other thoughts: Binbrook

Friday, 11 June 2021

Actual walking! - 5 1/2 circular Binbrook- Stainton le Vale - Kirmond le Mire - Binbrook

So far on this mini break, although I'd visited fascinating places, I didn't feel I'd seen the countryside other than through a car windscreen. A leaflet found in the cottage had suggested a short walk from Bag Enderby to Somersby but we weren't able to find a parking spot anywhere near its start. I set my husband to do some research, and via Lincswolds.org he came up with a circular walk from the village of Binbrook to Stainton-le-Vale returning via Kirmond-le-Mire - and even checked Google streetview to be sure of finding parking.

Five and half miles seemed a bit far, but I was feeling enthusiastic although it's a long long while since I've walked this distance. Off we set, and after some initial confusion where the route went down a private driveway and in front of a house we were soon out in open countryside with a clearly visible path to follow.

This led to a walkway over marshy ground, and a confusing number of brooks to be crossed by footbridges

Part of the attraction of this route for me was the promise of abbey ruins. I hadn't expected much to be visible but they were nothing more than grassed-over humps, with no distinct building shapes to be seen at all. So, a little disappointing.

At this point, crossing through sheep pasture, the easily-defined path disappeared, and, although probably little over a mile in, my legs began to feel I'd walked far enough, so I was seriously wondering about turning round. After a rest on the bridge, and something to eat I decided to carry on, following a runner who clearly knew where he was heading.

From here the path was easy to spot again, though sometimes the route markers weren't, being hidden behind or crops or wild flowers.

Now heading gradually uphill, lovely views over the countryside opened up, with the yellow fields of rape looking brighter than in the photos.

At least on this section the path was easy to see

but another sheep field on the approach to Stainton-le-Vale had us confused again.

Stainton-le-Vale is a very small village, without the corner shop/pub/tea room I'd hoped for, so after another very welcome rest on a public bench and a look at the exterior of the old 'tin tack' tabernacle chapel, on we went, heading uphill now - first along the road then branching onto a bridleway which was easy-going underfoot but soon went very steeply uphill through a small wood.

This bit was definitely a struggle, but would have worse going down, especially if the path were wet. Anyway after a scramble I reached the top and the path continued downhill, and past the site of a Roman villa.

There wasn't anything to be seen - just dandelion clocks - but it made me realise how long a seemingly empty landscape like this can have been lived in, and how it once might have been more populous.

Onward again, following the path to Kirmond-le-Mire, with black clouds building behind us.

Drizzle fell as we headed up another hill, which was quite pleasant and cooling without being too wet, and from the top we could see the path we'd taken cutting a green line through the yellow fields.

We could now have followed the road back to Binbrook, and I wondered about it in case my energy ran out, but from the top of the hill out of Kirmond-le-Mire the path ran more or less flat for most of the way back, and the road was far busier than I'd expected, so I opted for the quieter way on a well-used path through crops.

One of the signposts seemed a little confused about the direction we should take but this last section was clearly visible.

Binbrook was sitting hidden from view, with just the church steeple showing above the hedgerow but we were soon on a footpath leading down and back to the car. The second half or two-thirds had proved easier than the first section but I'd definitely walked far enough by this point! I'm immensely pleased to have covered the distance though, and now feel capable of tackling similar walks nearer to home.

Monday, 31 May 2021

Off I go again - Lincolnshire but not by the sea

I'm determined at the moment to make the most of this time between the lifting of Covid restrictions and any future Third Wave of the virus, so almost immediately after my return from the Yorkshire Dales I set about planning my next trip. Again, I was looking for somewhere not too far, and preferably somewhere new.

Doddington Hall

Now Lincolnshire as such isn't a new place for me. I lost count long ago of the innumerable times I visited the coast there as a child. Growing up in the East Midlands in the 1960s it was the place for holidays. My parents owned a caravan on one of the many sites near Skegness, and from Easter to October we'd be there any sunny weekend (or so it seemed).

Gunby Hall

The rest of Lincolnshire though was just somewhere to be driven through. Tattershall Castle was an iconic marker on the route, and Gunby a place I remembered for its huge traffic roundabout, but we stopped at neither.

Bolingbroke Castle

Since then I've been back and mixed amusement arcades with stopovers at Tattershall Castle or Belton Hall This time I wanted to go back and see what else I'd missed - so no slot machines or ice cream, and only a distant glimpse of the sea, but countryside, walking, and a spot or two of history in the Lincolnshire Wolds.

We found a place to stay through AirBnB again - a perfect cottage for two in a village north of Louth - and laid our plans, with booked entry to gardens at Doddington Hall, Gunby Hall and Belton, and tickets to the castle at Tattershall. We were lucky with the weather - going away in the few days between torrential downpours and the Bank Holiday heatwave, and I've come home convinced there is more to be discovered - certainly more country paths to be walked - and resolved to re-visit