The Walk Map & Walk The Walk The Walk

1 Leave the cafe car park, turn left 3 At the road junction follow the 5 Approximately 50m after the Follow the sign posted route 7 Where the footpath meets a 9 Follow the footpath sign out of then left again along Church road left to Old Bolingbroke. 7 entrance to Sow Dales Reserve from the end of the hedge by bridleway, in front of a barn, the reserve and walk along the Old Bolingbroke Lane. 6 and just before the village sign bearing left to a bridge. Bear turn right along the bridleway. fence line for 50m before In the village follow the road turn right onto the public left uphill across the next field At the next path junction turn turning left across the field At the top of the lane bear left signed . 5 footpath. Follow this path up to the edge of the woodland right along the footpath. heading towards the barns on and a footpath sign. the far side of the . and cross the field heading At the T-junction turn right and 4 8 hill and to the right of the large towards the church. Walk along then almost immediately left ash tree. Continue in the same direction 10 At the A16 turn right and follow the top edge of the second field along Moat Lane to the and enter the churchyard Follow the path across the next to cross the field to the road. As you cross the stream look the roadside path. entrance of Bolingbroke out for the old hazel coppice through the gate. field by bearing right to the Castle. stools. Coppicing is a traditional 9 hedge and tree, and then 6 For the SHORTER walk, turn form of management which involves cutting Take the public footpath on the continue by walking along the right and follow the road to the the stems back to ground level to encourage right immediately after the road Take a few minutes to visit Admire the views southwards other side of the hedge. A16 a distance of approximately new growth which after a number of years to Old Bolingbroke. across the Fens towards Boston, Bolingbroke Castle, 3 can be cut again. The cut stems had many 1/ approximately 24 km (15 miles) birthplace of Henry IV, by 10 2 km (1 3 miles). At the uses including furniture, fencing and hurdle away. On a clear day you can see going through the gate on your Follow the path until it comes junction with the A16 turn making. Turn left in front of the house, Boston Stump (St Botolph’s Church at left. Either go straight to the out into a field. right. Rejoin the directions at to return to the A16. Turn right Boston), The Wash, and Hunstanton on castle or turn left and walk through the rout Hall Hill 11 . and follow the roadside path the Norfolk coast. yard, following the moat right round to the 8 Approximately 50m after the gatehouse. There are interpretation boards Walk straight across the field to for approximately 1 km that tell you all about the castle, from its stream turn left onto another 3 the right end of the hedge. For the LONGER route cross the ( /4 mile). construction in around 1220 to its destruction 2 footpath and bear left to the 11 Then follow the field edge with road, turn right and almost 2 Leave the churchyard through after the Civil War. A leaflet about the village corner of the field and the and its history is available from the pub and the hedge on your left. immediately turn left to follow 11 Take the public footpath on the the main gate on the left and entrance into Keal Carr Nature church. 1 Continue along the edge of the the public footpath across the right just after the turning to follow the lane straight ahead. West Keal Reserve. next field. field to a footpath sign on the Old Bolingbroke and cross the At the end of the lane turn Carry on along the lane past the horizon. At the sign turn right field, go behind the farm Enter the reserve and follow the right and follow the tree-lined Black Horse Inn to a road and follow the track, ignoring a buildings and through the yard road for approximately 800m footpath along a boardwalk and junction. Look out for hedgerow birds including footpath on the left. The path to the lane. Turn left and, at (1/ mile) to a road junction. up some steps. 2 (400m) chaffinches, sparrows, and blackbirds. The continues between two fields. the main road, right to return to 4 Turn right, past St Peter’s and St “Map drawn from aerial photography copyright County Council and Getmapping PLC. chaffinch is the second commonest breeding Lincolnshire County Council reproduced from OS mapping with permission of the controller of Her the start. Paul’s church, and follow the Majesty’s Stationery Office (C) Crown Copyright and Unauthorised reproduction infringes bird in the UK and is a colourful member of 1 Continue along the edge of the N Crown Copyright and may lead to civil proceedings. OS Licence I00025370” Scale /4 mile the finch family often seen feeding on the Managed by the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, road as it bends right and then ground on insects and seeds. Keal Carr is probably the finest surviving Many of the roadside trees and next field beside a hedge. left, signed to . example of alder carr in the shrubs along this stretch have southern Wolds. Carr meaning been planted. Look out for simply a wet woodland. hazel, hawthorn, field maple, At the gap in the hedge on the wayfaring tree and sycamore. Often found in hedgerows, hawthorn produces left and corner of the fields bear red fruits in the autumn. Known as haws, right following the footpath they are popular with birds, are rich in vitamin sign. C and can be made into jelly.