Route also takes in the studio where the fastest-selling debut album in history was recorded
From villages frozen in time to the studio where the fastest-selling debut album in history was recorded, this walk packs an awful lot into its six-mile length.
It takes in a sturdy Victorian railway bridge, the stunning Claythorpe Water Mill, a delightful walled Victorian post box and an old dovecote. You can use an official guide book, but sometimes these can be vague and you often find it’s easier to follow the public footpath signs and maps provided en route.
We parked up in the village of Aby, close to the village school and headed off on the clearly marked public footpath route which first takes you through a gated section of paddock with livestock (a bit weird walking through someone’s garden but it’s all official and clearly segregated). Switching to the edge of a farmer’s field the path cuts under an old Victorian bridge before a left turn takes you past the historic Claythorpe Water Mill, (which is worth a mini stop to simply admire).
READ MORE: Seven winter walks to enjoy in Lincolnshire this new year
The route then elevates slightly along the road before a public footpath sign diverts you through farmer’s fields as you emerge in the village of Belleau. Here you can see the Victorian post box and dovecote. More farmer’s fields snake you down a wooded alleyway and through another back garden (with a bench – perfect for a picnic stop) before walking along the river and on to South Thoresby.
Here you can stop to look at the Church of St Andrew, while a little further down the road is Chapel Studios, where the Arctic Monkeys recorded their record-breaking debut album, ‘Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not’, back in 2005. From the village, there is a choice of two public footpaths which take you largely by road back to the village of Aby, where you can stop for a bite and a pint at The Railway Tavern, which serves a good selection of homemade food. (The pub has announced a short break at the beginning of the new year, but has promised to reopen soon – check the Facebook page for updates.)
