& Ru r al Two circular walks of 8 km (5 miles) s ford Riv m a t S er wal k
Introduction Stamford is noted as being one of the finest stone towns in the country. The stone being local limestone and Collyweston stone slate. In the 9th century Stamford was an important Anglo-Scandinavian centre and was taken over by the Danes. It was one of the five boroughs of the Danelaw. During the Middle Ages the predominant trades were iron-working, weaving and pottery. Their success was due in part to the excellent communication routes including the River Welland. By the end of the period the town was one of the ten largest in England and had fourteen churches, two Benedictine religious houses, one of which was a nunnery, and four friaries. The town went into decline during the 5th century when the cloth trade moved to East Anglia, but there were a number of wealthy merchants resident in the town including William Browne who built a hospital and Almshouses. During the 6th century William Cecil, a local man, became Lord High Treasurer to Queen Elizabeth I and built the magnificent Burghley House on the edge of Stamford. Glimpses of the house can be seen from both these walks. The 7th century saw improvements to the Great North Road and the construction of the canal between Stamford and Market Deeping making the town once again a place to trade from. Many of the merchants built fine stone houses which can still be seen today and give the town much of its character. On the river walk you will walk alongside the river and beside the dry bed of the canal. In 967 Stamford become the first Conservation Area in the country. Today it is an attractive market town and a great place from which to explore the local countryside.
The Walk River Walk Leave the TIC, turn right into St George s Square. Follow the road on the right of St George s church, Blackfriars Street. At the junction cross the road ahead with care and continue straight on along Albert Road. Cross the river Welland and turn left. Albert Bridge was constructed in wrought iron in 88 by Everard of Leicester replacing an earlier bridge. The river Welland runs through the centre of Stamford and has played an important role in the town s history. The river rises in Leicestershire and travels 56 km (35 miles) to The Wash. From just east of Stamford it becomes navigable. 2 3 At the T-junction with Barnack Road, and opposite an entrance to Burghley Park, turn left. Follow the roadside path for approximately km ( 2 3 mile). Turn left along a public right of way. 4 CROSS THE RAILWAY LINE WITH CARE and then turn right along a public footpath which forms part of the Torpel Way. A route that links Stamford with Peterborough. This section of path is uneven in places and there may be rabbit holes, please take care. Follow the path for 2 km ( ¼ miles) and into an open field. Walk along the bank for 50m before bearing right off the bank to a kissing gate and field gate and a road. Turn left and cross the old stone bridge over the river Welland. Immediately after the bridge turn left along a public footpath. You are now walking beside the dried bed of Stamford Canal. During the Middle Ages the River Welland was navigable but by the 6th century it was impeded by a number of water mills. Work on the canal was completed during the 660s at a cost of several thousand pounds. At the time it was the longest locked canal in the country and only the second post-roman canal to be built. It ran for 6 ¾ miles from Stamford to just west of Market Deeping. The arrival of the railway to Stamford from 846 led to the demise of the canal which was already in poor condition. The last barge travelled along the canal in 863. As you walk along this path you will catch glimpses of the river and the rooftops of Burghley House beyond. 5 After approximately ½ km ( mile) and at a stile and bridge over the canal turn left. Walk across the field to a bridge.
Map & Walk 7 8 6 5 4 3 7 2 6 0 9 5 8 3 2 N Lincolnshire County Council reproduced from OS mapping with permission of the controller of Her Majesty s Stationery Office (C) Crown Copyright and Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown Copyright and may lead to civil proceedings. OS Licence 00025370 4 River Walk Rural Walk Map Scale: 400m 4 mile
The Walk 6 Cross the bridge and continue straight ahead across the field to walk between the hedge and the river. Follow the path, keeping the hedge on the right, to a kissing gate and field gate. Follow the track straight on past Hudds Mill before bearing right to continue along the track and bridleway, 2 Rural Walk Leave the TIC, cross the road and walk almost straight ahead along Maiden Lane. At the T-junction turn right along St Paul s Street and walk past Stamford School. At the traffic lights continue straight on. 7 At the junction with a road turn left. At the roundabout turn left. At the roundabout bear left along Priory Road and past St Leonards Priory. The Benedictine Priory was established around 082 on the supposed site of an earlier monastery. The building is a fine example of Norman architecture and the grand west front was built in 50. From the 4th century onwards there were few monks living there and after the dissolution it passed to the Cecils. The 4th century gateway at the roundabout is all that remains of the once magnificent White Friars House and Friary. The White Friars, also known as the Carmelites, settled in Stamford in the mid 3th century. 8 At the end of Priory Road carry straight on along St Leonards Street. As the road bends right, turn left along St Georges Street. Follow the road round to the right in front of St George s Church to St Georges Square. This is one of the several squares that can be found in Stamford. Like most there is a church at its centre. St George s Church dates back to the 2th century with later additions and repairs. Many of the grand stone houses in the square date back to the 7th and 8th century. Cross St Georges Square to return to the starting point. 3 Walk past the Retail Park and at the traffic lights continue straight on. After approximately 60m and just before Rutland Road turn right along a track and public footpath. This footpath forms part of the Macmillan Way, a long distance footpath linking Boston to Abbotsbury on the Dorset coast. The route passes through 0 counties and covers 290 miles.
