Sunday 30 October 2016

Viking Way, Stage 10: Honington to Woolsthorpe by Belvoir.

Our walk today began along the green lane of Frinkley Lane, first west and then south for a while where we could see both a Virgin train on the East Coast Main Line and a Virgin hot air balloon, which kept appearing and disappearing through the heavy overcast.  Autumn was in full swing now and ash trees, especially, were displaying excellent colour.  We made our way first past the River Witham and then over fields to the village of Marston.

We continued along quiet tracks and riverside meadows to Long Bennington where we had to cross the busy A1 via a bridge.  Beyond the A1 the route took us along the excellent green lane of Sewstern Lane an ancient Bronze Age drove road and later a Roman Salt Road.  Sadly today parts of it have been used (abused?) by off road vehicles, both two wheeled and four wheel and they have made an appalling mess of it, making it very difficult for walking and impossible for cycling without a great deal of determination.  Surely there is a case for this pastime to be pursued on purpose built courses in order to leave green lanes for less destructive means of transport.

The final section of today's walk was along the old Grantham Canal before climbing up a sunken green lane which was a riot of Autumn colour back up to the car.  The Grantham canal was completed in 1797 to connect Grantham with the River Trent.  It was closed in 1929 , but recently the Grantham Canal Society have been involved in a restoration project.

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