Horncastle January 2022

Cycling UK Louth ride to Horncastle

Sunday 16th January 2022

Meeting up with today's Ride Leader Tim Newbery at the Leisure Centre in Louth were John Rickett, John Ambler and Reg Bagshaw. With the temperature already at 4 degrees Celsius, thankfully the roads were frost and ice free. Reg had ventured out to meet up with us last week but the ride was of course cancelled.

The morning had started out dry and bright, sunny even, but a predicted weak weather front was set to give mostly cloudy conditions with a spot or two of rain at lunchtime.

Our route would take us past Hubbard's Hills, along the attractive Halfpenny Lane to Hallington and then the climb up to the Bluestone Heath Road, parallel with the old railway line through Withcall. Reg and John Rickett recalled tales of the tunnel, the construction of which got underway in January 1852, exactly 170 years ago. Now the home of an important and thriving bat colony, the hibernaculum has SSSI status. The last train to pass through the tunnel was on 17th September 1956.

A steady plod for all of us to Pewlade Hill, congratulation to our plucky octogenarian Reg for completing the task who made it look easy. Reg however had to return home for family duties and we hope he had a safe and pleasant ride.

For the remainder a ride to Red Hill Nature Reserve and a descent to enjoy the Goulceby Beck valley route through Asterby and Witchole Plantation. By now skies were darkening and the rise in temperature slowed. 4.5 degrees Celsius registering on the sat nav.

A climb up towards Flint Hill would however warm us all up, before continuing to Hemmingby and a route following the River Bain into Horncastle.

Upon consultation, a decision was made to head for The Bridge Cafe located right alongside the Bain. Surprisingly quiet, we were able to sit inside and enjoy a selection of well earned refreshments.

Our return route would take us in part along the Viking Way and over the River Waring before the steady, but long climb up to Fulletby. The Atlantic Cold front, although weak, was now giving us a little drizzly rain. Never the less it's always nice to see the brightly decorated village signs in this most rural of Lincolnshire Wolds villages. Noted in Doomsday, it might appear that little has changed. Indeed as late as 1840's, the village consisted primarily of mud-and-stud cottages.

Having reached today's highest altitude of a little over 140 m at Castcliffe Hill, time to relax and enjoy the ride all downhill to Tetford (originally 'Tesford') and the Lynm Valley. With the wind behind us, the ride through Harden's Gap and South Ormsby became increasingly pleasurable and the skies even brightened up beyond Meagram Top.

By now we were encountering a number of walkers and even a few horse riders. We had waited all day to greet a cyclist but couldn't find one other fellow enthusiast. That made us feel all the more virtuous and by the time we returned to Louth at about 2.30 pm we had covered 37 miles (close to 45 miles for John Rickett). The temperature, a dizzy 7 degrees Celsius.

Many thanks to all for the company.

Next week, Alan Hockham is leading us on a ride to Farmer Brown's Ice Cream Parlour.