Horncastle 15-01-2025
Cycling UK Louth Wednesday Wander 15th January 2025:
Having missed out on a Sunday ride to Horncastle a little while ago due to icy conditions, we’d take the opportunity to head there today whilst the weather had turned mild (albeit briefly). Steve had suggested ‘The Big Chair Company’ Café, a venue the club hadn’t tried before.
An anticlockwise route would have Tim Newbery, Steve Croton, John Rickett and Martin Wood head out past Hubbard’s Hills towards the Lincolnshire Wolds. Departing in misty conditions, the temperature numerically was on the mild side at 8 Degrees Celsius but even a modest rise of about 200 ft AMSL to Withcall had us into a wetting fog. We were well and truly into the clouds.
Up and over the Bluestone Heath Road and onwards to Redhill Nature Reserve resulted in little improvement, understandable with an increased elevation which had us at about 500 ft AMSL.
More unusually for us we took Asterby Lane passing by St. Peters Church, shrouded in the mist. This Danelaw hamlet was originally named ‘Eystri’ or eastern lands, following on from when ‘Kolkr the Dane’ expanded his Goulceby settlement eastwards.
The climb up to Asterby Top is surprisingly deceptive requiring quite a bit of effort but Green Lane all the way down to Hemmingby is a sufficient reward. A straight forward journey now following the River Bain into the outskirts of Horncastle, and finally we were beneath the cloud.
Passing by the former Wolds Wildlife Park, we noted a number of animals still being looked after. The unexpected closure last Autumn was due to "the business owners having irreconcilable differences in the future direction of the park".
Arriving at ‘The Big Chair Company’ in good time, we were pleasantly surprised to find a large seating area with the staff offering a selection of hot and cold snacks. Steve gave the bacon bap a high rating, stacked as it was with many a slice. The sausage sandwiches were of equally generous proportion. There was indeed a ‘big chair’ which Steve had the luxury of lounging in.
Our return soon had us back into the cloud and sadly, we didn’t have the pleasure of the far-ranging panorama that the Lincolnshire Wolds usually has on offer.
Once onto the Bluestone Heath Road (Tim surprising himself not having to walk up from Belchford) we did however hear the cacophony of flocks of House Sparrow from the hedgerows which added some welcome cheer.
Roads through Haugham and Little Cawthorpe back to Louth were as muddy as much of the rest of the route had been and a bike cleaning session seemed in order on return home. 35 miles covered with the temperature now having nudged up a degree to 9. Thanks to all for the company.
Tim's ‘Relive’ fly-through’ video: https://www.relive.cc/view/vPv4dp4yZ3
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