Lincolnshire Road Trip: 6 Days Through England’s Underrated Gem 🚗
Lincolnshire isn’t usually the first name that comes to mind when planning a UK road trip, but that’s exactly why it’s such a great trip in my opinion. Located between the Yorkshire Wolds and the Norfolk coast, this county is all about big skies, rolling hills, medieval heritage, and some of the best seaside towns in England.
On this trip, you’ll be able wander cobbled streets in Stamford, climb the ramparts of Grimsthorpe Castle, tuck into sausage rolls from village bakeries, and end your evenings watching the sun dip over the Lincolnshire Wolds. Add in seaside classics like Cleethorpes and Skegness, plus a sprinkling of hidden villages, and you’ve got yourself a proper laid-back English adventure. Love it!
Lincolnshire Road Trip 🚗
🚗 Quick Trip Facts
- Total Distance: ~190 miles
- Recommended Time: 5-6 days
- Best For: History buffs, coastal explorers, walkers, foodies
- Start Point: Cleethorpes 🌊🍦
- End Point: Stamford 🏘️
🗺️ The Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1 — Cleethorpes 🌊🍦 → Mablethorpe 🏖️🦀 → Skegness 🎡
Start seaside. Cleethorpes is full of arcades, sandy stretches, and ice cream on the prom. Roll south along the coast, hopping between Mablethorpe’s golden sands and Skegness’ funfair buzz.
- Drive: Cleethorpes → Mablethorpe ~45 min, Mablethorpe → Skegness ~45 min
- Highlights: Donkey rides, seaside chips, Skegness pier amusements
- Stay: Skegness or nearby
🔹 Tinker’s Tip: Visit Mablethorpe Seal Sanctuary if you’ve got a soft spot for wildlife.
Day 2 — Horncastle 🛋️📚 → Louth 🎭🍰
Head inland to Horncastle, famed for antiques and quirky finds. Then make your way to Louth, a foodie haven with independent shops and Georgian streets.
- Drive: Skegness → Horncastle ~45 min, Horncastle → Louth ~30 min
- Highlights: Antique browsing, St James’ Church spire in Louth, market stalls
- Stay: Louth or Lincolnshire Wolds area
💡 Good to know: Louth is home to some of the UK’s best butchers, pack a cool bag if you plan to stock up.
Day 3 — Lincolnshire Wolds National Landscape 🌄 → Tealby 🐑 → Nettleham 🍂
Get your walking boots ready. The Wolds offer rolling countryside with scenic trails. Stop in Tealby (all thatched roofs and cosy pubs) before looping to Nettleham for a peaceful village vibe.
- Drive: Louth → Wolds ~20 min, Wolds → Tealby ~15 min, Tealby → Nettleham ~40 min
- Highlights: Market Rasen walks, Tealby’s thatched cottages, Nettleham’s green
- Stay: Nettleham or Lincoln
💡 Fact: The Lincolnshire Wolds is the only officially designated upland area in the East of England.
Recommended Tours and Tickets From Get Your Guide
Day 4 — Lincoln 🕍🦁 → Aubourn 🌿 → Navenby 🏡
Lincoln is the showstopper. Spend your morning at Lincoln Cathedral, walk the medieval walls, and peek inside Lincoln Castle. In the afternoon, swing by Aubourn’s gardens and end in Navenby, a village known for bakeries and pubs.
- Drive: Nettleham → Lincoln ~15 min, Lincoln → Aubourn ~25 min, Aubourn → Navenby ~15 min
- Highlights: Lincoln Cathedral, Magna Carta in the castle, Aubourn Hall Gardens
- Stay: Lincoln or Navenby
💡 Good to know: The “Steep Hill” in Lincoln is exactly what it sounds like, wear comfy shoes.
🗺️ Related Article: 8 Things to Do in Lincoln, for First-Time Visitors
Day 5 — Sleaford 🏛️ → Grantham 🕰️ → Woolsthorpe Manor 🧪🌟
Roll south through market-town Sleaford, with its historic mill and arts centre, before reaching Grantham. Just outside is Woolsthorpe Manor, Isaac Newton’s birthplace, where he worked out the laws of gravity.
