Walking trail
Belton Park walk
Belton park is rich in wildlife and covers about 1,350 acres (750 acres of which is designated deer park).
Explore the park and woodland with historical highlights
The route passes key features of ancient woodland, highlights built structures and wildlife habitats and points out the site of a deserted medieval village.
Map
Start:
Belton House main car park, grid ref: SK928391
1
Make your way from the car park towards the front of the main house. As you look at the front of the house you will see a gate on the right that leads into the gardens and another gate that leads into the parkland, go through the gate into the parkland.
Belton House
Home to the Brownlow family for more than 300 years, Belton House is a superb 17th-century English country house with stunning interiors and many layers of history to explore. Why not pop in when you have finished your walk?
2
Follow the tree line all the way to a gate in a wooden fence, and go through the gate. Make your way across the parkland towards the brow of the hill. You may notice Bellmount Tower in the distance. The tower was completed in 1751 and designed as both a focal point and a viewing tower.
Bellmount Tower
Viewed from across the parkland during the walk, the tower was completed in 1751 for Viscount Tyrconnel and was designed as a focal point and viewing tower. It consists of a room reached by a spiral staircase. It is open for exploration on selected Sundays each year (see events information for details) and can be reached from the car park on Five Gates Road.
3
Turn right and head towards Old Wood (even marked on estate maps of 1690 as Old Wood) and pick up the woodland path. Our herd of around 300 fallow deer often seek sanctuary in Old Wood so please take care not to disturb them, especially during June when they are fawning.
Fallow deer
Look out for the direct descendants of the wild herd enclosed in 1690. They have large, flat antlers and can be a variety of colours. Young are born in June and then hidden in the grass by their mothers to protect them from predators. If you find one please do not touch as human scent will make them more vulnerable to attack.
4
Along the path you will eventually see the fence line that denotes the edge of the golf course. Head right and follow the fence line around the edge of the golf course. You will see the Alford Monument within the golf course to your left, created in memory of Viscount Alford, son of 1st Earl Brownlow. As well as the fallow deer herd, there are also muntjac deer that call Belton's parkland home.
Alford memorial
Built in memory of Viscount Alford. The Latin inscription reads: "Farewell my dearest son. Among these trees, once fortunate in aspect, I, your weeping father, place this here, offered in your name with a prayer."
5
Continue to follow the fence line and make your way towards the Lion Gates.
Lion Gates
These gates once marked the main route into the Belton estate and originally stood by the main road to Lincoln.
6
With your back to the Lion Gates, head left and towards the River Witham. You are now walking around the site of the deserted medieval village of Towthorpe. Look out for signs of earthworks and evidence of the ridges and furrows associated with medieval farming methods.
Towthorpe village
Towthorpe is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 but is thought to date from much earlier as pre-historic and Saxon artefacts have been found in the area. Today there is little trace of the village although earthworks can be seen on the western side of the river.
7
Walk beside the river bank (and look out for the excellent examples of river features such as an oxbow, riffle, meander, pool and flood plains) and head towards a small wood. At the edge of the small wood, turn right and follow the path to a kissing gate.
Towthorpe Hollow Ponds
You are now beside Towthorpe Hollow Ponds. They were created around 1820 and are now a haven for white-clawed crayfish, after special reefs were built in 2009.
8
Make your way towards the old driveway and head through the gate and back onto the oval in front of the house. We hope you enjoyed your walk around Belton Park.
End:
Belton House main car park, grid ref: SK928391
