(8.85km)
45 mins
The Lincolnshire Coastal Country Park lies between Sandilands, Chapel St Leonards and Huttoft, on the quiet Lincolnshire coast.
With five miles of beautiful sandy beaches, amazing big skies and some wonderful wildlife sites, the Coastal Country Park is a great place to explore and enjoy.
It aims to create a sustainable, diverse network of wildlife habitats; support the local economy; raise awareness of its natural and cultural heritage and provide recreational opportunities.
One of the best ways to discover the area is on foot and this walk takes in the coast, the arable farmland as well as nature reserves and a variety of unusual attractions including the Cloud Bar, the Round and Round House and Sound Tower.
The North Sea Observatory is a purpose-built marine observatory with fantastic views of the dunes and sea. It offers all year round facilities for everyone. The building includes information and exhibitions on the local area’s rich natural history and heritage, an art space, a café and public toilets. It is an impressive gateway to the Coastal Country Park.
Starting point and car park: North Sea Observatory,
Anderby Road, Chapel St Leonards.
Grid reference: TF 562 732.
Post code: PE24 5XA.
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Look out for the pill box in the hedgerow on your right between points 3 and 4. It would have formed part of the Second World War coastal defences built when the country was under threat of invasion during 1940. You may see others as you travel around the local area.
Wolla Bank reedbed nature reserve is on your left as you walk between points 8 and 9. After clay was scraped from here to carry out repairs to the sea wall the area developed into reedbeds. Reed warbler, sedge warbler, reed bunting, and whitethroat all nest here. In spring you might be lucky enough to see marsh harriers and hear bitterns.
The bird hide, known as the Round and Round House, located on top of the dunes was completed in 2010 and offers fantastic views both out to sea and across the hinterland to the elevated Lincolnshire Wolds on the horizon.
Anderby Creek Cloud Bar has been designated the world’s first official cloudspotting area by The Cloud Appreciation Society. Opened in 2009 the platform has cloud menus to help identify clouds, mirrors to reflect the sky and specially designed cloud viewing seats. A great place to enjoy the big skies of Lincolnshire!
Look out for the blue tower like structure on the edge of the dunes, as you walk along the beach, it is called the Sound Tower.
- 1Leave the car park via the entrance, cross the road, turn left and then immediately right, past Chapel Point Nature Area. After approximately 90m turn right onto a public footpath through the entrance of Eastfields Park. Take the second road on the left, signed public footpath, and after approximately 60m bear diagonally right to the far corner of the grassed area. Turn right and walk between the rows of chalets to a bridge.
- 2Cross the bridge, turn left and walk around the edge of the caravan park to a gate. Go through the gate, and follow the driveway past the house and out of the caravan park to join a road. Follow the road straight ahead for approximately 400m to a T-junction. Continue straight ahead along the road for approximately 200m.
- 3Turn right along Stones Lane.
- 4At the end of the lane, by a small compound, carry straight on, keeping the drainage ditch on your right. Follow the drain for approximately 550m to a junction with a track and footpath.
- 5Turn right and follow the footpath as it bends to the left.
- 6As the path bends to the right, leave this path and walk straight ahead along another footpath, keeping the ditch on your left. Follow the path straight on as it becomes a track.
- 7At a junction of paths, turn right over a bridge and walk straight ahead along the field edge to a road.
- 8Cross the road with care and walk up the track opposite, turn right and follow the permissive path along the top of Roman Bank to Wolla Bank.
- 9At the road turn left to the car park. Turn left and walk through the car park and follow the path straight ahead behind the dunes to the Round and Round House. This path forms part of the England Coast Path, and runs along the edge of Wolla Bank Reedbed and Anderby Marsh nature reserves.
- Follow the path to the right and climb up to the Round & Round House. Follow the steps down towards the sea. At the end of the steps turn left along the path between the dunes. Follow the path in front of the houses to Anderby Creek.
- 11To continue the walk go on to the beach, turn right and walk along the beach for approximately 3km (2 miles) to the North Sea Observatory and the starting point.
This walk uses field paths, quiet roads, tracks and the beach. There are no stiles and you are unlikely to encounter livestock.
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Starting point: North Sea Observatory, Anderby Road, Chapel St Leonards
Grid reference: TF 562 732
Post code: PE24 5XA
