Market Rasen 27-10-2024

Cycling UK Louth Sunday Ride to Market Rasen and an to opportunity to try out The Annex Café.

Sunday 27th October 2024.

In stark contrast to our previous ride on Wednesday, the day dawned sunny with clear blue skies … scheduled to remain unchanged for most of the day. Chilly perhaps with temperatures starting at 9 Degrees Celsius and rising to a below average 12. 

Turning up at Louth’s Meridian Centre none the less were Tim Newbery, Martin Wood, Ty Harness and John Rickett. John Weeks and Chris Owen had indicated that they’d meet up at the Annex Café in Market Rasen.

Departing on schedule at 10 am we’d head to Brackenborough in readiness for our climb up to Boswell via North Elkington. Today’s ride which John Rickett had kindly devised would indeed be a hilly one with close to 2200 ft of climbing.

Our original plan was to have a few minutes breather at Binbrook but we’d instead spend a while assisting Martin who picked up two separate punctures, with Ty pulling out thorns and glass from the rear tyre. Thanks to all for their help and we’d continue our journey to Bully Hill just half an hour or so behind schedule. The junction at Bully Hill with the ancient trackway, B1225 ‘High Street’ is best known for its Bronze Age Round Barrow.

‘Mostly’ downhill through Tealby and passing by Hamilton Hill, famous of course for being used as a gathering point for rebellious forces during the Lincolnshire Rising of 1536. It’s estimated that tens of thousands are thought to have rested the night at Hamilton Hill having originally gathered at Louth before marching onto Market Rasen and Lincoln. We too would continue to Market Rasen and the racecourse, eventually arriving at The Annex Café at about 12.45 pm.

The sun was still shining brightly and we were delighted to meet up with Chris and John Weeks who’d waited patiently for us to arrive. Although the café owners had kindly reserved a table inside, we opted to sit outside in the sunshine enjoying a selection of fine fayre. Thanks to Jill for the swift service. We were well looked after and as the venue is open year-round, we look forward to a return visit.

Departing about 1.30 pm a route now to Bella Hill where Chris bade us farewell. We were pleased that John Weeks had opted to stay with us to Donnington on Bain. 

There would however be an unscheduled change in route as Low Road to Sixhills had been cordoned off with an official confirming the route was closed ‘even to pedestrians'. Tim’s map indicated that a bridleway would connect to Hainton, so hoping that there wouldn’t be too much ‘Ruff Stuff’ we continued to Croppersgorse Plantation. Manageable and our first time using this off-road section, we’d soon be back on track at St Mary’s Church Hainton. 

Climbing once more to the High Street with its commanding views of the Wolds and Belmont Transmitting Station, we welcomed a swooping descent to the River Bain where Ty informed us that he’d worked with the renovation and conversion of ‘Mill Stream Barn’ (now luxury holiday cottages) some years ago. 

As previously indicated, John Weeks would continue home from here to leave the remaining quartet to tackle the ascent to the Bluestone Heath Road and today’s highest altitude of about 470 ft AMSL. John and Martin would make their own way home to leave Tim and Ty to make one final stop to admire the iconic view of St James’ Church from Flint Hill. 

Arrived back into Louth at about 3 pm having covered 41 miles. Many thanks to all for the company and it was good to have met up with John Weeks again.

Tim’s ‘Relive’ video fly-through:

https://www.relive.cc/view/vXvLoL7VK1q