SK9008 : Former main road at Barnsdale
taken 9 years ago, near to Upper Hambleton, Rutland, England
The Way is so named because it crosses an area which was occupied by Norse invaders. From the banks of the River Humber it crosses the Lincolnshire Wolds to Caistor, then along the Bain valley to Horncastle from where the Spa Trail is followed along the trackbed of a former railway to Woodhall Spa and along the Witham Valley, crossing flat fenland to Lincoln. Turning along the limestone escarpment of Lincoln Cliff and over Lincoln Heath, the route of the prehistoric Sewstern Lane is traced to reach Woolsthorpe Locks on the Grantham Canal. Another section of Sewstern Lane and other old tracks are followed to Thistleton from where the Way takes field-paths and lanes past Greetham, Exton and Rutland Water. At Oakham it links with the Macmillan Way and the Hereward Way.
Paths are marked with a Viking helmet on a yellow disc.
Hereward Way is a long-distance footpath that links the Viking Way at Oakham with the Peddars Way at Knettishall Heath, near Thetford.
The path takes its name after Hereward the Wake, the 11th century leader who fought against William the Conqueror, and had his base on the Isle of Ely that is located near the middle part of the path.
A 290 mile route devised to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support to which all proceeds are donated. It runs along sea banks and river banks, from Boston, across the Lincolnshire fens via Stamford, eventually to Abbotsbury on the Dorset Coast. From the fens it follows, as near as possible, the course of the oolitic limestone belt, called 'Cotswold' stone in that area, but found in slightly varying form from South Yorkshire to Dorset.
The Way provides a link with the Viking Way at Oakham, the Thames Path National Trail near Thames Head and with the South West Coast Path National Trail at the finish. It also has a Macmillan Way West (Link ) from Castle Cary to Barnstaple.