Burgh Le Marsh

Burgh le Marsh sits on a low rise above what was once open marshland, a few miles inland from Skegness on Lincolnshire's east coast. The name gives the game away: this is the "hill in the marsh", a dry perch that made it a natural spot for settlement long before the surrounding fenland was drained. The Romans built a fort here, and the town grew steadily afterwards into one of the market centres serving the string of villages between the Lincolnshire Wolds and the sea.

It received its market charter in 1401 and the twice-weekly market rhythm shaped the town for centuries. Today Burgh le Marsh is a quiet, workaday place rather than a tourist honeypot, with a High Street of independent shops, a handful of pubs, and two surviving windmills that hint at its milling past. Its main appeal for visitors is as a calm, characterful base a short drive from the beaches, funfairs and amusement arcades of Skegness, and within easy reach of the Lincolnshire Wolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty inland.

Top things to do in Burgh Le Marsh

Burgh le Marsh is a small town, so its attractions are modest, but it makes a good stopping point for a wander before or after a day on the coast.

• Dobson's Windmill — Built in 1813 and restored after the Second World War, this is an unusually configured five-sailed tower mill, one of very few of its kind left in the country. The mill and its adjoining heritage centre are open to visitors on selected days through the season.
• Hanson's Mill — A second, brick-built tower mill on the edge of town, raised in the 1800s on the site of an earlier post mill. It worked commercially into the 20th century before its sails were removed in 1938, and it remains a distinctive landmark on the approach into Burgh.
• Church of St Peter and St Paul — The parish church's tower carries an eye-catching painted clock face, installed by public subscription in the late 19th century, warning passers-by to "watch and pray for ye know not when the time is." The building itself has medieval origins and is a Grade I listed structure.
• Burgh le Marsh Old Station — The town's former railway station, closed to passengers in 1970, survives as a well-kept reminder of the branch line that once linked this part of the coast to the wider rail network.
• Skegness seafront — Around five miles east, Skegness offers wide sandy beaches, a traditional pier, funfairs, Natureland Seal Sanctuary and plenty of family-friendly seaside entertainment, all an easy drive or bus ride from Burgh.
• Snipe Dales Country Park and Nature Reserve — A short drive inland near Hagworthingham, this Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust reserve combines steep, stream-cut valleys, heathland and woodland walking trails, and is a good spot to escape the coastal crowds.
• Gunby Hall and Gardens — A National Trust-owned William and Mary house with walled gardens, orchards and parkland, a short drive from Burgh le Marsh and a pleasant contrast to the flat marsh scenery closer to town.

Getting to Burgh Le Marsh

Burgh le Marsh sits just off the A158, the main road linking Lincoln with Skegness, making it an easy stop for anyone driving to the Lincolnshire coast. Lincoln is around 35 miles to the west, roughly an hour's drive, while Skegness is only about ten minutes away by car. Boston lies to the south-west, also within easy reach along local A-roads.

By rail, the nearest station is Skegness, on a branch line with services connecting via Grantham and Nottingham to the wider network; from there it's a short taxi or bus journey into Burgh le Marsh. Regular local bus services also run between Skegness, Burgh le Marsh and Spilsby.

Best time to visit Burgh Le Marsh

Summer is the obvious choice if the plan is to combine a stay in Burgh le Marsh with the Skegness beaches and coastal attractions, with long daylight hours making the most of the flat, open Lincolnshire scenery. Spring and early autumn are quieter and cooler, well suited to walking at Snipe Dales or around Gunby Hall's gardens, and to visiting the windmills without the peak-season crowds. Winter is very much off-season here: many local attractions reduce their hours or close, and the exposed marsh and coastal terrain can be cold and windswept, though the town itself remains a peaceful, low-key place to base a short break at any time of year.

Where to stay in Burgh Le Marsh

Accommodation in Burgh le Marsh itself is limited to a scattering of guest houses, self-catering cottages and pub rooms, reflecting its size as a small market town rather than a resort. Most visitors looking for a wider choice of hotels, guest houses and holiday parks base themselves in nearby Skegness, which has a much larger range of seafront and town-centre options, or in the surrounding villages, where farm stays and rural cottages are common. Wherever you stay, Burgh le Marsh's location just off the A158 makes it a convenient and easy place to visit even as a day trip from the coast.

Food and drink in Burgh Le Marsh

Burgh le Marsh has a small but decent spread of places to eat. The Bell Hotel on the High Street is a long-standing coaching inn serving pub food and real ale, and The Half Moon is another traditional local pub in the town centre. For something more formal, The Windmill Restaurant has built a reputation locally for its food, and there are a handful of cafes and takeaways serving the town's everyday needs. As with accommodation, the choice widens considerably in Skegness, five miles away, which has a much larger selection of restaurants, cafes and fish-and-chip shops geared towards holidaymakers.