Woodhall Spa offers a range of options for planning your day: a publicly accessible broadleaf woodland, a traffic-free trail, a cinema with distinctive projection technology and a heathland golf course. To help you choose, consider whether you are interested in nature, exercise, cultural history or golf. Access conditions also vary: The Pinewoods is publicly accessible, while the Woodhall Spa Airfield Nature Reserve requires an access code.
Broadleaf Woodland, Gardens and Nature Reserve
At the heart of the historic village lies The Pinewoods, a 7.6-hectare broadleaf woodland. It provides a habitat for grey squirrels, great spotted woodpeckers, treecreepers and muntjac deer. If you are interested in woodland and wildlife, you will find both in this publicly accessible area.
Jubilee Park has a different focus: its ten acres include ornamental gardens, a heated outdoor swimming pool and a children's play area. The park is just a few minutes' walk from the village centre. By contrast, the Woodhall Spa Airfield Nature Reserve combines the heritage of a former RAF airfield with a wildlife habitat; its history also includes 617 Squadron. You need an access code to enter the reserve, so you should obtain one before you travel.
Exploring the Spa Trail
The Spa Trail runs for three miles between Horncastle and Woodhall Spa. You can use the surfaced, traffic-free riding and walking route on foot, by bicycle or on horseback. It is also suitable for wheelchair users and families with pushchairs. This clearly sets out both the trail's length and surface, as well as the different ways it can be used.
The route follows a former railway line and part of the Horncastle Canal. Wooden, stone and metal sculptures along the way reflect local history and wildlife. The Spa Trail thus combines exercise with themes that also feature at Woodhall Spa's nature and historical sites.
Cinema and Remembrance of 617 Squadron
The Kinema in the Woods began as a late-19th-century sports and entertainment pavilion and was converted into a cinema in 1922. Screen One uses rear projection. The Kinema is said to be the only full-time cinema still operating in the United Kingdom to use this method. Here, the building's early history and distinctive cinema technology come together.
Another way to explore the history of 617 Squadron is to visit the Dambuster Memorial at Royal Square. Erected in 1987, it commemorates the heroes of the Royal Air Force squadron. Together with the heritage of the former RAF airfield at the Nature Reserve, the Memorial gives the subject a distinct historical connection to the area.
Golf at the Hotchkin Course
The Hotchkin Course is a heathland golf course with distinctive natural bunkers and a considerable tactical challenge. Golfers of all abilities are welcome, and extensive practice facilities are also available. The course is distinguished by its heathland character, bunkers and tactical demands. It therefore offers a different focus for a stay from woodland, trails or cinema history.
Discover more destinations: Keelby, Kirton In Lindsey, Thorpe On The Hill, Wrangle, Barnetby Le Wold, Grantham, Burgh Le Marsh, Swinderby.
For the broader travel overview: Lincolnshire.
