Dales Wood Trail, Fineshade Wood
3 miles (4.8 km). About 1 hour, easy.
Start: SP 982 985. Finish: SP 983 985. OS grid.
Take it with you: download the GPX file (it opens in OS Maps, Komoot, Outdooractive or a GPS unit) or open the start in OS Maps.
Up and down
About 70 m of climbing and 72 m of descent; highest point 93 m.
Facts
- Code
- EM 1193
- Distance
- 3 miles (4.8 km)
- Publisher’s page
- forestryengland.uk
- Walking time
- About 1 hour
- Difficulty
- Easy (how we grade)
- Designation
- Regional route
- Region
- East Midlands
- County
- Northamptonshire
- Total ascent
- About 70 m. Highest point 93 m
Getting there
- Car parks
- Car park (pay), 280 m from the start. Directions SP 979 983Car park (pay), 400 m from the start. Directions SP 978 983
No bus stop or station within a kilometre of the start. Nearest: the bus stop at Royal Oak PH (opp), 2.1 km away (Directions); Stamford station, 9.4 km away (Directions).
Getting back
We found no bus stop within 3 km of the finish and no station within 10 km (from OpenStreetMap), so plan a lift or a taxi back.
What to expect
Steepest climb: about 32 m in a kilometre (1 in 31), starting 2.5 miles in.
From OpenStreetMap, where mappers have recorded it: check before you go.
Pubs and cafés
- Pub
- Top Lodge Caravan Club, Tixover: 2.9 miles in, about 150 m off the way.
- Café
- Top Lodge Cafe, Tixover: 0.1 miles in, about 200 m off the way.
As OpenStreetMap records them. Opening times change, so check before you set off.
Walked it? Log it
Connecting routes
- EM 1189Mill Wood Trail, Fineshade WoodShares 2.2 miles of path with this route. Starts on this route at Visitor Centre. This route starts and finishes on it at Top of the car park.
- EM 1196Smelters' Walk, Fineshade WoodShares 0.6 miles of path with this route. Starts on this route at Top of the car park. This route starts and finishes on it at Top of the car park.
Walks nearby
- EM 133Richard III TrailLong-distance route, 68 miles, one way. Starts 5.7 miles away
- EM 1026Lyveden Way8.2 miles, circular. Starts 8.6 miles away
- EE 1045Torpel Way8.1 miles, one way. Starts 9.7 miles away
- EE 1296Gunwade Trail2.5 miles, circular. Starts 9.8 miles away
- EM 109Rutland RoundLong-distance route, 65 miles, circular. Starts 9.8 miles away
- EE 1306Bluebell Trail2.5 miles, circular. Starts 10 miles away
Sources
Checked against forestryengland.uk on 12 October 2026.
- Route line: Forestry England, Recreation routes, under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (Forestry England).
- Facts: forestryengland.uk
Something wrong or missing?
Tell us what to change about this walk: a wrong distance, a moved start, a path that's closed.