Moortown

Moortown is a small hamlet in the Lincolnshire district of West Lindsey, sitting at the meeting point of the B1205 and B1434 roads. It forms part of the civil parish of South Kelsey and lies around three miles south-west of the market town of Caistor, seven miles south-east of Brigg, and roughly fourteen miles west of Grimsby. This is quiet, unhurried countryside: flat arable land giving way, just to the east, to the rolling chalk hills of the Lincolnshire Wolds.

There is little bustle here, and that is rather the point. Moortown has a pub, a campsite, a bus shelter and a letterbox, and for over a century it also had its own railway station, opposite the pub, on the line linking Lincoln and Grimsby before the Beeching cuts closed it. A brass-plaqued jubilee memorial by the roadside, put up by residents to mark the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II in 2002, is about as much civic landmark as the hamlet needs.

Top things to do near Moortown

Moortown itself is a stopping point rather than a destination, but it is well placed for exploring the Lincolnshire Wolds and the market towns on their western fringe.

• Lincolnshire Wolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty — a belt of chalk hills, hidden valleys and quiet lanes beginning just east of Caistor, ideal for walking and cycling away from the crowds.
• Caistor — a handsome market town three miles away with a Saturday market, independent shops, and the parish church of St Peter and St Paul, parts of which date back to Saxon times.
• Market Rasen — the hamlet's post town, home to Market Rasen Racecourse, one of the country's most attractive National Hunt courses, set in woodland on the edge of the Wolds.
• Viking Way — the long-distance footpath through Lincolnshire passes within easy reach, offering a taste of the Wolds landscape on foot.
• Brigg — a riverside market town on the Ancholme, seven miles north-west, with a Thursday market and the Brigg Farmers Market held regularly in the town centre.

Getting to Moortown

Moortown sits directly on the B1205 and B1434, making it straightforward to reach by car from Caistor, Market Rasen or Brigg, all within a fifteen-minute drive. Weekday bus services connect the hamlet to Brigg and Scunthorpe. There is no working railway station at Moortown today — the nearest mainline stations are at Market Rasen and Barnetby, both a short drive away, with services towards Lincoln, Grimsby and beyond.

Best time to visit Moortown

Late spring through early autumn suits this part of Lincolnshire best, when the Wolds are at their greenest and country lanes are good for walking and cycling. Market Rasen Racecourse runs both Flat and National Hunt fixtures across the year, so a race day can be a good excuse to combine a visit with a trip into the surrounding countryside.

Where to stay near Moortown

Moortown itself has a small campsite alongside its pub, making it a practical, low-key base for touring the Wolds. For more choice, Caistor and Market Rasen both have pubs with rooms and small hotels, while Brigg and the wider Wolds villages add a scattering of bed and breakfasts and self-catering cottages.

Food and drink near Moortown

The Skipworth Arms is Moortown's own pub, standing opposite the site of the old railway station and serving as the natural focal point of the hamlet. For a wider choice of pubs, cafés and restaurants, Caistor and Market Rasen are both close by and worth the short drive.