The Lincolnshire Wolds NCA is a long, narrow band of rolling chalk hills, running from eastern to northern Greater Lincolnshire. The Wolds have a series of ironstone, limestone, sandstone, clay and glacial deposits that create a variety of landforms and soil types in the area. There is a distinct scarp edge to the north and west, rising to approximately 150 metres along the western edge, providing panoramic views across the landscape.

The Wolds are predominantly agricultural land with shallow, lime-rich soils across the chalk plateau and loamy soils within valley bottoms. Some pasture fields are present, which are mainly bordered by hawthorn hedgerows. The agricultural landscape provides essential habitats for biodiversity, including many farmland bird species. Historic calcareous and neutral grasslands are now isolated and limited to the steepest uncultivated slopes.

The Wolds are situated on one of the main chalk aquifers in the East Midlands, resulting in many chalk streams, springs and flushes. Chalk streams are nationally and internationally important habitats that support many species such as submerged plants, invertebrates, and fish. There are also 18 rivers within the NCA, such as the Great Eau, Waring, Bain and Lymn, which rise in the Wolds.

Though trees, woods and parkland remain an important part of the landscape, woodland cover is sparse, particularly in the north, with occasional shelter belts, hedgerow trees and scattered beech clumps present. Some examples of a priority habitat, wet woodland remain in some of the valleys in the southwest. Ancient oak and ash woodlands in the south-east clay-lands provide a refuge for ground flora. Valuable seminatural acid mires are found in the valley marshes of the Rivers Lymn and Bain, with tree-lined water courses bordering these valleys.

62% of the Lincolnshire Wolds NCA is protected as the Lincolnshire Wolds National Landscape.