Horncastle 21st August 2022

Cycling UK Louth ride to Horncastle Sunday 21st August 2022

Thankfully, the floods of mid-week had cleared and the weather was set fair with sunny periods and a pleasant temperature of about 21 degrees Celsius.

Today's ride to Horncastle would be a reversal of our usual routing and we would look forward to enjoy our first refreshment stop at Jenny Ward's shop in Donnington on Bain.

Joining Tim Newbery would be Reg Bagshaw, Paul Linder, John Ambler and Alan Hockham. Chris Owen would ride the route starting and finishing at Donnington on Bain whilst apologies had been sent by John Rickett and Rob Cook.

Both Alan and Reg were in good form today with a steady but purposeful ride up to the Bluestone Heath Road. Cries from Buzzard and a number of hares darting out from the hedgerows failed to put us off our stride.

Reg would depart for home via the Bluestone Heath Road whilst the remainder carried onto Welsdale (today's highest altitude of close to 150 m AMSL) and Jenny's village shop in Donnington on Bain, where we met up with Chris who had been joined by a couple of other cyclists who were also enjoying a day out. Pleasant chatting with them all and swapping tales of dare and do.

John's turn to head for home whilst the rest of the group would continue on the sunkissed lanes to Market Stainton. Chris would inform us of the connection with the author of 'The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, Alan Sillitoe.

Our enjoyable ride would take us through Sotby, Minting and Wispington, finally arriving in Horncastle in time to take lunch at 'Just One More Bike'. Paul would enjoy his vegetarian sausages whilst others, a mixture of breakfast buns.

The return leg passed by the now closed and increasingly overgrown Horncastle Golf and Country Club, before a steady ascent of Green Lane following the course of Hemmingby Beck.

In Goulceby, a quick check to see who wanted a final cuppa and with time to spare before our estimated ETA in Louth of 4 pm we found a comfortable sofa to settle in. As Chris would be finishing his ride in Donnington on Bain he decided to forgo final refreshments.

One more hill, Red Hill! John had chosen this route too and it's always a bit of a challenge. On this occasion a brief dismount of the bikes near to the top of Cold Harbour Lane, purely to take advantage of the fine views afforded by the elevation! Great to see families enjoying walks and picnics in the reserve.

Tim, Paul and Alan arrived back in Louth just after 4 pm having covered 66 km (41 miles). Many thanks to all for a very enjoyable day out.