Covenham Reservoir - Louth Navigation - Fulstow

Sam Roebuck

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Despite inhabiting a broad coastal flood-plain, Covenham Reservoir affords some fine views all around. It is home to active clubs for a number of water sports, including sailing and waterskiing and hopefully you'll see some of these taking place.

Dropping off the high banks of the reservoir, we head for the Louth Navigation (technically Louth Navigation is a canal, it was purpose built in 1770 and only later was the River Lud diverted along it). Louth Navigation has quite a rich history. Opened in 1770 at a cost of £28,000 (100% over budget!), it was built to allow Louth to trade with the Humber ports and West Yorkshire. It was extremely successful, allowing Louth a larger fish market than Grimsby's. However, competition from the Great Northern Railway (from 1847) took its toll. WWI shipping restrictions in the Humber, followed by major flooding in 1920, finally led to the closure of the waterway in 1924.

After a couple of miles along the canal bank, we head across country to the pretty little Lincolnshire village of Fulstow. Here, you would be forgiven for diverting slightly to the village's very pleasant pub, the Cross Keys, as there's now only around a mile of flat walking before you're back at the reservoir and the end of the walk.

This is quite a good dog walk, with only a small number of stiles to cause any concern.

Useful Links:

bus timetables: www.traveline.org.uk

England - East England - Lincolnshire - Canal Walk

Features

Birds, Food Shop, Great Views, Lake/Loch, Mostly Flat, Pub, Public Transport, River, Wildlife
27/04/2021 - MARIE IDDON

Good square walk. We were unfortunate to encounter masses of flies around the reservoir due to the weather. Also to our dismay the Cross Keys pub in Fulstow is now a house.

23/10/2011 - Ysanne whalley

A great start to this walk with a lovely view from the elevated banks around the reservoir. Further on the route continues along the thin grass track beside the canal. This is an easy walk but we were unhappy to find several cows on this very thin strip of land. Walkers need to note that they must pass literally between the animals or cross a barbed wire fence (obviously not on the designated route) onto the edge of a field and continue parallel to the track to reach the road.