Manthorpe-Braceborough-Carlby-Witham-Manthorpe
Distance: 7 miles / 11 Km
Difficulty: Easy with stiles & gates - well-signposted
Start: Manthorpe Bridge
This is a round walk that is easy to follow in either direction and from any start point. This description starts from the bridge over the river in Manthorpe. The route is generally well-signposted throughout by the yellow Lincolnshire County Council markers.
1. Leave the bridge and walk into Manthorpe. At the top of the hill climb over the style on your right. Keep close to the fence on your left and, at the brow of the hill, head down the middle of the field aiming for the gate at the bottom. If wet, climb over the style just to the right of the gate.
Continue across the next field to the foot bridge. Cross the bridge and walk up the bank keeping close to the fence line on your left.
Go through the gate and turn left onto the track in front of the barns at Bowthorpe Farm. Please remember to tie up the gate after you.
2. Take the first right between 2 barns aiming for the gate at the top of the short steep incline. Go through the gate across the field, exiting at the top left-hand corner by another gate. Continue straight ahead keeping the hedge line on your left.
3. Go to the left of the hedge line crossing your path and cross the foot bridge into the next field. Walk straight ahead on leaving the bridge for about 5 metres then turn left into the field heading downhill for fence line to the left of the Spa Lodge Farm buildings. (When wet, this can be a very muddy section). At the end of the field, carry on straight ahead down the road towards Braceborough.
Turn right keeping to the paved footpath on the right.
4. Look for the Public Footpath sign after about 100m, take this narrow path between a fence on your left and a coniferous hedge on your right. Cross the footbridge at the end of the gardens and aim for the gap into the field ahead. As you enter the field there are 2 footpaths. Take the one that angles slightly to the right. The route bends to the left at the dyke. Continue along the dyke to Braceborough Lodge ahead. Walk straight ahead keeping the farmhouse and buildings on your right. Cross the field and enter the plantation ahead over a small footbridge.
5. On entering the plantation turn right then take the track to the left after a few metres. On leaving the wooded area, aim for the gate in the middle of the field ahead. (Note that the gate was impossible to open when I last walked the route. It is safest to climb through the fence rather than over the gate.) Continue straight ahead across the next field. The route bends to the right along the left edge of the next field.
6. A quick left then right at the end of this field, follow the signs, turn right across a small footbridge then back on to the track across the field to style leading to the disused railway line. Down and back up the steep cutting crossing the next style into another field. Follow the obvious path straight ahead towards Carlby.
7. Cross the road and turn left into Carlby keeping on the paved footpath to your left. Walk through Carlby and ignore the first footpath sign just before the left-hand bend. Continue around the bend and look for the small footpath sign on the right just before Church Street.
8. Go along this narrow footpath with the wall on your right. At the end of the wall, head for the far end of the hedgerow along the righthand edge of the field. Keep tight to the next hedge on your right and then turn left at the corner of the field again keeping the hedge on your right. Cross the footbridge and go straight ahead across the next field.
9. The route bends slightly to the right heading for the left edge of the wooded area ahead. Take the path to the left of the wood, keeping the hedge line on your right. Cross another couple of footbridges heading straight ahead towards Witham. Go through the gate between the houses and turn right onto the main road.
10. Cross the road onto the paved footpath and follow the road down the hill out of Witham, crossing the A6121 and heading back to the start point bridge at the entrance to Manthorpe.