The Fosdyke saga

Fosdyke Bridge circular

Tue, 2015 Sep 8 11:03 AM BST

With Marta. Still following the Welland as it makes its way through the marshes to the sea. Just under 10 miles, very flat. Dull weather with occasional spots of drizzle.

More details at the Walking Britain webpage:

We start the day with a cup of coffee - this is getting to be a habit. There's a friendly little café called The Moorings, and they are happy for us to park outside.

The bridge carries the busy A17 over the Welland, so we walk past the Yacht Haven, on the north bank, then cross to the south bank, past the The Ship Inn.

Later on the pub was just "Open"  "Open"

 We find the bridleway just before the caravan storage park.  It's about two miles on the path along New Sea Bank to some trees and a nature reserve.

At the trees we turn left towards the river and round to the right towards the Environment Agency's compound at Stone Quay. Little evidence of stone and a very small quay, but some smoke from a bonfire tended by employees.

A hundred yards or so past Stone Quay is a deep drain and a footpath going to the right. We take this and follow it for a sheltered half mile or so, until it turns left at a WWII pillbox.

Time for a snack. (I know, I know . . .)

It amused me to try out the panoramic view on my phone camera. The car (not ours) was parked very close to the pill box.

Good health, one and all!

When these pill boxes were built, they would have been closer to the marsh and the sea, but more land was reclaimed in 1948.

We head east for a couple of miles along the Old Sea Bank. There's a kestrel hovering, but not much other birdlife in evidence. We pass another pill box, and at the third one, turn left to head towards the Welland again.  We are disappointed that we can't see the river - there is a wide section of marsh. We can just about see Boston Stump, though it's rather a grey prospect today.

With the wind behind us we promise ourselves another stop after Stone Quay.  There's a lone heron by a marshy pool, a couple of ducks, and even two deer leaping over the fields towards the trees. Apart from these and a little egret earlier the wildlife isn't much in evidence.

We stop briefly by the gate to the nature reserve, have the tiniest piece of chocolate, and like giants refreshed set off to cover the remaining mile and a half back to Fosdyke Bridge.

This is as close as we got to the sea!

Disappointing weather, but an enjoyable walk nonetheless - until the wasp nest incident at the end!  We think the tractor mowing the long grass ahead of us may have disturbed a nest, and the wasps decided I was responsible - I did not know I could run so fast! Antihistamine tablets will now be added to my walkers' first aid kit, alongside the usual cream - now freshly bought and not out of date!

(added after Harry "outed" me on facebook!)

From Spalding (Springfields) to level with Surfleet Seas End

Thu, 2015 Sep 3 11:27 AM BST

With Marta, following the Welland. From the Springfields Centre, along the right bank of the river, as far as the point where the river Glen joins the Welland. Then back. Quite a chilly wind. As expected no way to cross the water near Surfleet. About 9 miles.

As usual, after a drive of around 50 minutes, we needed coffee before starting to walk. Hence the late start. We had thought of including a ride on the water taxi, but in the end didn't have time to spare today.

Once we'd found the route, a path beside the river starting from the water taxi boarding point, we headed downstream, following the bridleway along the bank . 

Looking back from the sluice near Springfields

A cormorant . . . with extra legs. . .

cabbages . . .

plenty of herons . . .

. . . a hovering kestrel . . . lots of swallows, swooping low, but too fast for me to snap.

lively skies . . .

the River Glen at Surfleet Seas End. . . no bridge here, though

Heading back towards Spalding

We did a mile or so extra to see this moat, but could see no way to view the ruins of St Nicholas chapel, and a deserted medieval village. Wykeham Hall was once the country residence of the Prior of Spalding.

wild or escaped plums

Rowan, or mountain ash

Another coffee before we left - a lovely walk in spite of the chilly wind, with a tiny hint of the sea ahead.

Spalding

Marta and I decided a gentle look around the town counted as part of our Welland exploration, and there's more to see than I expected.

Out first port of call after the hour's drive over was - coffee. We found an ideal place in Bookmark, a bookshop, with toys and maps and a very pleasant atmosphere.  

Like many bookshops now, they host book-signings by authors from time to time.  I was tempted to buy a book about the Welland and Spalding's past, but resisted on this occasion. 

We walked beside the river - a prominent feature, with several footbridges. The water is clean, and there are a fair number of fish.

As we were there on a Tuesday, the Chain Bridge Forge Museum wasn't open, so I hoped the camera could make the interior out better than my own eyes!

 Outside there is a large cartwheel

 and a scarily enormous circular saw

Gamlyn's Almshouses , built in 1843, replacing late 16th century ones provided by John Gamlyn.

We were surprised by the size and splendour of the parish church of St Mary and St Nicholas.

The ceiling of the entrance porch

The elephant in the church

Carvings on the pulpit - see tiny cat creature in the middle

Just along the road is Ayscoughfee Hall . Pronounced locally as Askerfee. Unfortunately it was Tuesday, so the museum was not open.

Ayscoughfee Hall

A medieval roundel in the wall

The gardens are a public park

We finished the day with lunch in the cafe, and then walked along the Welland as far as the Coronation Channel, which was built in 1953 to protect Spalding from floods.

We'll be back.