The Walk 4 5 At the field turn left and after approximately 80m bear right across the field following the line of an area of uneven ground. Then bear right to a metal footbridge that will come into view. Cross the bridge and continue in the same direction to cross the field to reach a footpath sign that will come into view. Continue across the field in the same direction to the corner of the field. At the top of the hill turn round to admire the views across Stamford and the rooftops of Burghley House in the distance. 6 7 At the road turn left. As the road bends to the left walk straight on along a public footpath. After 60m turn right along another footpath keeping to the edge of the field. At the corner of the field turn left to continue to follow the field edge. As you approach Uffington more of Burghley House will come into view. This magnificent Elizabethan house was built between 555 and 587 by William Cecil, the Lord High Treasurer to Queen Elizabeth I. It was built with stone from Northamptonshire in the shape of the letter E in honour of the Queen. It has been altered over the centuries and is missing the original north-west wing which was removed to allow better views of the parkland designed by Capability Brown. 9 0 To visit Uffington village turn left. To continue on the walk turn right and follow the roadside path for 50m. Cross the busy road with care, and follow the public footpath along the edge of the field beside a fence. Listen for the mewing call of buzzards as they soar and circle in the skies above. This bird of prey can be up to 22 inches (55 cm) long. They feed on small mammals, rabbits being a particular favourite. They can often be seen during the day perching on fence posts or poles. At the next corner turn right over a small bridge and walk straight on. 8 At the corner continue in the same direction across the middle of a field. At the hedge and track, turn right and follow the track for ½ km ( mile). The track will end in a field. Continue straight on along the field edge to a gate and then a road. Cross the bridge over the dry bed of Stamford Canal and walk across the field to another bridge. Now follow the directions in the River walk from point 6.
Walk Information Walk location: Stamford lies just off the A in the south-west corner of Lincolnshire, between Grantham and Peterborough. Starting point and parking: Tourist Information Centre (TIC) and Arts Centre, St Mary s Street. Grid reference: TF 03 070. Parking: Pay and display car parks in Stamford. Public Transport: For details of bus and train services to and from Stamford, call the Traveline on 087 200 22 33 or visit www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/busrailtravel. Walk length: Both walks are 8 km (5 miles) and at a leisurely pace each walk will take approximately 2 ½ hours. Type of walk: The walks use field paths, raised banks, tracks, grass verges, tarmac roads and pavements. Some may be uneven and muddy in places. On the river walk the railway line is crossed once. Ordnance Survey maps for the area: Explorer 234 Rutland Water. Landranger 4 Kettering & Corby and 42 Peterborough. Refreshments: There is a large selection in Stamford and, on the rural walk, Ye Olde Bertie Arms in Uffington. Public toilets: Red Lion Square, Stamford. Published January 2009
Be a responsible walker Please remember the countryside is a place where people live and work and where wildlife makes its home. To protect the Lincolnshire countryside for other visitors please respect it and on every visit follow the Countryside Code. Thank you. Be safe - plan ahead and follow any signs Leave gates and property as you find them Protect plants and animals, and take litter home Keep dogs under close control Consider other people Most of all enjoy your visit to the Lincolnshire countryside This leaflet is one in a series of walk leaflets produced by Lincolnshire County Council s Countryside Access Team to help you explore and enjoy the county s countryside. If you have enjoyed these walks and would like information on other walking routes in Lincolnshire then please visit our website. If you encounter any problems whilst on these walks, such as an overgrown path or a broken sign post, please let us know so they can be corrected. We would also welcome your comments and suggestions on the walk and leaflet to help improve future editions. If you require this leaflet in another format please contact us. Lincolnshire County Council Countryside Access Team Tel: 0522 782070 Minicom: 0522 552055 Email: countryside_access@lincolnshire.gov.uk Web: www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/countryside