Mid-Summer Ride to Boston 2023

Cycling UK Louth’s Mid-Summer ride to Boston 2023:

Following a very successful and enjoyable Mid-Summer’s ride to Boston last year to celebrate John Ambler’s 80th Birthday, it was thought that we’d have to carry on with what might be an annual event.

In 2022 we were blessed with wall-to-wall sunshine, temperatures of 24 Degrees Celsius and a tail wind on the outward and return leg. We couldn’t possibly hope for a repeat, could we?

Thursday 15th June 2023.

Miraculously, the weather forecast promised clear blue skies, summer temperatures of 24 Degrees and favourable winds for both Thursday 15th June and Friday 16th June. Joining Tim Newbery were Alan Hockham, Paul Linder, Rob Cook, John Ambler and Steve Croton. Steve hasn’t been able to join us for many weeks due to work commitments but we were very pleased that he was able to arrange annual holiday to join us on this special occasion.

Having enjoyed hot drinks at Louth’s Leisure Centre on Thursday morning, we departed on schedule at 10.00 am. With fine conditions and very warm temperatures this would truly be a leisure ride with plenty of stops for water and refreshments and a chance to enjoy the Lincolnshire countryside.

Bikes were under variable loads, some like Steve’s were paired to minimum with a rather fine Carradice saddlebag whilst others carried full front and rear panniers. We wondered if Paul had packed full formal attire for the evening meal at the hotel.

Our route would take us first up and over the Bluestone Heath Road via Halington and onwards through Welsdale and a first stop at Jenny’s Village Shop in Donnington on Bain. Teas, coffees and waggon wheels. Perfect to sit and enjoy this fine spell of weather.

Having already climbed up to around 150 m, more was to follow as we passed Belmont Mast, brilliantly sunlit with a deep blue background as we’d make our way to Benniworth. The reward now was a gentle run downslope to Panton and Hatton with a backwind aiding our efforts. Gorgeous day, gorgeous scenery.

We’d soon be joining Station Road at Stixwould, ready to join the multi user path: Sustrans Route 1 and the Water Rail Way. The last time Tim could remember a club ride here was on a winter’s Wednesday Wander when ice covered the tracks. A little further along the River Witham was the Ragged Apron Café at Martin Dales. Arriving on schedule a little before 1.30 pm, time for a deserved lunch and for John to take his tablets. This is one of Chris Owen’s favourite cafes and sorry he couldn’t join us today. We had at least eventually mastered the locking ... and unlocking of the toilet door.

We’d now turn southbound, still following the Witham all the way to Tattershall Bridge. Paul recounted the sale of the cottage where wonderous items were auctioned off a number of years ago. At Dogdyke we’d glimpse the pumping station on the other bank and then involuntarily duck as three Tyhpoon fast jets from RAF Coningsby flew low overhead. Onwards through Pelhams Lands to Langrick Bridge where we took a break and regrouped. Continuing along the multi user path for a couple more miles brought us to Anton’s Gowt with an easy hop across Firth Bank to The Malcolm Arms for drinks.

Antons Gowt is the gateway to the Witham Navigable Drains, dug in the 1600’s and criss-cross the fens around Boston. Antons Gowt is named after Sir Anthony Thomas who was the entrepreneur who financed the drainage improvement scheme, with Gowt being an old medieval name, literally ‘Go-Out’, where waters of a stream or drain ‘go out’ into a bigger river.

Arriving in Boston at the anticipated time of about 5 pm we were soon settling into the White Hart Hotel for our evening meal and accommodation. Paul would then act as our guide for a walk around town. Some parts admittedly were looking in need of refurbishment with a number of premises left vacant but for those with time to look carefully there’s still a wealth of surprises.

With fine architecture, nature and art trails there’s lots to admire in Boston. The town is steeped in history having been a Hanseatic League Port in the 13th and 14th Centuries, enormous wealth derived from the wool trade. One of the highlights for Tim included ‘The Boston Buoys Trail’, a series of six stunning art installations re-purposing vintage navigational marine buoys. Favourites were blacksmith Bex Simon’s ‘Windward Bloom’ where the 1930’s green starboard buoy has been decorated with wild flowers of the local area including cow parsley, rape seed pods and creeping jenny and her ‘Leeward Bloom’ red port-hand mark influenced by Japanese flower arranging.

Friday 16th June 2023.

For some a peaceful night, for others a chance to study in detail the calls and antics of Herring Gull. Rob had a perfect vantage for such ornithological study as his room was ideally located on the third floor via a number of stairs and winding corridors. The exact origin of the hotel is unknown but parts of the building date to the mid 1700's and was known as the Unicorn in 1786.

Never the less a fine and almost limitless breakfast was enjoyed by all, setting us up for the 50 plus mile journey back to Louth.

Once more skies were crystal blue and temperatures again set to rise to 24 degrees. Setting off a little before 9.30 am we were soon crossing over John Adams Way and away from the rush hour traffic. Quintessential, long, straight as an arrow, fenland lanes took us alongside the Hobhole Drain and interesting views of Lade Bank Pumping Station and locks. This station, built in 1865, doesn’t have a public open day until September so we continued to the metropolis of Midville, an area Alan knows well. Alan would later meet up with us at Burgh le Marsh where Paul had navigated us to the Roman Bank Bakery Coffee Shop. Delicious fayre where Tim enjoyed a large cream slice and for John a richly fruited Eccles cake. A slice or two of fruitcake for Alan and Paul. Alan would head for home at this point.

A strengthening breeze was a little more into our faces than anticipated but very refreshing. We would still need water breaks and by the time we got to Chapel Point and the North Sea Observatory, ice creams and fresh fruit went down well. The café was proving popular but the beach was relatively quiet, a handful of families enjoying a day in the sunshine and a few hardy souls having a swim in the sea.

Steve volunteered to guide us to Bilsby via Mumby and Thurlby. He very kindly invited members to take refreshment but we declined this offer to continue to Alford and a rest in the shade of the grounds adjacent to Alford Manor House, where the Wold Grift Drain chalk stream trickles its way under the bridge.

With Paul now at home, a final leg for Tim, Rob and John and a route through the lanes via Ailby to Meagram Top, Muckton and Little Cawthorpe. Rob unexpectedly led us to ‘The Splash’ and provided everyone with a celebratory shandy. John, our senior club member and Octogenarian had done well and on arriving back in Louth about 5 pm had completed 100 miles over the two days.

Thanks to all for their company.