This route is very similar to MelCol one, and shares the same problem - it used a supposed permissive path west of Woolsthorpe that is not a right of way or signposted on the ground, and may not be legal....

Hugh Hudson

The photo shows the Woolsthorpe end of the supposed path - the other end looks more like a path but is also a farm track and is also unsignposted. I also changed the route west of Freeby because the path was blocked by an electric fence, and since I was already planning to submit a new route, I straightened the street walk into Melton. I will write a more detailed review with pictures on MelCol three....

Hugh Hudson

A fenced track between houses leads to Old Post Lane, where we turn right then walk through Woolsthorpe, passing the entrance to Woolsthorpe Manor (Isaac Newton's house). We then turn right on a little used but well signposted field path. The section past and through Stanton Wood is not quite as per the right of way but is fairly easy to follow, and we soon reach The Drift, where we turn left. We turn right at the end of the village then turn left on a path which is mostly a good farm track (plenty of puddles) but the last field has to be crossed and the exit may need careful navigation to find. Beyond, there is a farm lane all the way to Grange Farm, but the middle section is unsurfaced, rutted and muddy, and it is not as straight as the right of way circles suggest....

Hugh Hudson

The exceptions are Whitwell village (where part of the route looks rather like a private drive), the left turn into the field north of Great Lane (which could do with a fingerpost) and the two large fields either side of New Road, which could have done with a more visible path. A shortcut path straight on takes us into the village, where there are a few more steps down to Main Street, where there is a pub off route to the left. Eventually we reach a signposted footpath junction, where the Viking Way heads left and we go right across the field - this was recently ploughed and the path line was unmarked - I hope it is better when the crops are higher. Since I already knew by this stage that I would be submitting this new route, I felt no qualms about straightening the line through the village by using the path almost opposite, which takes you to the church and another pub (currently closed looking for a buyer). Approaching North Witham I chose to use the quiet road rather than the less direct field path to the right. One more little used but unobstructed field path takes us to Stamford Road, another quiet road with wide verges which we follow into Colsterworth where it has a pavement....

Hugh Hudson

The design of this route is mostly good, definitely better and safer than OakCol one, but the GPX plotting is wayward in places and potentially confusing, and it uses a path that does not exist north east of North Witham, so I have submitted a new version (OakCol three) and written a longer review with pictures there. The Viking Way part of this route is excellent....

Hugh Hudson

The creator of OakCol two clearly felt that the road sections of this route are problematic. In any case, the GPX plotting of both routes is wayward enough to be confusing in places, and since neither has any other reviews yet, I am planning to submit a replotted version with minor differences. The Viking Way sections are good, but some of the other paths are little used and harder to follow....

Hugh Hudson

We start down School Lane and cross the Witham, then head right on a good path that goes under a road in a little tunnel. After crossing a lane we cross a field in front of Isaac Newton's Woolsthorpe Manor, and turn right to reach Woolsthorpe Road, where we turn left. We soon reach an old lane which we follow out to a road junction, where we head straight across on a fairly quiet road into Skillington. The path right is well waymarked, and leads us past a barn to the edge of an airfield, where we join the Viking Way, which loosely follows The Drift, an ancient drove road that marks much of the boundary between Lincolnshire and Leicestershire. The Drift leads us to another quiet road, where we head right towards Hungerton, then take a field path past Hungerton Hall to emerge on Gorse Lane, which is a little busier bit has wide verges, and felt safe enough to me....

Hugh Hudson

The route then followed quite a busy section of road walking from Stretton to Clipsham, mostly with sufficient road verges to avoid traffic. On the far side the route continued along farm tracks until reaching the hamlet of Pickworth, before a long section also along farm tracks plus a short section of quiet road until Great Casterton. Here the route left the Rutland Round path, and continued along the road through the outskirts of Stamford before reaching the town centre, crossing the Meadows over the river Wellend, and finally to the railway station....

JurassicWayfarers

There was a relatively sharp climb up the hill outside of Harlaxton and then the route joined a road for a stretch until Home Dairy Farm. There was a pleasant walk through a valley to Hungerton followed by another fairly long but much quieter section of road walking, before the route joined the Viking Way along The Drift. A section of field tracks took me to Skillington, before another slightly busy section of road walking (another 10 cars passed on this stretch)....

JurassicWayfarers

This review just covers the route from Colsterworth roundabout to Honeypot lane....

Graham Jenkins

Although I walked Colbou 4 the common portion presents the same issue: that of walking on the A151 with limited safe harbour. Total distance without pavement is about 0.6km....

Graham Jenkins