Gaisax one

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Gaisax here.

I walked this from Saxilby to Gainsborough at the end of September. I looked at Gaisax two but decided on this as it was shorter! The first part to Sturton by Stow is all road walking and though it was quite busy it was easy enough to step on to the verge when cars were approaching. It does slow you down and you can't relax at all.
I stopped at Sturton Co op for a break. From Sturton to Upton its a mixture of tracks and footpaths so not too bad. Really impressive church at Stow though I didn't go in.
From Upton it's footpaths across fields mainly. Because of the season most had been recently cultivated and in some cases ploughed so it was really heavy going. Then you get a long walk through the outskirts of Gainsborough before you reach the town centre.

Overall the route is quite pleasant with views over towards the Wolds in the section from Upton to Kexby. however, much of the route is road walking as there are few footpaths going between the villages. The footpaths are across mostly ploughable fields and so may be very muddy at times or have livestock in them including bulls.

The first section is town walking on pavements next to fairly busy roads for 2 or 3kms then countryside walking. The turn numbering starts at the beginning of the footpath from Foxby Lane.

This route can be started from various points within the town of Gainsborough. Whichever starting point you choose you have to negotiate a short but fairly steep walk up the escarpment to the east of the town centre. If you do not want to attempt this then parking at Morrison’s or on the rough road off Foxby Lane is another option. If travelling by public transport, you can catch the No1 or No2 bus from the bus station (they run half hourly one going clockwise and one anticlockwise round the town). Either bus will take you to a bus stop along Foxby Lane (The Pines stop). Turn right upon alighting and walk the short distance to the footpath turning.

Bus
If arriving by bus, alight at the bus station (most buses terminate here) and turn right upon getting off. Walk down the bus station path towards Heaton Street. The town centre is to your left. There is a small cafe at the bus station. Cross Heaton Street and walk straight up Etherington Street. At the end of the road turn right and walk to the end of the path next to a small car park just before MacDonald’s. You will need to cross the road you are on – Beaumont Street – to the end of Marshall’s Yard shopping area which is the large Victorian building opposite you to your left. Walk up Station Hill that runs between the shopping area and the back of Tescos. This will bring you to the Central Station.

Central Station
If arriving at the Central Station then your walk will start by turning left out of the station.

Car
If arriving by car, the best car park to use is the one in Marshall’s Yard itself (privately run) or the one in Roseway (council run with public toilets). From the Marshall’s Yard car park either exit the shopping area through the main car park entrance and turn right along Spring Gardens then right at the top of the road towards Central Station. From the car park exit onto Roseway and turn right then right again. Cross the road at the traffic lights and you will be outside Marshall’s Yard shopping area. Walk up Spring Gardens that are situated at the traffic-controlled cross roads and turn right at the top towards Central Station. Central Station is not the main station for the town of Gainsborough and has limited services.

From Central Station take the underpass to the right of the station as you stand facing it. It runs down between the car park and Wefco industrial site. Immediately after the underpass the path becomes quite steep for about 200m. Walk to the end of the path coming out on to Middlefield Lane.

Turn right. You will need to cross and re-cross this road as the pavement changes sides at two points along the 1.25km. At the end of the road where it meets Foxby Lane turn left and walk about 500m to the footpath sign on the right.

Lea Road Station – Mainline
If arriving by train to Lea Road station (the main line from Sheffield or Lincoln) turn left out of the station and cross the road at the crossing. Your walk is easiest started here rather than go into the town to come out again. Turn right up Foxby Hill and walk on the left-hand side of the road where there is pavement. The road quickly becomes quite steep for about 200m and then becomes Foxby Lane. It levels off and then slopes gently down. The walkers from the town will join this road at Middlefield Lane. Keep walking straight along Foxby Lane for about 1km.

1. Turn right off Foxby Lane, just before the left-hand road of Maybell Close, on to a rough road leading to Park House farm signposted with Public Footpath. This is next to a large man-made pond area at the end of a new build. (May 2021)

Morrisons is about 800m further on Foxby Lane – it has toilets and a cafe.

2. Walk along rough road until you reach the semi-detached houses then turn left following the Public Footpath sign. The path rises gently for about 100m before levelling off.

At the end of the field there is an area that could be very muddy after rain. Veer slightly right and continue to follow the path across the field. Surface becomes very muddy in places after rain from now until the village of Upton.

3. At the edge of the field follow the path signs to the west of the tree line for about 60m (although either side leads to the same place). Then turn left and walk across the field to the corner of Bass Wood.

Veer slightly left and follow the edge of the wood. The wood itself is private land and shooting takes place here on occasions. Continue following the edge of the wood, the path rises gently for about 10m before levelling off again, veering slightly left again at the post barriers and pointing dead tree.

4. At the end of the wood edge turn right following the edge of the field round to a gap in the hedge with the next footpath sign on your right. This leads into the driveway of Upton Grove Farm. Cross the drive and go through the metal pedestrian gate.

5. Walk diagonally across the rough field to the second metal pedestrian gate – this area could potentially be extremely muddy after rain. Continue diagonally across this field towards the large oak tree and then onwards to the wooden bridge across a ditch.

