Be a responsible walker

Please remember the countryside is a place where people live and work and where wildlife makes its home. To protect the countryside for other visitors please respect it and on every visit follow the Countryside Code. Thank you.

• Be safe - plan ahead and follow any signs • Leave gates and property as you find them • Protect plants and animals, and take litter home • Keep dogs under close control • Consider other people

Most of all enjoy your visit to the Lincolnshire countryside This leaflet is one in a series of walk leaflets produced by Lincolnshire County Council’s Natural Environment Team to help you explore and enjoy the county’s countryside. If you have enjoyed these walks and would like information on other walking routes in Lincolnshire then please visit our website.

If you encounter any problems whilst on these walks, such as an overgrown path or a broken sign post, please let us know so they can be corrected.

We would also welcome your comments and suggestions on the walk and leaflet to help improve future editions.

If you require this leaflet in another format please contact us.

Lincolnshire County Council Natural Environment Team Tel: 01522 782070 Minicom: 01522 552055 Email: [email protected] Web: www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/countryside Walk Information

Spalding is 64 km (40 miles) Wsoaultkh-leoacsattoiof nL:incoln and 34km (21 miles) north of .

Springfields Outlet Shopping aSntadrtFiensgtivpaol iGnatr: dens, Camelgate (just off the A16). Grid reference: TF 263 240.

Charged parking at Springfields. If possible pParkkiingth: e West car park. The area is well served by buses. For times aPnudblmicoTrerainnfosrpmoarti:on call the traveline on 0871 200 22 33 or visit www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/busrailtravel. During the summer (Easter to October) a water taxi links Spalding town centre and Springfields.

Explorer 249 SOprdalndainngc&e HSuorlbveeaycmh aanpds2f3o5r tWhiesbaerceha:and Peterborough. Landranger 131 Boston & Spalding.

Shorter walk: 7 km (4 ½ miles), longer walk 20 km W(12a½lk mleinlegs)t.h:At a leisurely pace the shorter walk will take approximately 2 hours and the longer walk approximately 6 hours to complete.

The walk uses drain and river banks, which may bTeypmeuodfdywianlkp:laces, and roadside paths. Refreshments are available at Springfields outlet SRheofrpepsihngmaenndtsF: estival Gardens and . There is also a good selection of shops and pubs in Spalding.

Springfields and Spalding town centre . Public toilets:

Published July 2007 palding S lei su re wheel

A circular walk of 20 or 7km (12 ½ or 4 ½ miles) Introduction

Spalding is the largest market peat soil began to shrink and town in the South Holland area. flood again as it sank below the An attractive town, it is situated levels of the rivers and sea. Wind on the with grand pumps were installed to remove Georgian terraces and buildings the water from the land and by which reflect the town’s historic 1800 more than 700 pumps importance as a major trading were in use. However it was not centre and port. until the arrival of steam power that were effectively In Norman times there was a drained. Today electric and castle, although no trace of it diesel pumps are used to remains, and in 1051 a Benedictine priory was maintain the water levels. established. The town then grew into an important trading The reclaimed land is centre, exporting corn, and particularly fertile making it ideal importing coal, timber and for growing vegetables and general provisions. flowers and the area is the centre of the flower industry Spalding sits at the heart of The with more daffodils grown in Fens the unique man made South Holland than any where landscape reclaimed from the else in the country, with over sea. A thousand years ago 10 000 acres in production. Spalding and other settlements including Pinchbeck and This walk, part of the Spalding sat on a silt ridge Leisure Wheel and Spalding which was surrounded by water Community Travel Zone during the winter. It was a good Initiative, circles Spalding and place to live, close to a supply of gives an insight into the history fish and fowl and excellent and life of the town as it takes in summer grazing. To increase the fertile area banks and drains its urban, rural and horticultural were constructed by the faces. Using many of the local Romans. Reclamation of land waterways it is also an continued up to the 13 th century. opportunity to see a variety of In the 17 th century reclamation wildfowl including mallard, continued alongside the tufted duck and swan as well as embankment of rivers including great crested grebe, coot, the Welland. Unfortunately the moorhen and water rail. The Walk

