Please find below an interactive map of all the local attractions listed below, click the button next to local attractions on the grey bar on the map to see the different categories:
Walking and pubs
The Lincolnshire Wolds are an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty where Tennyson wrote about his babbling brook and there are numerous picturesque churches and little country pubs. Many of the walks described below start and finish at some of the prettiest and best run pubs in the areas, so you combine a walk with a real ale and lunch! A 1:50,000 Ordnance Survey map has been left in the cottages with the various walks marked but there are also copies of the various walk guides produced by the Lincolnshire Wolds Countryside Service in the cottages for you to use. If you want to be sure the pubs are going to be open when you do your walk please call them (numbers provided below)
5 miles: Black Horse Inn, Old Bolingbroke (01790 763388). The Black Horse has origins in the 14th century and is opposite the remains of Bolingbroke Castle. Friday fish night is not to be missed and the 3-legged pub cat called Prince Tripod of Turkey is a local celebrity. There is a 4 or 6 mile walk from the pub to West Keal on the edge of the Wolds (https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/upload/public/attachments/1001/West_Keal_and_Old_Bolingbroke.pdf) or walk 1 (4 miles) on the OS map which takes you up over the Wolds past Wheelabout Woods to the little Wolds village of Raithby and a pub lunch in the Red Lion (01790 753727) before heading back again.
7 miles: Footsteps of Tennyson – 2 mile or 6 mile walk (https://www.lincswolds.org.uk/library/In_the_Footsteps_of_Tennyson.pdf) with lunch in the White Hart Inn in Tetford (01507 533255).
8 miles: White Hart Inn in Tetford (01507 533255). The White Hart Inn dates from the 16th century and was once the local pub for Tennyson. Tetford is in the heart of the Wolds and walk 2 on the map in the cottages (7 miles) has you climbing up to the tiny church of Ruckland with spectacular views over the Wolds. It is one of the tiniest churches in Lincolnshire and seats only 40. The original church on this site was built in the 11th century and is dedicated to St Olave.
11 miles: South Thoresby – 8 mile walk (https://www.lincswolds.org.uk/library/a_walk_for_all_ages_mar_13.pdf ) with a short drive for lunch at the Massingberd Arms (01507 4804920)
13 miles: In the Footsteps of Kolkr – 3 mile walk (https://www.lincswolds.org.uk/library/in_the_footsteps_of_kolkr.pdf) with lunch in the Three Horseshoes in Goulceby (01507 343909).
16 miles: Black Horse Inn, Donington on Bain (01507 343640). This 10 mile walk (walk 3 on your cottage map) takes you along the Viking Way and then circles around past Stenigot estates and back down Red Hill (https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/nature-reserves/red-hill) to the pub for lunch.
Wildlife attractions
4 miles: Snipe Dales Country Park and Nature reserve. Good example of woodland and grassland wildlife (https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/top-reserves/snipe-dales).
13 miles: Moor Farm Nature Reserve. Good example of heath, dry and wet pasture, bog and woodland (https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/nature-reserves/moor-farm).
19 miles: Gibraltar Point National Nature Reserve – excellent saltmarsh and coastal reserve (https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/top-reserves/gibraltar-point) and a reliable site for rarities (see http://gibraltarpointbirdobservatory.blogspot.com/).
20 miles: Bardney Limewoods National Nature Reserve site of medieval woodland with exceptional lime forest (https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/wood/11619/bardney-limewoods-chambers-farm-wood/).
21 miles: Legbourne Wood – one of the largest ancient woodlands in eastern Lincolnshire (https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/nature-reserves/legbourne-wood)
20 miles: RSPB Frampton Marsh – excellent wetland site (https://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/frampton-marsh/) and a reliable site for rarities (see https://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/frampton-marsh/recent-sightings/) for latest sightings.
32 miles: Donna Nook National Nature Reserve (https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/top-reserves/donna-nook). Coastal reserve which is excellent in November and December as a site where hundreds of grey seals pup (see https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/top-reserves/donna-nook/weekly-update for weekly seal update).
