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!)

Weston, Sutton Bassett, Welham circular

Mon, 2015 Sep 7 9:35 AM BST

Led by Mel. With Jackie, Tim, Norma, Chris, Sue, Terry, Tommy, Jill and me. Fine and dry. Just over 7 miles.

A very pleasant morning's walk through fields and lanes, beginning and ending at the Wheel and Compass, in Weston by Welland.  We walk toward the village, turning left and then right near the church on to Sutton Road. Before long a footpath goes off on the left and climbs uphill. When we reach the signpost which points in six directions we take the turn to Sutton Bassett, which goes down into the valley passing Lodge Farm, and its noisy but non aggressive dogs. At the road we turn left not taking the immediate left turn, but keeping on the B664 for a short distance before the footpath continues off to the right.  We walk west for a while, and have a snack break, in the company of a friendly chicken - escapee or free range? 

 We head west for around a mile, then meet the lane between Bowden and Welham.  There is a mile and a half of road walking - but very quiet - we met one car and one bicycle.  The lane comes out near Welham church. We continue past the Red Lion and take the footpath just over the road, heading north east alongside the Welland.

 We cross the dismantled railway and reach Green Lane, where we turn right.

Another mile or so of very quiet road brings us back to the starting point, and our destination for lunch.

Map and details

Along the valley to Caldecott

We went down to the Welland, hoping to see the kingfisher again. We had just a glimpse of a blue flash speeding over the water. Otherwise there were swallows, martins, a couple of teenage cygnets, the usual wood pigeons, a heron and a red kite. 

We had a stroll into Fairchild's Wood, too. I was looking out for ripe blackberries, but found none.

A rather irritating map, which is orientated in the wrong direction!

A bit more info about Fairchilds Lodge Farm.

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.

More of a nature ramble . . .

Down by the Welland

a kingfisher

a fairy ring

one cygnet

and some hawthorn berries.

Warkton, Grafton Underwood and Cranford

Thu, 2015 Aug 27 9:35 AM BST

With Maureen. Long break at Grafton, then coffee stop at Cranford. Arrived at the car just as the rain started to come down heavily! Seven and a half miles or so.

From Warkton, opposite road junction between cottages, and across the lime tree avenue, as on this walk of August 18th.  The route is the same as far as Grafton Underwood, and it helped to have walked it before.

At Grafton Underwood we paused to check the next section of the route, but were greeted by a local resident who handed us choc- ices on sticks, and told us a lot about the village and the Duke of Buccleuch who owns all the property.

From Grafton we took the road to Cranford, and made use of the Old Forge for a coffee - three times in two weeks, I think.

From Cranford we walked out along Top Dysons, following the bridleway until just before the Grange. Here we turned right, roughly northeast, and continued for about a mile in this direction. At a point where there is a concrete post we turned left, heading slightly north of west, crossing a section of lime tree avenue again, until we met the road on a bend. A left turn and some traffic dodging on to the verge took us back into Warkton.

I'd just unlocked the car when the heavens opened.

Map and details

Warkton and Cranford

Tuesday 25th August 2015

Tue, 2015 Aug 25 9:41 AM BST

With Marta. Fine and dry. Rain to come? About 6 miles in all.

Coming out of Cranford after Top Dysons

Warkton church - there's a lot of smoke around!

Looking over to Warkton village.

Map and details