- Drive: Navenby → Sleaford ~20 min, Sleaford → Grantham ~30 min, Grantham → Woolsthorpe ~20 min
- Highlights: Cogglesford Watermill, St Wulfram’s Church, Newton’s apple tree
- Stay: Grantham or countryside B&Bs nearby
💡 Good to know: Woolsthorpe has science demos and experiments perfect for kids (or curious adults).
Day 6 — Grimsthorpe Castle 🏰🌳 → Stamford 🏘️
Finish strong. Grimsthorpe Castle comes with sweeping parkland and grand interiors, a great finale before wrapping up in Stamford. Stamford itself is gorgeous, cobbled streets, limestone houses, and a timeless riverside feel.
- Drive: Grantham → Grimsthorpe ~25 min, Grimsthorpe → Stamford ~15 min
- Highlights: Grimsthorpe’s landscaped gardens, Burghley House nearby, Stamford’s Georgian town centre
- Stay: Stamford or nearby
💡 Fact: Stamford has been used as a film location in Pride & Prejudice and The Da Vinci Code.
Access to the map
No sign up required and totally FREE. Literally just using Google Maps to plot your route! Saves you messing! We don't gatekeep here! Enjoy.
Map will be located under "YOU" and then under "MAPS".
ℹ️ Add the map to your Google Maps app.
After opening Google maps, click YOU and then scroll down to MAPS. It should be located there. Any issues, just get it touch, it’s no problem!
🛑 Pit Stops & Side Detours
- Donna Nook Seal Colony 🦭 – Seasonal magic (Nov–Dec) when grey seals pup on the beach.
- Burghley House 🎨 – Just outside Stamford, an Elizabethan masterpiece with grand interiors and sculpture gardens.
- Tattershall Castle 🏰🔥 – A striking red-brick tower you can climb for huge countryside views.
- Gibraltar Point Nature Reserve 🐦🌊 – Birdwatching, salt marsh walks, and endless sky near Skegness.
- Hubbard’s Hills 🌿 – A gorgeous valley walk near Louth with riverside trails and picnic spots.
- Belton House 🦌 – A stately home near Grantham with parkland, formal gardens, and resident deer.
- Market Rasen Races 🐎 – For a flutter and a fun afternoon if the schedule aligns.
- Whisby Nature Park 🚶♀️ – Lakeside paths and bird hides, a short hop from Lincoln.
- Heckington Windmill 🌾 – The UK’s only eight-sailed working windmill, still grinding flour.
- Theddlethorpe Dunes 🏖️ – Wild, untamed beaches perfect for a quiet stroll.
🍽️ Local Eats Worth Chasing
- Lincolnshire sausage – Peppery, herby, and best grilled for breakfast 🌭
- Grantham gingerbread – Spicy, sweet biscuits dating back to the 18th century 🍪
- Haslet – Traditional pork meatloaf, served sliced in a sandwich 🥪
- Stuffed chine – Unusual cured pork dish flavoured with parsley 🌿
- Seaside fish & chips – Skegness or Cleethorpes, eaten from the paper on the prom 🍟🐟
🎒 Road Trip Essentials Checklist
- ✅ Vehicle check: oil, tyres, battery
- 🆘 Bonus: phone charger, torch, reusable bag
- 🗺 Offline maps & playlist — signal drops in the Wolds
- 🥤 Snack kit: sausage rolls, crisps, flapjacks
- 🧥 Waterproof jacket & layers — Lincolnshire weather flips quick
- 🥤 Reusable water bottle – refill along the way
🛂 Entry Requirements
- EU/UK citizens: No visa needed – passport or valid ID accepted
- US, Canada, Australia, NZ: Visa-free for up to 6 months; passport must cover trip duration
- Other nationalities: Check requirements before travelling via official gov sites
- No entry tax within the UK – but carry ID for ticket bookings & accommodation
- Other nationalities: Check via the Entry Requirement Checker
💡 Good to know: Travel between England, Wales and Scotland is domestic. No routine border checks, but carry photo ID for hotels and any domestic flights.
