Viking Way, Stage 4. Ludford to Scambelsby

Our plans for stage 4 looked as they might be thwarted as the weather was very warm, but overcast and gloomy with rain forecast.  As it happened it stayed dry and we had no rain at all.  We set out from Ludford and, after walking through the village followed narrow lanes for a couple of miles or so before the tarmac petered out and became a farm track.  The River Bain rises on the outskirts of the village and we paralled its course until we crossed close to the deserted medieval village of Wykeham where we crossed it.

We soon reached the well preserved round barrow of Grim's Mound a Bronze Age burial mound.  The mound is sited 110m above sea level and provides fine 360 degree views which was probably taken into account by the Bronze Age builders.  Also of significance would have been the fact that the spur of land it is built on is bounded by the young River Bain and one of its tributaries.

 Moving on it wasn't long before we descended across fields to another deserted village, that of Biscathorpe where we joined the River Bain once more, this time following it to the village of Donnington on Bain.  We stopped for lunch along this stretch.  Ever since we had started and for the remainder of the walk there were large numbers of ringlet butterflies on the wing.  At first glace these look rather dull insects as they display their very dark upper wing in flight, but the under-wings show very attractive rings.

At Donnington we left the course of the Bain, keeping to its east as it wended its way south to Horncastle, where we shall catch up with it again on the next leg.  We continued to Goulceby passing the graveyard and site of the original church which was rebuilt slightly nearer to the village using the same stone.  From Goulceby our route turned east to take us to our finish at the Green Man at Scamblesby.  We had hoped to eat here but received a very odd and not warm welcome.  The pub seems very rundown and I wouldn't recommend it.  Instead we headed to nearby Cawthorpe and the excellent 'Splash' where we enjoyed an excellent meal.

Yet another great day's walking.

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