One to do this year - The Viking Way at 50

viking way at 50, Horncastle church — Horncastle’s church is right on the Viking Way route

It’s time to get some fresh air, take in the wonder of our county and stretch your legs. And what better way to do that than by enjoying the Viking Way.

The long route takes in most of Lincolnshire and comes into the county to loop around Lincoln and a host of stand-out destinations. You can’t get better than putting in the step count on some of the greatest landscapes in the world – and it’s on your doorstep.

And it’s free.

We all know that walking is a great form of exercise and is hugely beneficial for physical health without being too taxing on the body. Spending time outside and close to nature is also known to be good for mental health and emotional wellbeing.

And there’s more! Walking the Viking Way will give you plenty of opportunities to experience a range of wonderful Lincolnshire wildlife, immerse yourself in the natural world and see some terrific landmarks too.

So what are you waiting for? Time to make 2026 the year you get outside and sample the Viking Way. Especially as this year marks a massive birthday for the popular route.

Called the Viking Way, the 149-mile-long route runs from the banks of the Humber to the town of Oakham in Rutland. Established in 1976, the excellent walk is in the big birthday club, celebrating 50 glorious years.

The route was set up by a partnership between Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Humberside County Councils together with popular outdoor organisation, The Ramblers.

Why call it The Viking Way? It’s a throwback to our Lincolnshire history – right back to the late ninth century when our county was part of the historic Mercia region, Viking Way reflects the influence of Danelaw on our entire landscape in this part of the UK.

In fact, that Danish influence can still be seen today in the names of villages and towns ending with ‘by’, meaning village, and ‘thorp’, meaning hamlet. So if you are getting out on The Viking Way then keep a look out for Grasby, Walesby, Biscathorpe, Fulletby, Navenby and Woolsthorpe. And then impress your friends with your Danelaw knowledge.

The route itself passes through some of the most beautiful areas of Lincolnshire including the Lincolnshire Wolds National Landscape, the Lincolnshire Limewoods, the cliff villages south of Lincoln and the Kesteven Uplands.

And if you want to explore further afield then from Oakham you can extend your walk by joining other long-distance routes the Macmillan Way and the Hereward Way. From the Humber you can join the Yorkshire Wolds Way.

As well as stunning countryside, the route passes through the historic market towns of Caistor, Horncastle and Woodhall Spa. It also goes through the city of Lincoln where it passes close to the castle and cathedral before following Steep Hill and the High Street to South Common. There’s so many parts of the walk to do in isolation – where they lead to a number of different things to see and do – that anyone choosing to add The Viking Way to their 2026 rota is almost spoiled for choice.

And it’s very much the case that over those past 50 influential years the route has been developed and improved over and over. Stiles have been replaced with gates, the route altered to take in more points of interest and local facilities, boardwalks and bridges made better and, in recent years, new waymarking has been installed. Recently the crossing point on the A46 at Caistor has also been relocated to make it safer and easier to use.

Keeping in mind all abilities, the whole of the Lincolnshire part of the route has been deliberately kept stile free and it’s worth knowing that sections between Horncastle and Woodhall Spa (the Spa Trail), and Stixwould and Southrey (the Water Rail Way) are more accessible as they are surfaced.

Navigating your way along the route couldn’t be easier either, it’s waymarked with a series of easy-to-see signs all sporting a Viking helmet. If 149-miles sounds too daunting, you’re right – it is – then the entire stretch has been specially designed to be break-uppable and is divided into 13 sections.

So if you don’t fancy walking the whole 149 miles you can always enjoy one of the many short ‘circular’ walks that use part of the Viking Way. There are walks from Caistor, Tealby, Donington on Bain, Woodhall Spa, Cherry Willingham, Wellingore, Woolsthorpe and Skillington as well as many other villages to explore along the route.