🎶 Playlist & Podcast Picks
🎶 Road Trip Playlist
Set the mood with artists and songs tied to Lincolnshire and nearby:
Elton John – Rocket Man (Raised in Pinner, but born in Lincolnshire roots at birth name Reginald Dwight, family from the area)
Rod Temperton – Thriller (Grimsby-born songwriter who penned hits for Michael Jackson – a must for the drive)
Kiki Dee – Don’t Go Breaking My Heart (Duet partner of Elton John, Yorkshire-born but closely linked through Lincolnshire collabs)
The Beautiful South – Perfect 10 (Hull-based band, coastal vibe fits the East Coast stretch)
Arctic Monkeys – Do I Wanna Know? (Sheffield icons, perfect for night driving across the Wolds)
The Shadows – Apache (Hank Marvin, with family ties to Lincolnshire, classic road trip instrumental)
Madness – It Must Be Love (London band but a staple singalong for British seaside towns like Cleethorpes)
Local Folk Picks – Lincolnshire Poacher (Traditional folk song, covered by many artists, pure county flavour)
💡 Tinker’s Tip: Download your playlist on Spotify or Apple Music – Signal can be spotty in places
🎙️ Podcasts to Queue Up
Lincolnshire Buzzcast – Local stories, quirky history, and interviews with people shaping life in the county.
The History of England – Brilliant context for stops like Lincoln Cathedral, Grimsthorpe, and Woolsthorpe Manor.
Countryfile Magazine Podcast – Rambling chats on rural life and countryside walks, perfect for the Wolds.
Haunted History UK – Ghostly tales and eerie legends, handy if you’re staying in old inns around Lincoln or Stamford.
BBC Radio Lincolnshire – Local news, traffic updates, and events if you catch a signal.
The Naked Scientists – Cambridge-based science chats, fun tie-in when visiting Newton’s Woolsthorpe Manor.
Access to the map
No sign up required and totally FREE. Literally just using Google Maps to plot your route! Saves you messing! We don't gatekeep here! Enjoy.
What to know How to Plan or Save for a Trip? Here are our best:
FAQs
How long do you need for a Lincolnshire road trip?
Six days is ideal — you’ll have time for coastal stops, walks in the Wolds, and full days in Lincoln and Stamford. If you’re short on time, you can condense it into 4–5 days by skipping a beach or smaller village.
What’s the best time of year to go?
Late spring through early autumn (May–September) is perfect for long days, pub gardens, and beach weather. Autumn is quieter and just as beautiful if you like walking the Wolds with fewer crowds.
How do I get the FREE map?
The free map is available via Google Maps with no signup required. After clicking the “View Map” link, go to “Your Places” > “Maps” in the Google Maps app to find the route. Save it for offline use, especially in areas with spotty signal.
Is Lincolnshire easy to drive around?
Yes — most drives are under an hour between stops, though rural lanes can be narrow. Parking in towns like Lincoln and Stamford is well signposted. A sat nav or offline map helps in the Wolds where signal can vanish.
What are the must-try foods in Lincolnshire?
Don’t leave without tasting Lincolnshire sausages, Grantham gingerbread, and a seaside portion of fish & chips. If you’re adventurous, try traditional dishes like haslet (pork meatloaf) or stuffed chine (parsley-cured pork).
Travel Planning Resources
Ready to book your next trip? These trusted resources have been personally vetted to ensure a smooth travel experience.
Book Your Flights: Kick off your travel planning by finding the best flight deals on Trip.com. Our years of experience with them confirm they offer the most competitive prices.
Book Your Hotel: For the best hotel rates, use Booking.com . For the best and safest hostels, HostelWorld.com is your go-to resource. Best for overall Hotel ratings and bargains, use TripAdvisor.com!
Find Apartment Rentals: For affordable apartment rentals, check out VRBO. They consistently offer the best prices.
Car Rentals: For affordable car rentals, check out RentalCars.com. They offer the best cars, mostly brand new.
Travel Insurance: Never travel without insurance. Here are our top recommendations:
- EKTA for Travel Insurance for all areas!
- Use AirHelp for compensation claims against flight delays etc.
Book Your Activities: Discover walking tours, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more on Get Your Guide. They have a vast selection of activities to enhance your trip. There is also Tiqets.com for instant mobile tickets.
Book The Best Trains: Use Trainline to find the most affordable trains or Rail Europe for rail passes!
Travel E-SIMS: Airalo Worldwide! Use your mobile phone anywhere!
Need More Help Planning Your Trip? Visit our Resources Page to see all the companies we trust and use for our travels.
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Nick Harvey
Hi, I am Nick! Thank you for reading! The Travel Tinker is a resource designed to help you navigate the beauty of travel! Tinkering your plans as you browse!
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