you get polished axe also found here. Billinghay Grade I listed Anglican parish church is dedicated Witham at Chapel Hill. The river was once to Leasingham. Here go right onto Washdyke Lane and to St Michael and All Angels. The parish is part of the Car navigable by the from the journey through Leasingham. Dyke group of parishes - including Tattershall Bridge. Witham to the market town of Sleaford. • Leaving Leasingham on Roxholm Road continue all the way On a site to the west of the village stands the Grade I listed Kyme Tower for which the village to Bloxholm and then keep going until the road ends, where 4 is best known. This was a mediaeval castle you will take a right to Digby, briefly travelling South on which is believed to have been built between Lincoln Road (B1188) and then turning left into Digby. 1339 and 1381 by Gilbert de Umfraville third Earl • Cycle through Digby and out via Digby Road all the way to of Angus and Lord of Kyme. 5 Walcott where you will take a right at St. Oswald’s Church onto High Street (B1189). Take this Road to Billinghay, where you will take the second right onto Mill Lane.

• Continue down Mill Lane into North Kyme and onto North 6 Kyme Drove (A153), through North Kyme, where you will travel straight on, off Main Street and onto the B1395.

• This road will take you into South Kyme and out of the other 7 side heading towards Heckington. Stay on this road for quite some time, going over Head Dike, until you reach a right hand turn for Heckington called Littleworth Drove. Take this right.

• Follow the road all the way to Heckington where you will 8 pass over the A17 and come into the village. Follow round Kyme Road then turn left down Eastgate, crossing passed the Coop onto Station Road (B1394).

• Follow the B1934 through Great Hale, and 9 Helpringham, leaving Helpringham via Station Road and continuing on this road to Scredington. Take a right before Scredington, up into Northbeck.

• Go through Northbeck and then right onto Sredington Road Sleaford 10 and follow it all the way to Burton Pedwardine, where you Sleaford is a market will turn left and head out of Burton Pedwardine and left town and onto Whitecross Lane. in , . It is on the edge of the fertile • Turn left onto Mareham Lane and then almost immediately Fenlands, about 11 miles north-east of 11 right onto Gorse Lane. Take this road into Silk Willoughby Heckington , 16 miles west of Boston, Silk Willoughby • In Silk Willoughby turn right onto Road down into and 17 miles south of Lincoln. The nearly 1,000-year-old The first settlement formed in the Iron Burton Pedwardine is named after village is best known for 12 Sleaford. Go right over the crossing, joining the one way system Age where a prehistoric track crossed a family, the Pedwardines, its windmill of the same and go down the main high street to where the road splits. the River Slea. It was a tribal centre who acquired the hall and manor name, the only 8-sailed • Turn right past the market place then turn right again. Turn and home to a mint for the Corieltauvi through marriage about 1330. example of its type still The village Grade II listed Anglican parish church is dedicated the next left into Navigation Yard, passing Navigation House in the 1st centuries BC and AD. standing in the UK and Europe. The tower 13 to St Andrew. It was rebuilt by Sir Roger Pedwardine in the and the NCCD into the carpark. Evidence of Roman and Anglo-Saxon windmill built as a five-sailed mill in 1830 and settlement has been uncovered, and by early 14th century on a cruciform plan with central tower. turned into an eight-sailed mill after serious • Cross the green bridge in the far right corner and then go the late Saxon period the town was an The tower collapsed in 1802, and the church was rebuilt. storm damage in 1890–92 was formerly (and 14 left, passing the leisure centre and cutting down into Hussey economic and jurisdictional centre with It was again rebuilt in Decorated style in 1870, retaining its sometimes still today) named Pocklington’s Close. Go south on St. Giles Avenue, onto Boston Road and a court and market. original transept from the pre-1802 church. Mill after its last owner John Pocklington. back to the Rec, your start point.