Things to Do
In short: Bainside, our adults-only campsite and coarse fishery at Kirkby on Bain, is five minutes from Woodhall Spa and a short drive from RAF Coningsby, home of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. Within easy reach are the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre at East Kirkby, the Kinema in the Woods and Jubilee Park, motor racing at Cadwell Park, and good country pubs, starting with the Ebrington Arms next door.
If you are still deciding where to stay, see our touring and camping pitches or our lakeside glamping pods and holiday let. Coming for the aircraft? Our aviation heritage guide puts the Memorial Flight, East Kirkby and the Dambusters’ Woodhall Spa into one weekend. For more ideas, see Woodhall Spa for visitors, walks and cycle routes near Bainside and the nature reserves around Kirkby on Bain.
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Places to Go
The Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, Coningsby
RAF Coningsby, a short drive south of Bainside, is home to the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, which keeps the RAF’s historic Spitfires and Hurricanes flying.
The Memorial Flight Visitor Centre runs walk-in guided tours of the hangar (admission is charged, and bags are not allowed in the hangar). The Flight’s Lancaster is away for major servicing and due back in 2027, and the aircraft on show change through the year, so check before you travel.
See the Memorial Flight Visitor Centre and the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight page.
Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, East Kirkby
East Kirkby’s Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre recreates a Second World War Bomber Command airfield. It is home to the Lancaster “Just Jane” and a Mosquito, both kept running, and you can book a taxy ride in either.
It opens Tuesday to Saturday for most of the year (closed Sundays, Mondays and three weeks over Christmas), so check the times before you go.
Bike Hire
Woodhall Spa Bike Hire will deliver bikes directly to Bainside, ready for the start of your stay. Trailers are available too, including dog trailers, so your four-legged companion can come along for the ride. Follow the link below to book.
See Woodhall Spa Bike Hire on Facebook
Cadwell Park, Louth
Cadwell Park near Louth, known as the “Mini Nürburgring” for its Mountain section, hosts British Superbikes, supermoto, rallying and trackdays.
For the full calendar visit www.cadwellpark.co.uk
The Kinema in the Woods, Woodhall Spa
The Kinema in the Woods has shown films since 1922 in a converted late 19th-century pavilion, and is believed to be the only full-time cinema in the country still using rear projection. Its Compton Kinestra organ is played regularly at film shows and concerts.
See www.thekinemainthewoods.co.uk
Jubilee Park, Woodhall Spa
Jubilee Park, a few minutes’ walk from the centre of Woodhall Spa, has 10 acres of gardens and a 33-metre outdoor pool heated to 29°C, open from April to November. There are bowls, tennis, croquet and cricket clubs and the village’s children’s play area, and the park is run as a charity.
For more information visit jpws.co.uk
Wolds Wildlife Park, Horncastle
Wolds Wildlife Park, on the Louth Road out of Horncastle, keeps tigers, lions, a leopard, hyenas, bears, zebras and ring-tailed lemurs. It opens seasonally, so check its opening days before you set off.
For opening days and tickets visit www.woldswildlife.co.uk
Food & Drink
For general shopping there is a Sainsbury and Co-Op in Woodhall Spa, and a Tesco and Co-Op in Horncastle. If you want to eat out or just have a drink, here are some of the best establishments in the area.
The Petwood Hotel
The Petwood Hotel was requisitioned in 1942, and the officers of 617 Squadron, the Dambusters, made it their home. Its Squadron Bar keeps their memorabilia, including tributes to Guy Gibson VC and Leonard Cheshire VC, and the house sits in landscaped gardens and woodland.
The Petwood Hotel, Stixwould Road, Woodhall Spa,
Lincolnshire, LN10 6QG
T: 01526 352411
W: www.petwood.co.uk
The Ebrington Arms, Kirkby-on-Bain
The Ebrington Arms is right next door to Bainside: a village pub with home-cooked food and real ales. It does not have rooms. It is popular, so booking a table is recommended, and look up at the beams: wartime airmen pressed coins into them.
The Ebrington Arms, Main Street, Kirkby on Bain, nr Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, LN10 6YT
T: 01526 354560
W: www.ebringtonarms.com
The Abbey Lodge Inn, Woodhall Spa
The Abbey Lodge Inn at Kirkstead is a Grade II listed early 19th-century inn, said to have been a lodge for Kirkstead Abbey, serving Greene King beers and home-cooked food from Tuesday to Sunday.
The Abbey Lodge Inn, Tattershall Road, Kirkstead, Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, LN10 6UQ
T: 01526 352538
W: https://theabbeylodge.co.uk
The Leagate Inn, Coningsby
The Leagate Inn at Coningsby is a traditional, family-run inn, in the Dennison family since 1983, with food, rooms and pitches for camper vans.
The Leagate Inn, Leagate Road, Coningsby, Lincolnshire, LN4 4RS
T: 07957 756495
E: hello@theleagateinn.co.uk
W: The Leagate Inn on Facebook
The Royal Oak, Mareham-le-Fen
The Royal Oak at Mareham le Fen is a Grade II listed, thatched 17th-century pub, with a cosy bar, food in the dining room or bar, and a garden for the warmer months.
The Royal Oak, Main St, Mareham-le-Fen, PE22 7RL
T: 01507 568920
E: royaloak@brownbearpubco.co.uk
W: The Royal Oak on Facebook
The Blue Bell Inn, Tattershall Thorpe
The Blue Bell Inn at Tattershall Thorpe dates back to the 13th century, and its beamed ceilings are covered in signatures and photographs of Second World War airmen, including crews of 617 Squadron, the Dambusters. Real fires, cask ales and food.
The Blue Bell Inn, Thorpe Road, Tattershall Thorpe, Lincolnshire, LN4 4PE
T: 01526 342206
E: thebluebellinn1257@hotmail.com
W: https://www.bluebell-inn.com
India Village, Woodhall Spa
India Village on The Broadway is a family-run Indian restaurant in the centre of Woodhall Spa, open seven days a week, with online ordering for takeaways.
India Village, 15 The Broadway, Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, LN10 6ST
T: 01526 354657
W: https://www.indianwoodhall.co.uk
Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to do near Bainside?
The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at RAF Coningsby, the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre at East Kirkby, the Kinema in the Woods and Jubilee Park at Woodhall Spa, and motorsport at Cadwell Park.
How far is Woodhall Spa?
Five minutes by car. Bainside is at Kirkby on Bain, just outside the village.
Where is the nearest pub?
The Ebrington Arms is next door to the site and serves food and real ale. It is popular, so booking a table is recommended.
Is the area good for walking and cycling?
Yes. The site makes an easy base for both, and there is cycle storage on site.
Is there anywhere to buy food on site?
There is a small shop in the reception shed selling everyday essentials, cold drinks, logs for the wood burners and free-range eggs from our own hens. Ask us about hamper packages, breakfast or BBQs for a special occasion.
Next step: plan an aviation heritage weekend
Our aviation heritage guide puts the Memorial Flight, East Kirkby and the Dambusters’ Woodhall Spa into one weekend. To stay, compare pitches, pods and the holiday let or see our prices.
What to Do at Bainside
Pitches from £25, glamping pods with their own fishing peg from £70, a holiday let sleeping four from £90, and a 1.75-acre lake for day tickets. All adults only, five minutes from Woodhall Spa.
