Lincoln cyclists

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

GlenBen

Über Member
Seeing as lincoln is well known for being flat, and little else, Im finiding it hard to find any nice hills to ride without getting in the car and driving somewhere.

Ive been towards coleby/navenby etc, but theyre just too short. Same with the various hills in the centre of lincoln.

Do any of you know of any decent ones? Or am I just stuck with doing loops with short hills or driving somewhere else?

Thanks.
 

snorri

Legendary Member
Keep an eye on the weather forecast, the wind is the hill with no summit :okay:.
 

mjr

Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
Up to Market Rasen and then up past Claxby and you can have the climb up the wolds and if you head through to Binbrook to Louth you get plenty of climbs through the wolds, they may not be long but some are a good test.
Yes, lumpy rather than long seems to be Lincolnshire. The longest I could see is the other direction to Claxby - through Nettleton up to Nettleton Top and then it's false flat to Normanby le Wold, which is about a 4 mile climb with an early max of 15%.

People call Norfolk flat but even it has 8-mile climbs. Not steep - 2 miles is about as long as we do steep.
 

Gixxerman

Guru
Location
Market Rasen
Being a Rasenite (how Market Rasen locals refer to themselves) I know the wolds very well indeed. Despite popular misconceptions, there are some hills in Lincolnshire. Granted, they are not that big, given that the highest point (rather unimaginatively named Wolds Top), which is near the Claxby radar installation (known locally as the golf ball after its shape) is only 168m high. Due to the geographical nature of the wolds, the hills tend to be short and steep rather than long and sustained with the bigger hills being in the north (mostly off the B1225 Caistor High Street). The notable hills are 1) Bully Hill on the B1203 between Tealby and Binbrook. 2) Walesby Hill on an unclassified road between the village of Walesby and the B1225 Caistor High Street. 3) Normanby-le-Wold hill on an unclassified road between the village of Claxby and the B1225 Caistor High Street. At the fork, you can either go right (passing the council houses) or go left. Either way, head towards the golf ball. The right fork is steeper and shorter than the left fork. 4) Willingham hill on the A631 between North Willingham and Ludford (this is a busy main road so be careful). If you want a nice circular route that will get some climbing in then try this:
Starting at Market Rasen (cheap / free parking in most car parks). Head toward Louth on the A631. Take the right turn signposted to Legsby and the Barkwiths to a hamlet called Little London. Here take the the left turn to Sixhills. Go up Sixhills hill and continue to Hainton. Carefully cross the A157 and head to South Willingham. When leaving South Willingham turn left towards Donington on Bain passing the Belmont TV tower on your right (careful crossing the B1225 as motorcyclists regularly ride down here at 100+ mph). Just before you reach Donington take the left towards Welsdale Bottom / Hallington. At the next x-roads take the left down the bluestone heath road. Head towards Kelstern crossing the A157 (staggered left right) and A631. Pass through Kelstern and at the multi-road junction (known locally as 5-ways) take the 1st left to Great Tows, where you turn right down a road called "The Switchbacks" towards Binbrook. For interest, as you descend into the village, just as you get to the start of the houses, if you look to the left you will see a Lightning jet fighter (XR725) in Charles Ross's front garden. From here, take the left turn at the junction (signposted Tealby / Market Rasen), then at the sharp left hand bend turn right towards Brookenby. Keep on the main drag all the way to Rothwell (passing through Thoresway). In Rothwell turn left at the pub towards Nettleton (again crossing the B1225). At Nettleton take the left turn signposted Normanby-le-Wold. Pass the golf ball and drop down Normanby hill into Claxby. From Claxby you have 2 choices. Either A) take the main A46 into Market Rasen. This is a busy trunk road frequented by piss-poor drivers, so take your chance or use the path on the right hand side that starts at Walesby turn-off. B) Turn left and immediate right towards Osgodby, take the first left before the village towards Middle Rasen, go through the village to meet the A46/A631. From here there is a bike path back to Market Rasen.
Taking the longer route via Middle Rasen (B) the route is just under 40 miles with 2362 feet of ascent (max elevation 531 feet).
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
GlenBen

GlenBen

Über Member
Wow, some very detailed replies, I was expecting some very simple no answers haha.

Thank you to all of you. Guess Ill be heading out to rasen tomorrow and seeing where I go from there. @Gixxerman, ill probably try and follow that route i think, however, with my sense of direction, it might be a slightly different version of it.

My thanks again to everyone.
 
OP
OP
GlenBen

GlenBen

Über Member
Appreciate the offer, sadly I have one of those stupid jobs that makes me work sundays.

I bought myself a gps the other day though and have it loaded up ready for tomorrow.

Just one more question, I promise, is there free parking at the festival hall at the start of the route and is it time limited?
 

L Q

Über Member
Location
Woodhall Spa
Appreciate the offer, sadly I have one of those stupid jobs that makes me work sundays.

I bought myself a gps the other day though and have it loaded up ready for tomorrow.

Just one more question, I promise, is there free parking at the festival hall at the start of the route and is it time limited?
They have just installed a parking meter at the festival hall car park, Rasen used to be free parking all over.

I have no idea how much it is to park but I think its cheap enough, the alternative is to leave your car on Gallamore lane industrial estate (1 min away) as there is plenty of parking on there.
 

Gixxerman

Guru
Location
Market Rasen
is there free parking at the festival hall at the start of the route and is it time limited?
There used to be free parking in the whole town, until just recently. Then the town council in a (no doubt successful) attempt to kill the town off for good, have made all car parks pay and display, including the Festival Hall car park. I think the rates are quite low though. Charges apply 8am-3pm Mon-Sat and 1h is £0.30, 2hrs is £0.50, 3hrs is £0.80, 4 hrs is £1.00, 6 hrs is £1.70 and 6+ hrs is £2.00. These rates apply to all car parks.
 
Top Bottom