West Ashby: Henge, Long Barrows and Walking Route

West Ashby appeals to travellers who want to consider prehistoric remains, a circular walking route and a golfing connection side by side in one destination. The traces take different forms: Shearman’s Wath Henge is no longer visible on the ground, while two Neolithic long barrows appear in aerial photographs as cropmarks and soil marks. A circular walking route passes through West Ashby and into the Lincolnshire Wolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty; Horncastle Golf Club is located in West Ashby Country Park. When planning your holiday, you can first consider which of these interests you would like to shape your stay.

Traces of prehistory

Shearman’s Wath Henge dates to the end of the Neolithic period and the beginning of the Bronze Age: it is dated to around 2350 to 1501 BC. Scheduled Monument 1017875 lies 330 m north of Thimbleby Mill in West Ashby. Its form can no longer be made out in the landscape: the monument was levelled by ploughing, and no visible remains survive on the ground. This distinction is crucial when setting expectations for the site. No discernible earthwork tells the story of the past here; the date and classification as a henge provide the historical context.

The two Neolithic long barrows in West Ashby, 590 m north-east of Thorn Covert, offer a different kind of trace. They are also designated Scheduled Monuments. They can be identified in aerial photographs as cropmarks and soil marks. While the absence of visible remains on the ground shapes how to interpret the henge, it is the aerial images that point to the form of the long barrows. The dates also provide a contrast: the long barrows are Neolithic, while the dating of the henge extends into the early Bronze Age.

Walking route and landscape

The “Horncastle, Fulletby & West Ashby” circular walking route passes through West Ashby. It follows part of the Viking Way long-distance trail and climbs into the Lincolnshire Wolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This offers a different way to experience the surroundings than the individual prehistoric monuments: the focus is on a circular route through several named places and into a designated landscape. If walking is a priority when planning your holiday, this route is a concrete point of reference for considering West Ashby as a destination.

Horncastle Golf Club is located in West Ashby Country Park. This golfing connection is distinct from both exploring the prehistoric monuments and following the walking route. These three themes appeal to different interests and can help you decide what you would like to focus on during your stay.

Choose a holiday rental based on what you want to do

When looking for a holiday rental in West Ashby, it helps to first consider what you would like your holiday days to revolve around. Will the circular walking route, with its passage through West Ashby and into the Lincolnshire Wolds, be the deciding factor? Or are you especially interested in the difference in age between the henge and the long barrows? Horncastle Golf Club in West Ashby Country Park offers another distinct focus. These different themes offer different reasons to consider West Ashby as a destination.

Discover more destinations: Grantham, Mablethorpe, Sutton Bridge, Ropsley, Epworth, Waltham, Spalding, Redbourne

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