Market Rasen 2nd February 2025

With temperatures barely above freezing at 9 am, Tim decided to ‘recce’ the route up to North Elkington, only to discover the minor roads displaying a white, glistening covering of hoar frost. Although expected to melt in due course it was enough for a re-jig of our intended route to Salters Lane. We’d now plan to use the salted and gritted main road through Elkington Cow Pasture.

 

Meeting up at the Magna Vitae Leisure Centre were Tim Newbery, Ty Harness, John Rickett and Steve Croton. We were due to meet up with Sven Livesey en-route at Salters Lane with both John Weeks and Mike Housley at today’s refreshment stop at The Annex Café, Market Rasen. Steve had inadvertently left his gloves behind and Ty kindly came to the rescue, riding back home to bring a spare pair for Steve to use. Many thanks Ty.

 

Departing at 10 am with the mercury now registering a blistering 2 Degrees Celsius, we were blessed with clear blue skies and sunshine beaming down which was giving some welcome warmth.

 

Today’s route had been devised by John Rickett and we soon enjoying stunning views of The Lincolnshire Wolds along Boswell Lane. At the junction with Salters Lane, a famed trading route that probably dates to Roman times, we met up with Sven as promised. It’s been a while since Sven has been able to join us on a ride so it was good to have had his company once again.

 

An undulating route followed to Binbrook where a 10-15 minutes stop to catch our breath in the village square was welcomed, whilst admiring the Manor House which dates from around 1700.

 

From Binbrook we continued to Kirmond Le Mire (originally Chevremont-le-myrr = Goat's Hill) before climbing once again to Bully Hill (145 m). A sharp descent followed to Tealby, brakes working overtime, especially at the location of a flood that covered most of the carriageway.

 

A swift ride now through Market Rasen and back to the Race Course where we’d take refreshment at the Annex Café. Tables had been pre-booked and we were looked after very well. John and Mike arrived only a few minutes after the main group and it was good to have caught up on everyone’s latest news.

 

John and Mike would take their own route home from here to leave the remainder to continue to Little London and Sixhills (fortunately the road had been re-opened and we didn’t need to divert along the bridleway). It was Sven’s turn to return home which left Tim, John, Steve and Ty to tackle the undulating route up to Barton High Street with its fine views of Belmont Transmitting Station.

 

More hills and yet more hills as we made our way across the River Bain Valley and the tough climb to the Bluestone Heath Road via Welsdale Bottom. Nothing to compare with Rob Cook’s climb to Vilaflor but we would end up with about 2,500 ft climbing and covering close to 40 miles which is very respectable for a winter’s ride.

 

Arrived back in to Louth at 2.45 pm, about 15 minutes ahead of schedule, temperatures now having risen to 7 degrees which is average for early February.

 

Much colder next weekend with wintry showers!

 

Tim’s ‘Relive’ video: