New Year's Day Ride 2025

The weather at first light was certainly very lively with gusts of 50 mph along with squally heavy rain. Not surprisingly most members had sent apologies. The updated forecast did however indicate that the rain would die out by 10 am with winds quickly easing, gusts limited to about 30 mph.

 

It would be up to Ty Harness and Tim Newbery to head out to the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway (LWR). With a major power outage in Louth, we had hoped we’d get some hot refreshments at ‘The Steaming Kettle Buffet’.

 

Heading through the Covenhams just the odd spot or two of rain and we encountered a fellow cyclist to whom we exchanged New Year felicitations.

 

From Fulstow a left hand-turn along Station Road resulted in meeting the wind head on. Timing however was spot on as the first steam train of the day was preparing to depart, the 10.45 to North Thoresby.

Today was a special day for LWR as it was taking part in the Railway 200 National ‘WHISTLE-UP’ to celebrate 200 years of the modern railway. Two steam locos would be double-heading the trains and today it was the turn of Cranford and Spitfire to do the honours.

 

With the first train having departed, The Steaming Kettle Buffet had plenty of room for us to sit in comfort in First Class enjoying mugs of tea and coffee along with toast and bacon baps. With power not due to be restored in Louth until about 1 pm we wondered whether camping stoves would have to be deployed for our New Year’s Day lunch.

 

Departing before the planned 12 noon great ‘Whistle-Up’ (that would have been quite a noisy welcoming in of the New Year), we headed back to Louth on a shortened route forgoing the Carltons.

 

Back along Station Road where unusually these days, a farmer was herding a flock of sheep along the highway.

 

Continuing through Yarburgh we reached Alvingham where the lumps and bumps in the fields indicated the former site of the Gilbertine Priory of Saint Mary. Adjacent to the village stocks, a memorial stone is believed to be a remnant of the priory.

Back to Louth by 12.30 pm having covered 20 miles.

 

Wishing Everyone a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

Tim’s ‘Relive’ video: https://www.relive.cc/view/vPOp1gM2pE6