Viking Way 06 - Horncastle to Bardney

Between Horncastle and Woodhall Spa the Viking Way follows the Spa Trail a surfaced multi-user route along an old railway line. From Woodhall Spa it goes through an area known as the Lincolnshire Limewoods before joining the Water Rail Way to reach Bardney.

1. Leave the Market Square by turning left onto Manor House Street.   After approx. 40m turn left to walk past the church and to a road (A158). Cross the road and river.
2. Turn right and follow the river to the swimming pool. Walk past the pool to the canal, but don't cross it. 
3. Instead turn left and walk beside the canal for approx. one mile (1.6 kilometres) to a road. 
4. Turn right and after the lodge turn left onto the bridleway known as the Spa trail. Follow this surfaced trail for approx. 3.5 miles (5.5 kilometres) to a junction with a road.
5. Turn right and after approx. 300m turn left onto a public footpath which goes across a golf course. Please follow the signs as you cross the course. Continue along the path as it becomes a stone track and then a tarmac road and enters a residential area.
6. At a T-junction turn left through two gates and then straight on to the centre of Woodhall Spa.
7. At the junction turn right and walk along Broadway and Station Road to a roundabout.
8. Carry straight on, signed Martin, for approx. 0.5 miles (800 m).
9. Turn right onto a public footpath immediately after Wentworth Way.
10. At the end of the path, and at a road, turn right and almost immediately left to continue on a public footpath. Follow the path through a small wood and then turn right to walk around the field edge, across a bridge and then beside a wood to a track. 
11. Turn right and where the track bends left continue ahead through a gate.  Bear right across the field and at the field edge turn left and follow the field edge.
12. At the field corner turn right, past the cottage to a road.  Turn left and follow the road with care for approx. 250m.
13. Turn left and at the grass triangle, continue straight ahead along the 'No Through' Road. Follow the road for one mile (1.6 kilometre) to Stixwould Station House.
14. Turn left into the car park area. Turn right and then right again to join the Water Rail Way towards Bardney and Lincoln.
    Follow this surfaced multi-user route for 1.5 miles ( 2.4 kilometres) to Southrey platforms. 
15. Walk between the platforms then turn right through the gate and continue straight ahead along the road into Southrey village. Follow the road for 500metres.
16. Turn left onto Highthorpe.
17. After approx. 0.25 mile (450 metres) and in front of a farmhouse, turn left. Follow the track to the corner of Southrey Wood. 
18. Turn right and walk alongside the wood and then ahead along a track into Bardney.

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Route map Viking Way 6A
Route map Viking Way 6B
Route map Viking Way 6C

• Refreshments: Woodhall Spa, Southrey and Bardney

• Horncastle Canal was a broad canal which ran 11 miles from the River Witham to Horncastle. 
• Woodhall Spa is a beautiful inland resort with Edwardian character, set amidst magnificient pine woods.
• The Lincolnshire Limewoods are Britain's largest concentration of traditionally managed small-leaved lime woodland dating back over 5,000 years.
• Bardney is a village and civil parish in the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire. 
• Water Rail Way - a mostly traffic free route between Lincoln and Boston.