Maltby le Marsh 15-01-2025

Although temperatures were above freezing at 10 am, Tim Newbery had opted to recce the route to Wold Newton by car and discovering the back roads covered in a carpet of hoar frost, determined that a ride on the heavily salted and gritted main road would be a more sensible option. Wold Newton would have to wait a little longer.

 

Thus, on meeting up with Steve Croton, John Rickett and Ty Harness at the Meridian Leisure Centre, we’d head off out of Louth on the A157 towards Legbourne and Withern. Today’s top temperature had been predicted to reach 4 Degrees Celsius along with periods of sunshine and a light south west breeze.

 

Tim had wondered how busy the main road might have been but in the end traffic volume was manageable and with members dressed for an Arctic or even Antarctic expedition (heated socks and heated gloves included) we were toasty warm passing through Legbourne and onto Withern.

 

Stopping for a breather Steve suggested we continue along the main road to Maltby le Marsh to take refreshments at either The Stables Bar and Restaurant or Eastfield Farm Tearoom. One should surely be open. A great suggestion from Steve as it turned out.

 

Arriving first at The Stables we sought shelter in their rather fine dining room. We were informed that breakfast had finished at 10.30 am and as the clock was now showing 11 am, we could only get a hot drink. With disappointed expressions on a few of the members faces, our host went off to enquire if ‘chef’ would conjure up some bacon sandwiches. We were in luck. Very nice they were too.

 

Departing around noon, much of the frost had melted away, temperatures now soaring to the predicted 4 degrees. Retracing the main road route to Gayton Top we would then turn along New Lane to meet up with the salted and gritted roads through Manby and South Cockerington.

 

Up to this point we’d been blessed with almost unbroken winter sun but a bank of cloud moving in from the west meant cloudy skies would dominate on our final return back to Louth.

 

We’d spotted a few solo cyclists using the main roads but all was relatively quiet. As is quite typical at this time of year there had also been a few Buzzard perched up on the branches surveying the wintry scene. We were in their gaze.

 

28 miles covered. Here’s looking forward to frost and ice free conditions and average seasonal temperatures for the ride to Horncastle on Wednesday.

Tim’s ‘Relive’ fly-thu video: https://www.relive.cc/view/vRO79xYLEKq