Punting at Belton

Punting on the River Witham at Belton House, Lincolnshire

Enjoy lazy summers days travelling up the river, enjoying picnics in the Wilderness garden.

The River Witham runs through the heart of Belton estate, enabling you to enjoy fantastic views of the wilderness garden from the comfort of a traditional wooden punt.

Throughout the nineteenth century, the Brownlow family enjoyed the wilderness from the water and now you can too. Following the restoration of Belton’s unique boathouse, this summer punting has returned to Belton for the first time in over 100 years, so that the lost Wilderness garden can be experienced from the water once more.

Punting at Belton by Lady Marian Margaret Compton
Watercolour on paper, a gentleman and a lady in a boat on water with Belton House in the background
Punting at Belton by Lady Marian Margaret Compton

The hermitage, gothic ruin and the pump house are just some of the historic landmarks you can expect to hear about during a chauffeured punt tour.

Meet your puntalier on the jetty by Belton’s newly restored boathouse and head upstream towards the hermitage summer house. The traditional tour offers the ideal introduction to Belton’s history. Discover Belton’s wilderness while enjoying spectacular views from the river.

From ecology to history, your guide will ensure that you don’t miss a thing. Tours run on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays throughout spring and summer with prices reduced for weekday tours.

Thanks to our supporters, punting has returned to Belton, after a century.
Punting on the River Witham at Belton House, Lincolnshire
Thanks to our supporters, punting has returned to Belton, after a century.

Pre-book your punt in advance online at nationaltrust.org.uk/beltonhouse. For £25 your chauffeured punt will allow up to 4 adults and 2 children a 20 minute journey through the wilderness.

Please be aware that transferring from the jetty on to the punt requires a step down and that the punts are not suitable for wheelchairs. Tours are subject to river conditions and may need to be rearranged, so please check our website to make sure that tours are running on the day of your visit.

For more information please email beltonhouse@nationaltrust.org.uk.