Woodthorpe 27-11-2022

Cycling UK Louth Ride to Woodthorpe – Sunday 27th November 2022.

Surprisingly bright skies, light winds and a well above average temperature of 12 Degrees Celsius greeted club members assembling at Louth’s Meridian Leisure Centre. Joining Tim Newbery were John Rickett, Paul Linder and Alan Hockham.

Our route today would take us to South Cockerington and Howdales, where we would meet up with Reg Bagshaw.

All aboard for the next leg to Saltfleetby Saint Peter and Three Bridges via arguably one of the finest sections of highway in all Lincolnshire. A pity that Three Bridge Lane is less than a mile in length.

Through the Carltons, the short section of Main Road to Withern, and onto Woody’s Bar and Restaurant at Woodthorpe. Luckily today we encountered little traffic on the roads and we were soon enjoying hot drinks and a mix of bacon, sausage and egg baps. Excellent service as always and one of the owners came across to greet us and thanked us for our custom. Tim thanks Alan too for the unexpected early Christmas present of a whole pack of chocolate covered ’Biscoff’!

Reg and Alan would leave us at this point which left Tim, John and Paul to continue on the prescribed route along the winding rural Rye Lane to the Great Eau at Claythorpe. Here, the river had almost burst its banks, the water flowing briskly through the water mill.

A now familiar ride to Muckton and Muckton Bottom. The roads were indeed ‘mucky’ but the origin of the settlement was “Mucca’s tūn” (Old English=Mucca's farmstead), later recorded in Doomsday as "Muchetune" and listed as having 9 households.

Muckton Lane would take us all the way to Little Cawthorpe with its mellow red brick manor house built in 1673, noted for its diamond-shaped chimney stacks and Dutch gables. We followed Watery Lane to ‘The Splash’ and the fording of The Long Eau, one of of the longest navigable fords in England. Here, Tim would once again get wet feet whilst entertaining the pleasure of chief photographers John and Paul. The route along the side of the ford was a first for both John and Paul, passing the water mill and emerging at Legbourne.

Returning to Louth at 1.30 pm, the Louth contingent had covered 32 miles, 40 miles for John and the star prize goes to Paul for having pedalled closer to 60 miles. A fine day out, many thanks to all for the company.