Summary (by AI): I found the Lincolnshire Wolds to be a surprisingly beautiful landscape of rolling hills that challenged my previous perceptions of the county, despite the frustration of losing a favorite hat and spending too much time walking on roads.
Blog: As far as I can tell, Lincolnshire doesn't actually have a "Lincolnshire Way." What it does have, however, is the Viking Way—a long-distance trail covering about 160 miles from Hull all the way down to Rutland.
It’s named the Viking Way because the route cuts right through territory once owned and controlled by the Scandinavians during their era of "taxing" the English countryside. You can still see the evidence of that history in the local place names. For instance, the suffix "-by" means a village or city, like Grimsby. Then you have "-thorpe," which means "out of the way." Places like Cleethorpes and Scunthorpe are essentially ancient Viking settlements.
The Viking Way runs through the middle of the county, specifically through the Lincolnshire Wolds. I have to say, if anyone shares the image I used to have of Lincolnshire—as just a flat, agricultural, somewhat barren landscape—you really need to visit the Wolds. I’d driven through the county once before and was left with that exact impression of flatness because we’d essentially just passed through the Fens. But the Wolds are different; they are an outstanding area of natural beauty with magnificent roads and rolling hills.
I was there in February, so it was one of those walks where you find yourself "hunkering down" against the elements. It was a wonderful walk, but it didn't come without a price. I managed to lose one of my favorite hats along the way, which is particularly annoying because it’s the second one I’ve lost in a year. They were both Fat Face bobble hats, and they were both my favorites. So, Fat Face, here I come again.
The walk itself ended up being about ten miles, but it was really a "walk of two halves." I had specifically looked for a circular route that incorporated a section of the Viking Way while offering a wider view of the surrounding area. Unfortunately, I didn’t look closely enough at the map. I ended up spending a reasonable amount of time walking on roads, especially during the final third, which was a bit frustrating.
Still, it was a great experience and a bit of a learning curve. It gave me a better idea of how to structure my walks in the future. Looking at the landscape, I’d imagine that a proper multi-day thru-hike along the entire Viking Way would be a fantastic challenge.
The Map: