Abbey and Airfields Cycle Route
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Distance
- 14.5 ml
- Duration
- 1 hr
- Ascent
- 212 ft
- Descent
- 213 ft
This circular ride from the lowlands of the Humber marshes up to the gentle lower slopes of the northern Wolds passes through mainly open countryside and pleasant villages.
Route Highlights
Goxhill
This route starts at Goxhill, which once was a major centre for market gardening. Running along the edge of the village, the route continues north-easterly along Howe Lane, skirting the site of Goxhill Airfield. Built for bomber operations during the Second World War, this airfield then became a training base for the American Air Force.
Thornton Abbey
Founded in 1139, Thornton Abbey was one of the wealthiest houses of its order. Henry VIII stayed here with Katherine Howard shortly after the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The Abbey is the focus of many tales of supernatural happenings, such as the tale of the ghostly canon. The a picnic area here offers breathtaking views over the Lincolnshire countryside.
Wootton
It is worth taking a short detour into the attractive village of Wootton, whose traditional village pond was once a popular local ice-skating venue in years gone by. A perfect place to rest is Wootton’s imaginative ‘pocket park’. This green space was created on the site of an old chalk quarry, with a woodland planting meadow and a picnic area.
Thornton Curtis
The church in the village of Thornton Curtis is home to a unique Norman font, one of the finest in the country.