The Bateman's Cycle Tour of Lincolnshire.

Towards the end of September I arranged a cycle tour with my brother and friend Brian from Keelby.  I do a lot of cycling with both of then and each year we try to get together of a few days touring.  In the past we have ridden tours to Rutland Water, around Lincolnshire, in Derbyshire and up to Edinburgh (although I had to abort this one with back problems.)  It has always been an ambition to plan a Bateman's Tour using as many Bateman's houses as possible and also visiting the brewery in Wainfleet.  In this instance the statistics were 3 days, 132 miles 4 pubs, one brewery and several (?) pints of Bateman's!!!
On the whole the weather was very kind to us but much of day 1 was overcast and drizzly.  After meeting Brian at Beelsby on the edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds we rode south over the Wolds and down into Louth and then onto the 'Splash' at Little Cawthorpe for Lunch.  Afterwards we headed across the coastal marsh for tea and stickies at Woodthorpe Hall garden centre, which, worryingly, was setting up for Christmas.  From here we headed back into the Wolds for a church visit and then finished the day with a fabulous ride down through Well Vale to Alford in glorious l;ate afternoon sunshine.  Our roof for the night was 'The Half Moon' in Alford which I can recommend very highly!!
The next day we wended our way through the beautiful scenery of the coastal marsh (much more picturesque than it sounds and not at all like the fens!) to Gunby Hall, which was sadly closed and then on to Burgh le Marsh for coffee before a quick dash to Wainfleet.  Here we enjoyed a very interesting brewery tour followed by an excellent lunch in the garden accompanied by a couple of pints of the famous beer.  In the afternoon we did head into the fens, to Old Leake, near Boston to look for the house built by my great grandfather who operated as a carrier working with a horse bus through the villages to Boston.  From here it was a blast across the fens back into the Wolds for our second night's stay in 'The Red Lion' at Partney.
For our final day we headed back over the Lincolnshire Wolds to Grimsby, again enjoying eaxcellent weather.
All in all a brilliant three days.  There are various plans for next year but favourite is the C2C.

To view large, click on an image.

Phacelia, a North American plant that's grown to attract butterflies.

Phacelia, a North American plant that's grown to attract butterflies.

Coastal marsh scenery.

Brewery Dray.

Sacks of malted barley.

The mash tun.

A good brew on the way!

The end result.

The 2CV that went to the Sahara.

Just to prove I biked there!

Brian must have got big hands - that pint looks small!!

The Red Lion, Partney.

Partney Church

And again.

Hartington Hall, scene of Tennyson's 'Come into the Garden Maud'.

Woodcutters Cottage, Bag Enderby.

Somersby Church.  Tennyson's father was rector here.

Vintage cars outside The White Hart, Tetford.

High on the Wolds on the last day.

Kelstern Manor

Kelstern.

The church.

Kelstern Airfield memorial.