Landmark Cafe on Burns Day

A Wednesday Wander to the Landmark Café - 25-01-2023 

Burns Day "Sláinte Mhath!"

Address To A Haggis: "Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face, Great chieftain o' the puddin-race!"

A long promised frost and ice free morning and temperatures were indeed approaching 4 Degrees Celsius when club members met up at Louth’s Meridian Leisure Centre at 10 am. Joining Tim Newbery were Steve Croton, Paul Linder, Alan Hockham and John Rickett. We hoped to return by 2 pm, as rain had been forecast to arrive by 3 pm.

Today we would be trying out a new venue for us, the Landmark Café at Ashby Hill. Tim had made a recce of the route and tested a fine bacon sandwich at the establishment on the Monday.

It still felt on the chilly side as we progressed through Brackenborough but skies were brightening and bursts of pleasant sunshine aided our route through Covenham and Fulstow. The more seasonal weather had also encouraged a number of cyclists on a spin through the lanes and it seemed that we were in good company.

Turning increasingly into the breeze we slowly ascended Grainsby Lane before the Thoroughfare took us to the outskirts of Ashby cum Fenby. An attractive village on the edge of the Wolds, the origin of the name is self-explanatory, ‘Ash tree farm by the fen’.

A short section of Barton Street would eventually take us to Ashby Hill and the Landmark Café. We were given a table with a fine view across to the village whilst we enjoyed a selection of refreshments. Paul particularly enjoyed smashed avocado on a couple of slices of sourdough toast with a rather splendid looking smoothie. Great service too from the staff who gave us a warm welcome.

On departure, it was a little disappointing to find that patchy rain had arrived an hour or two early, but it didn’t amount to much and a backwind meant for a good paced ride through Wold Newton, Steve making it look effortless having been out and about in the frosty conditions on his mountain bike over the last week or two.

Utilising a section of the ‘Silver Lincs Way’ we continued up the valley past Scallows Hall Plantation to Salters Lane and today’s highest altitude of about 125 m. Always a bit of a push and most of us prefer descending this road!

Downhill now through North Elkington and The Dales where we would say farewell to John. The remainder continued back to the Meridian Centre to enjoy a chat over final mugs of coffee.

Temperatures on our return up to 7 Degrees Celsius, about average for the time of year. Many thanks to all for their company.