Walks near Lincoln by train
MapA day hike in the countryside is just a simple train journey away — explore the most charmingly located railway stations near Lincoln and plan your next day of green.
Alternatively, view walks directly from Lincoln.
Nottingham Circular via Attenborough Nature Reserve (Nottinghamshire)
1 hour direct from Lincoln.
Off-road walking and cycling alongside canal and river — a waterside network of paths. Passes the historic Trent Bridge.
Time: 5h30 (4h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Walk details: Derwent Valley Line Community Rail Partnership (local insights).
Nottingham to East Midlands Parkway (Nottinghamshire)
1 hour direct from Lincoln.
Canal, river, wooded track and roadside footpath.
Time: 6h (4h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
2 lunch spots: Wilford Farm (1h30 in), or Dovecote Barn Café (3h in)
Warnings: Short stretch on busy A453.
Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.
Derby to Nottingham (Derbyshire)
1 hour direct from Lincoln.
Mixture of off-road cycle path and on-road sections. Part of the longer London-to-Lake-District route.
Time: 8h30 (7h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Walk details: Derwent Valley Line Community Rail Partnership (local insights).
Fiskerton Circular via Southwell (Nottinghamshire)
30 minutes direct from Lincoln.
River, lanes and racecourse.
Time: 5h (3h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
1 lunch spot: Southwell Minster Refectory Café (2h30 in)
Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.
Bingham Circular via Screveton (Nottinghamshire)
1 hour from Lincoln, with one change.
Village greens and countryside.
Time: 5h (3h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
2 lunch spots: Caffe Velo Verde (1h30 in), or the Royal Oak (2h15 in)
1 end-of-walk reward: the Butter Cross
Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.
Fiskerton to Burton Joyce (Nottinghamshire)
30 minutes direct from Lincoln.
Riverside, good paths and open views.
Waterway: four fifths along the River Trent.
Time: 6h (4h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
3 lunch spots: Gunthorpe (3h in) — the Unicorn Hotel, the Anchor, or Tom Browns
2 end-of-walk rewards: the Wheatsheaf Inn, or the Cross Keys
Warnings: Irregular train times.
Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.
Lowdham to Burton Joyce (Nottinghamshire)
45 minutes direct from Lincoln.
Countryside and river.
Time: 5h30 (4h walking, 1h30 lunch)
4 lunch spots: Gunthorpe (2h45 in) — the Anchor, or the Unicorn Hotel; plus the World's End (15m in), or the Red Lion (2h15 in)
3 end-of-walk rewards: the Wheatsheaf Inn, the Cross Keys, or the Lord Nelson
Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.
Beeston to Nottingham (Nottinghamshire)
1 hour direct from Lincoln.
Recommended: A flat, mostly level walk: busy city and built-up streets at each end with a quiet, scenic, well-maintained towpath along the Beeston Canal in the middle. A cobbled bridge joins the towpath and there are a few short and steep inclines. Frequent buses and trams also run between Beeston and Nottingham; the route passes Beeston Station too.
Waterway: two thirds beside rivers and canals.
Time: 3h30 (2h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Lunch: A quieter alternative at the Beeston side passes the Star Inn, the Victoria Hotel and a café at the Canalside Heritage Centre.
Warnings: A quarter urban. Cobbled bridge to join the towpath and a few short, steep inclines. Some busy street walking at the ends.
Walk details: Slow Ways.
Reverse direction: Derwent Valley Line Community Rail Partnership.
Worksop to Retford (Nottinghamshire)
45 minutes direct from Lincoln.
Recommended: An excellent route; very enjoyable. An off-road and peaceful route using byways, the Chesterfield Canal towpath, farm tracks and with some walking through housed areas on safe pavements at either end. The canal section can get hemmed in by bracken and undergrowth; no serious hills. Follows the Chesterfield Canal towpath; passes Babworth Church, linked to the Pilgrim Fathers, with a display board; few benches in the middle third.
Mr Straw's House (National Trust)
Time: 6h (4h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
Lunch: The Chequers pub at Ranby is the only refreshment option in the middle third and needs a detour off the towpath; stock up at the start otherwise.
Walk details: Slow Ways.
Scunthorpe to Brigg (Lincolnshire)
1 hour from Lincoln, with one change.
Recommended: A pleasant walk including woodlands and a stretch along the river and part of it on the Ironstone Way. The first part leaving Scunthorpe can be a little tricky to follow. Part of the route follows the Ironstone Way.
Time: 5h30 (4h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Lunch: Refreshments at Broughton.
Warnings: Crossing the busy A18 can be hazardous; you could instead cross Brigg Road near Ashbyville. Brigg is served only by the Saturdays-only Brigg line — a few trains on Saturdays, none midweek.
Walk details: Slow Ways.
Gainsborough to Kirton Lindsey (Lincolnshire)
15 minutes direct from Lincoln.
A long route leaving the A159 onto an access road and footpaths and following the course of a small river between south and north banks before crossing fields and the railway into Kirton in Lindsey.
Time: 7h30 (5h30 walking, 1h30 lunch, 30m break)
Warnings: Gainsborough Central and Kirton Lindsey are both on the Saturdays-only Brigg line — a few trains on Saturdays, none midweek.
Walk details: Slow Ways.
Sleaford to Metheringham (Lincolnshire)
30 minutes direct from Lincoln.
A long, mostly good route on field paths, riverside banks, quiet lanes and surfaced tracks, with stretches following the Spires and Steeples trail. Steps, stiles and muddy sections and in wet conditions ploughed fields can be very muddy. Some field crossings have no cut path on the ground. Predominantly follows the Spires and Steeples waymarked trail, though it diverges at several points. Ruskington, with shops and a railway station, makes a good place to break the journey.
Time: 7h (5h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Steps, stiles (around seven) and a small flight of steps down to the path below the A17. Ploughed fields and field paths can be very muddy in wet weather. Some field crossings have no marked path; the riverbank section is narrow at times. Note the route diverges from the Spires and Steeples trail in places.
Walk details: Slow Ways.