Walk this way... Chapel St Leonards, Lincolnshire

Explore miles of sandy beaches and wildlife-filled marshland on this quiet corner of the Lincolnshire coast

From the Parish Council, walk towards The Vine Hotel. Turn right onto a footpath. Follow it round a playing field and right onto Skegness Road. Cross the bridge, turn left, then into St Leonard's churchyard. Follow the path round the edge of a field and join Sea
Road. Cross the bridge. Turn right to follow the road to St Leonards Drive. Turn left, then left onto Wigg Lane. After half a mile, turn left, then right onto Stones Lane. At the end of the field, turn right and continue alongside a track to the road. Turn left, then right along the track to Wolla Bank. Walk over the dunes and back to the village.

 

Why go? A short hop from the resort towns of Skegness and Cleethorpes, Chapel St Leonards offers a tranquil alternative with sandy beaches and marshes filled with wildlife. The village is a popular holiday destination in itself - before the chalets were built at Chapel Point in the 1930s, visitors pitched their tents on the beach.


How long will it take? This circular walk is five-and-a-half miles in total and will take around two-and-a-half hours at a leisurely pace.

Stamina required? Relatively flat, the area uses village and field paths, tracks, dunes and the promenade. It can get muddy in places, though.

Refuelling options: Call in at the Trafalgar Inn (01754 871354) near Chapel Point, a family-run pub with friendly service, good beer and
excellent bar meals. Or try The Countryman (01754 872268) at Ingoldmells, the next village along, which is a member of Taste of Lincolnshire.

 
What else is there to see? Take a look at the church in Chapel St Leonards. The original one was engulfed by the sea in 1571, while the
existing chapel was built in the late 18th century. Along the coast towards Ingoldmells, look out for the Iron Age and Roman salt-making sites - in the past, pottery has been discovered on the beach from sites dating back to the 1400s.

 
Wildlife highlights? These surrounding fields are the ideal place to see and hear skylarks. This small brown bird prefers open farmland and has a continuous warbling song, which it can sing while hovering. If you're lucky you might spot a seal or two playing in the sea - there is a small colony of grey and common seals at nearby Gibraltar Point.

 
And for the kids? There's a new play park in the village, but for large-scale entertainment, head for Fantasy Island at Ingoldmells, an indoortheme park (www.fantasyisland.co.uk).

 
Getting there: The nearest train station is Skegness (East Midlands Trains, www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk), from where you can get a bus - Stagecoach 1 or 1A - which takes 20-30 minutes (www.stagecoachbus.com/lincolnshire).

 
Where to stay: For all-round family fun, it has to be the Butlins Resort at Skegness. As well as plenty for the kids, there's also a spa for a bit
of parent pampering, too. Prices vary so see website for the latest deals (www.butlinsonline.co.uk).

 
Tourist Information Centre: Skegness TIC, Grand Parade, Skegness (01754 899887, www.funcoast.co.uk); www.chapelstleonards.info.

 

OS maps Explorer 274 Skegness, Alford & Spilsby; Landranger 122 Skegness & Horncastle. Click here for the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map Service to see your chosen area online.

 

Photo: Lincolnshire Tourism

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