Museums, National Trust and other attractions
5 miles: Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre which is the only airfield in the country based on a WW2 airfield and restored to its original design (see https://www.lincsaviation.co.uk/museum/). The Centre has full on air shows with World War 2 aircraft flying and World War 2 dances on certain days of the year – see https://www.lincsaviation.co.uk/events/.
9 miles: Gunby Hall. A National Trust managed 1700 country house and gardens (see https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/gunby-estate-hall-and-gardens).
11 miles: Tattershall Castle – National Trust managed 15th century castle (see https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/tattershall-castle).
14 miles: Cadwell Park – motorbile racing track with regular annual meetings (http://www.cadwellpark.co.uk/).
15 miles: Bubblecar Mueseum including rides in original bubblecars (see https://www.bubblecarmuseum.co.uk/).
17 miles: Louth Musuem (see http://www.louthmuseum.org.uk/about/about_louth_museum.html) which has displays illustrating history, natural history and life in the Lincolnshire Wolds.
26 miles: Market Rasen racecourse – beautiful jump course with regular meetings (see https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/marketrasen/)
27 miles: A restored railway from Ludborough to North Thoresby – https://lincolnshirewoldsrailway.co.uk/.
30 miles: Museum of Lincolnshire Life. Fantastic museum with free entry that describes Lincolnshire from 1750 to the present day (https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/history-and-heritage/museum-of-lincolnshire-life/).
37 miles: Belton House. Magnificent National Trust managed country house built in 1680’s with extensive grounds (see https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/belton-house).
Sightseeing
5 miles: Old Bolingbroke castle (https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/bolingbroke-castle/).
8 miles: Horncastle – small market town (https://lovelincolnshirewolds.com/explore/horncastle) that specialises in antique shops and where you can also follow in the footsteps of the famous botanist explorer, Sir Joseph Banks at the Joseph Banks Centre.
14 miles: Woodhall Spa – small historic town which is the home of the Dambusters in the Petwood Hotel which is where they were based in the WW2 (https://www.petwood.co.uk/).
16 miles: Skegness – this is an archetypal British seaside resort (http://www.visitskegness.co.uk/) with extensive sand beaches and all the usual seaside attractions.
17 miles: Louth – this is a pretty Wolds market town (https://lovelincolnshirewolds.com/explore/louth) with lots of original shops and an excellent covered market.
20 miles: Boston – you will see St Botolphs Church (https://parish-of-boston.org.uk/church/st-botolphs/ known as Boston Stump) as you are crossing the fens towards Boston. Aftyre looking around the church which is the size of a cathedral have a wander around the market place and some of the older streets in Boston (http://www.discoverbritainstowns.co.uk/uncategorised/boston/).
28 miles Lincoln – good day out to see the magnificent cathedral (https://lincolncathedral.com/) and castle (https://www.lincolncastle.com/). Walk down Steep Hill and explore the Lincoln Cathedral Quarter with its mediaeval buildings and shops.
Cinemas and theatres
8 miles: Red Lion Theatre Horncastle – small theatre belonging to the Red Lion pub in Horncastle with regular productions (http://www.horncastletheatre.co.uk/).
14 miles: Kinema in the Woods (http://thekinemainthewoods.co.uk/KinemaInTheWoods.dll/Page?PageID=3). Given the choise of seeing a film anyhere then this is our favourite and is the oldest back projection cinema in the UK and was the mess hall of the Dambusters.
16 miles: Embassy theatre, Skegness (https://embassytheatre.co.uk/whats-on/) has live performances by a range of artists.
17 miles: Louth Riverhead theatre (https://louthriverheadtheatre.com/)
20 miles: Blackfriars, Boston (http://www.blackfriarsartscentre.co.uk/home) has a mix of plays and live music.
28 miles: Theatre Royal Lincoln (http://www.newtheatreroyallincoln.co.uk/), Lincoln Performing Arts Centre (https://lpac.co.uk/) and Lincoln Drill Hall (https://www.lincolndrillhall.com/) all have theatre productions and live music.