Lincolnshire is England’s second largest county, and most of it is wide skies, quiet lanes, and space to breathe. There’s a cathedral city, a chalk and limestone range of hills, unspoilt coast, and old market towns, all without the crowds of better-known counties. It’s an easy place to slow right down, and big enough that a weekend never feels like the same day twice.
Things to do
- Lincoln: a cathedral and a castle sit side by side at the top of the city, with the cobbled climb of Steep Hill leading up to them. The castle walls give you some of the best views over the city and the cathedral’s west front.
- The Lincolnshire Wolds: an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty of rolling hills, hidden valleys, and stone villages, with plenty of waymarked walking routes. Louth makes a good base for exploring them.
- The Water Rail Way and Woodhall Spa: a flat, largely traffic-free path following the old Lincoln to Boston railway line beside the River Witham. Woodhall Spa, a Victorian resort village that grew up around its mineral springs, is a natural place to stop for lunch.
- Gibraltar Point National Nature Reserve: an unspoilt stretch of coastline near Skegness with dunes, marsh, and beach, and a very different feel from the resort just down the road.
- Donna Nook seal colony: each year from late October to December, grey seals come ashore to give birth to their pups in the dunes, and a fenced viewing area lets you watch from a respectful distance. Entry is free, but dogs aren’t allowed in the viewing area during pupping season.
- Stamford: a beautifully preserved stone town on the county’s southern edge, with narrow streets, independent shops, and Burghley House close by. Worth a slow wander.
Eating & essentials
- Look out for Lincolnshire sausages, plum bread served with a slice of Lincolnshire Poacher cheese, and haslet, a herby pork loaf. Farm shops and butchers across the county are the best places to find them.
- Lincoln and Stamford have the widest choice of cafés, restaurants, and everyday shops.
- Market towns such as Louth and Horncastle are good for locally sourced food and stocking up before heading somewhere more rural.
Getting there & getting around
- Direct LNER trains run from London King’s Cross to Lincoln in just under two hours, and there are regular direct services from Nottingham, Sheffield, Peterborough, and Doncaster.
- A car gives the most flexibility for the Wolds and the coast. Without one, InterConnect buses link Lincoln with Horncastle and Skegness, and Lincoln to Boston services stop at Woodhall Spa.
- If you’re arriving after a night shift, Lincoln is the best first stop, with the most shops and food open early before you head out into quieter countryside.
Could this be your next escape? Take a look at our Lincolnshire stays.
