Huttoft 14th April 2024

Our last visit to Huttoft as a club was back in the Summer of 2023 when temperatures were well into the 20’s. Luckily today’s weather was pretty decent too with plenty of sunshine and highs of 13 Degrees Celsius.

 

Meeting up with Ride Leader Tim Newbery at Louth’s Leisure Centre were Rob Cook, John Rickett, Sven Livessey, Chris Owen and Jonathan Dawson, a guest rider from Market Rasen sporting a fine-looking titanium hybrid steed. Welcome along Jonathan. Alan Hockham had indicated that he’d meet up with us at the Carltons whilst Paul Linder and Steve Croton had sent apologies.

 

Departing on schedule we were anticipating arriving at the seaside about 11.30 am, returning to Louth by 3.00 pm.

Skies were brilliant blue and a brisk westerly wind would make for a very pleasant ride through Stewton, Legbourne Furze and the Carltons where, as promised we met up with Alan.

 

On reaching Woodthorpe, we turned down the opportunity of hot drinks and instead continued through Beesby and Hagnaby with brief sightings of deserted medieval villages, ancient Priories and Abbeys.

 

By now we had been joined by Fletch Bradley and David Franks (great to have had their company again) who skilfully navigated us through Sutton-le-Marsh via a series of short cuts and snickets.

 

With the Promenade Cycleway still proving too sandy, Huttoft Bank would take us

to ‘The Vista at the Boatshed’ for well-earned refreshments. For some the ‘top deck’ afforded fine views out to sea, for others the picnic benches on terra firma provided an equally fine place to rest and chat. Great too to learn that the former golf course was being developed into a nature reserve.

 

Fletch and Dave would depart home from here whilst the remainder would follow the prescribed route back inland, firstly through the village of Huttoft where a number of railway bridges gave evidence of the former Mablethorpe and Sutton loop of the East Lincolnshire Line. There had been plans to open a large fishing dock at Sutton le Marsh in the 1880’s but the idea was soon abandoned when finances couldn’t be raised.

 

We’d now follow Lincolnshire County Council’s cycle route C7 which would take us through the out and middle marsh villages of Cumberworth, Bonthorpe and Farlesthorpe into Alford where Rob took advantage of the fine sunny weather to have a picnic lunch.

 

With Claythorpe Water Mill not opening until Wednesday, the group decided to take a stop at the Railway Tavern for a final round of drinks. Special thanks to John. We’d just missed Steve but he gave us a ‘toot’ and a wave from the comfort of his car.

 

Rob would soon rejoin us and we’d continue our journey passing by Belleau Manor with its fine Tudor dovecote and a little further along, the church of Saint John the Baptist.

 

The church is of great antiquity dating to the time of Giotto and the start of the renaissance in Italy (1300’s). Inside the Doges Palace in Venice, a renowned globe of the known world at the time of the renaissance is on display. On the map of Great Britain, Belleau (Lincolnshire) is the only named place!

 

Following the ‘Top Road’ we enjoyed great views of the Great Eau Valley before returning to the Leisure Centre at 2.45 pm. 75 km for the Louth contingent.

 

Thanks to all who travelled across the county to join us today.

 

(MORE PHOTOS TO FOLLOW. Thanks for all the contributions).