Winthorpe is a coastal village in Lincolnshire just north of Skegness, making it a quieter place to stay where you can still access all the facilities and activities of Skegness. There’s an award-winning beach nearby, as well as a theme park and several holiday resorts to stay in.
Winthorpe was a small historical parish with a Grade 1 listed building, a church dating to the 13th century. It saw renovations in the 15th century and is an excellent example of religious architecture in the UK of that era.
Today, the village primarily functions as an extension of Skegness. The location is home to several caravan or chalet holiday resorts where tourists coming to the surrounding area can stay. As Skegness is the fourth most popular seaside town for holidaymakers in the UK, it remains busy during the summer months.
Fantasy Island Amusement Park
This exciting spot is excellent for thrill-seekers. It lies just to the north of Winthorpe and is easily within walking distance. Fantasy Island has been open since 1995 and has many roller coasters and exciting activities. They also have a seven-day market, which is the biggest in Europe.
Entry to the theme park is completely free. Visitors pay per ride they go on, making it an affordable trip too as you only spend what you need to.
The Beach
Like many coastal towns in Lincolnshire, the beach is the highlight of Winthorpe. It’s an award-winning golden beach rated for the quality of its sand and the facilities available. Visitors can walk down to Skegness from this spot, or continue north to Ingoldmells, and enjoy the facilities there.
Access to the beach is open all year round, and there are plenty of fish and chip shops, ice cream cafes, and cosy English pubs where you can soak up the atmosphere.
Butlins
Just north of Winthorpe is the UK’s most popular holiday resort company, Butlins. They had their humble beginnings, opening in the area at Skegness in the 1930s. Butlins intended to be the holiday resort that provided all entertainment and facilities in one place. Activities on offer today include rock climbing, swimming pools, fencing, and archery.
There’s a range of live entertainment too. The company made partnerships with Britain’s Got Talent, The X Factor, and Guinness World Records to get performers who will entertain the whole family.
The resort can even partially claim responsibility for The Beatles. Back in the early 1960s, Ringo Starr played at Butlins with a band called Rory Storm and The Hurricanes. John Lennon and Paul McCartney travelled to Butlins to meet him and watch him perform before offering him the drummers’ position with The Beatles.
Butlins Resort Skegness continues to see around 400,000 visitors per year.
While Winthorpe is primarily an extension of the larger resort town Skegness, it’s still an interesting little village to visit. The beach is excellent, and it’s a marvellous example of a British seaside town. The location continues to see a high number of tourists flocking to the beach annually to make the most of the British summer.
Photo: Richard Croft / St.Mary’s church, Winthorpe, Lincs