Explore the Lincolnshire Coast

Lincolnshire - Humber to The Wash

Make the most of the Lincolnshire Coast’s boundless skies and fascinating features by taking this blissfully relaxing cruise through one of England’s most welcoming, but perhaps lesser-known cycling counties.

Distance: 267 km (166 miles)
Total climbing: 1,042m
Terrain: Coastal roads & country lanes
Starting point: Hull
Finish point: Boston
Difficulty Rating: ** (click here for more details)

Map Key

Point of Interest

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Highlights

Normanby Hall

This idyllic estate is open to the public every day of the year, and as well as exploring its stunning Regency mansion, you can also visit its Farming Museum, historical woodland and award-winning gardens.

Elsham Hall

Set against the stunning backdrop of this majestic, privately owned house, you can wander its beautiful lakeside gardens, contemporary walled garden, and see a wide variety of animals and birds.

Thornton Abbey

Once one of the richest Augustinian abbeys in all of England, its impressive architecture reflects its rich history, and its enormous and ornate fortified gatehouse is among the largest and finest still in existence today.

Donna Nook National Nature Reserve

Covering more than 10km, every winter this reserve is an annual birthing ground for thousands of grey seals who come to rear their pups along the sand dunes and saltmarshes. In the spring and summer, the reserve is a rich haven for plant life.

North Sea Observatory

The UK’s first-ever, purpose-built marine observatory offers spectacular views across the dunes and sea, and allows visitors to witness the passage of migrating birds from all around the world.

Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre

The largest Bomber Command museum in the country allows you to be transported back to World War II and experience the sight and sounds of a bomber airfield. It’s also the only place in England where you can find a Lancaster Bomber on an original wartime airfield.

Boston Guildhall Museum

Built in the 1390’s this building is a testament to the wealth and influence of the Guild of St Mary at a time when Boston’s power as a centre of trade was second only to London. This wonderfully preserved building, with a wealth of original features, has survived the centuries and is to be enjoyed as one of Boston’s finest visitor attractions.

St Botolph’s (Boston Stump)

This charming church, with its stained-glass windows and air of tranquillity, is a delightful place to escape the hustle and bustle of modern life. Not only is it the widest church in England, it also has one of the tallest church towers in the land, at over 272ft /83 meters high.

Gunby Hall

This beautiful 18th century house has three floors to explore, whilst its eight acres of gardens are full of colour and allow you to tread in the footsteps of former guests including Lord Alfred Tennyson and Ralph Vaughan-Williams.

Suggested Itinerary

You’ll start in Hull and cross the iconic Humber Bridge before continuing south along quiet country lanes. Normanby Hall, Elsham Hall and Thornton Abbey all provide welcome glimpses into the area’s rich heritage, and you’ll pass through 27,000 acres of Brocklesby Estate before you head into the Lincolnshire Wolds – a designate Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Here you’ll enjoy rolling roads and spectacular vistas as you make your way towards the coast to the bewitching marshes of Donna Nook Nature Reserve. From there, you’ll head into the pan-flat Fens and skirt a procession of sand dunes and quiet coastal communities before reaching the North Sea Observatory.

Continuing south, you’ll enjoy more unspoiled coastline before sampling the contrasting seaside attractions of Skegness and the Gibraltar Point Nature Reserve before heading inland through the picturesque market town of Spilsby and on to the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre in East Kirkby.

From there, you’ll continue along deserted lanes lined by dykes and deep hedges before reaching your destination town of Boston, a once-famous centre for trade which possesses a rich and fascinating history.

*This itinerary is only a guide. Our travel partners have various itineraries available to suit your desired budget schedule, or you can tailor your own trips independently.