This walk is well waymarked with 2. Continue along the Channel Spalding Leisure Wheel signs . 2 bank. Look out for Arnold’s Meadow Nature Reserve on the As well as a shopping centre with 40 left just before the Channel stores Springfields Outlet Shopping bends to the right. To enter the and Festival Gardens is also home to Fenscape, an interactive reserve turn left at the bridge experience about the history of The and follow the track. Fens. There is also a number of If you do visit the reserve please show gardens on the site alongside stay on the waymarked route woodland walks, an arboretum and and close any gates. a play area. 1 1 This 2 ⁄2 hectare (6 ⁄2 acres) man- made reserve has two ponds, a 1. Leave the west car park via the moat, a hay meadow, and a small 1 pedestrian gate to the water wooded area. taxi landing. Climb the steps up onto the channel bank. Turn 3. Where the channel meets the left and follow the Coronation 3 River Welland, and you come to Channel to the road. a junction with a road, turn left and follow the roadside path for Cross the road and continue to approximately 160m to a bridge walk along the banks of the over the river. Cross the road Coronation Channel, built in and river. 1953 to protect Spalding from floods. For the SHORTER walk turn right and follow If you look into the first field on your the riverside left after the Geo Adams complex path, past the you are likely to see at least one heron and probably more. Standing town centre, up to a metre tall and with a long to a roundabout, a neck this elegant bird is usually seen distance of approximately 1 1 close to water where it feeds on fish. 2 ⁄2 km (1 ⁄2 miles). Turn right and cross the river, turn left along Road and rejoin directions at point 12 Map & Walk

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“Map drawn from aerial photography copyright Lincolnshire County Council and Getmapping PLC. Lincolnshire County Council reproduced from OS mapping with permission of the controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office (C) Crown Copyright and Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown Copyright and may lead to civil proceedings. OS Licence 100025370” The Walk

There are many fine buildings to embankment. At the junction admire as you walk along the river. with a tarmac path turn right On the opposite side are the and follow the lane to a road thatched White Horse pub, St junction. Mary’s and St Nicholas’s church, and Ayscoughfee Hall, a beautiful 6. Turn left and cross South Drove medieval manor of a wool merchant 6 Drain before turning right along which now houses a museum. On West Road. the same side you will pass grand Georgian houses including the The South Drove drain is impressive Welland Terrace. maintained by the Welland & Deepings Internal Drainage Board For the LONGER walk turn left which is responsible for over and walk to a crossroads. 270km (169 miles) of drains in the area. The pumps at Pode Hole 4. Continue straight ahead along pump the water from the drain 4 Cradge Bank. into Vernatt’s Drain which then flows by gravity into the River After approximately 100m turn Welland. The banks of the drain left along River Bank. are now managed for wildlife and a variety of birds can be seen. Follow the public footpath behind the Yacht Club and 7. At the traffic lights turn right then along the river bank. 7 left to continue along the For thousands of years the River opposite drain bank. Welland has been the main waterway across The Fens. Its 8. At the T- junction in Pode Hole, source is in and 8 turn left to the Fishermans it flows through Stamford before Arms, past Pode Hole Pumping draining into . In total it is Station. Turn right in front of the 131 km (82 miles) long. pub and follow the bridleway along the drain. 5. After approximately 2 km (1½ 5 miles), and just before the A16 Cross the drain over the bridge road, turn right down the bank. and turn left to continue Cross the road and walk straight alongside the drain on the on along the bottom of the The Walk

other bank. 10. At the road turn right and follow 10 the road side path for The first steam powered pump approximately 1½ km (1 mile) to was installed at Pode Hole in 1827 a roundabout and road bridges and is still retained there today. over the river. During the 1950s and 1960s these pumps were replaced with 11. Turn left and cross the river. electric and diesel pumps. 11 Cross the road and turn left along Holbeach Road. Cross the railway line with care and continue along the drain The 135 ft steeple visible ahead is part of St Paul’s church which was bank to a junction with a road. built between 1877and 1880 in red brick and Ancaster stone. The 9. Cross this busy road with care steeple is connected to the church 9 and continue to walk along the only by an arcade. footpath by the side of the drain. 12. After passing Queens Road, 12 and in front of the shops, cross It is well worth taking a detour the main road and continue into Vernatt’s Local Nature walking in the same direction Reserve. towards the church and Springfields. 1 The 1 ⁄2 hectares has a variety of habitats including a pond, meadow, Cross the Coronation Channel grassland, scrub, woodland and and at the roundabout turn left marshy fenland. It is home to a to return to Springfields. variety of wildlife including the secretive water vole, and in summer is a hive of activity with butterflies, dragonflies and birds filling the air.

Continue along the drain bank and walk past the power station.