6. Continue walking diagonally across the next field towards a small wooden bridge over the next ditch then onwards, still diagonally, towards a large field gate. This leads you out on to the road.

This unnamed country road is quite busy being the secondary route from Gainsborough to Sturton by Stow, but has wide grass verges so it is relatively easy to step off the road for passing vehicles.

7. Walk 250m and just past where the gas pipeline indicators are either side of the road you will see the footpath sign leading off the road on the left. Cross the narrow wooden bridge over the ditch and walk diagonally across the field. This field maybe extremely muddy after rain and/or ploughing.

8. Keep walking diagonally across the fields towards the buildings that are Upton village. Cross the wooden bridge over the ditch and continue towards the buildings, diagonally across the field.

9. The next gate is a metal kissing gate. These last two fields hold livestock on occasions – possibly even a bull at times. You may wish to retrace your steps back to the road and continue into the village via the roadway rather than the field path.

10. The last gate is another, quite narrow, metal kissing gate leading to a narrow grassy pathway to Cade Lane. Turn right at the lane and this takes you to the centre of the village. There is a small village green with seat and wooden garden edges for sitting, a very popular fish and chip shop (only open Friday and Saturday – they cook in beef fat), and about 200m further along High Street is the The Rose and Crown carvery pub.

11. From Cade Lane turn left and cross the road. Walking on the green to the end of the houses behind to a driveway. Turn right up the driveway to some garages and onto the footpath at the end. Turn right and then left along the side of the cemetery and church.

12. At the end of the path turn left and then immediately right following the footpath sign. This narrow rough path brings you to Avenue A. Here the footpath marked on OS maps disappears for a short distance.

13. Follow the road round to the right and then straight on to the next sharp left bend. Here, you should be able to see the footpath again. It’s up a short drive between garages and then waymarked again between garden fences.

14. This then ends at the bottom of Avenue A. Turn left and walk a short distance to the footpath sign across the field. There is a narrow, metal kissing gate into a clover grazing field. It is clearly signed that cattle are sometimes grazing and directions for an alternative route should this be the case. The footpath is strangely ill-defined across the field but it is straight across. The next kissing gate is just visible in the far hedge.

15. The next path is also straight on and more clearly defined. This field is cultivated so could be ploughed and muddy at certain times of the year. Path is straight across the field towards the buildings of Kexby.

16. Through the metal kissing gate onto the road.

17. Walk straight along the road – High Street. After about 300m there is a small green with a covered square well and tree. The footpath is to the right across the green and between narrow overlapping fences then alongside gardens.

18. At the metal kissing gate turn left behind the houses. The fields here at demarcated with electric fences so take care to stick to the footpath. Through another metal kissing gate into another horse field. Here, we had to duck under the electric fencing, three times, before reaching the far metal kissing gate.

19. From here the footpath is straight and clear across the field. The field is cultivated so may be ploughed and muddy at certain times of the year. This path leads you to the end of the field and then on through a small copse on a narrow path eventually leading you through to the edge of a field before ending in a camping field.

20. Turn right and go through another metal kissing gate into a sheep field carefully stepping over the electric fencing. The footpath is waymarked across the field on the telegraph poles and a wooden post. At the wooden post marker turn left and stepping over the electric fence again go through the metal kissing gate and walk between the gardens and small field out onto the main road of Willingham by Stow.

There is a pub – The Half Moon – to the left about 200m. It serves food as well as drink at certain times.

21. (We tried the footpath marked on the map, but it was very narrow and ended in a field marked ‘Bull in Field’.) The best way is to turn right where the path meets the main road and then left onto Marton Road. This will take you to the same place as the footpath across the field.

22. Walk down the Marton Road for about 1.5km until the road makes a sharp right turn. The road is a one lane country road with passing places but there are grass verges for refuge. It is fairly quiet most of the time. There is a footpath until the end of the built up area.

23. Walk round the right-hand turn and then left onto the waymarked bridleway. This is a stony farm track all the way to the Stow Park Road. There is just one slight right hand kink in the track but you should have a good view of the Stow minster as you walk along.

24. When the track reaches the road the route shows you walk to the left along the road. It isn’t a busy road but for about 250m there is no footpath. Then as you enter the village of Stow the route is along a footpath into the centre of the village.

In Stow there is a pub – The Cross Keys – which serves food.

At the end of the farm track there is a footpath to the right across the road that leads to the marked footpath on the Slow Ways map. We tried this footpath but whilst it is mostly clear not all is passable. Sticking to the road is a much better option. The road isn’t at all busy and you can see the Minster up close.

25. In the village centre turn right and walk along the footpath on the eastern side of the Sturton Road. We took the footpath marked on the Slow Ways map and found it to be really good, if very muddy, up to Mere house and then, after that, it loses its way and is overgrown and impassable in places. The road walk is about 2km into the centre of Sturton by Stow.

From Sturton the only way to reach Saxilby is to walk along the very busy B1241 Saxilby/Sturton Road for 6km to Saxilby rail station. The road has no footpaths after Sturton until you reach the outskirts of Saxilby. It is one of the main routes into Lincoln so is busy at all times.

There are several buses that run between Sturton and Saxilby so this is an option if you want to end the walk at the train station in Saxilby. Buses through here run on to Lincoln or back to Gainsborough.

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