Viking Way, Stage 7. Bardney Abbey to Lincoln Cathedral

Our luck with the good weather that has been with us for the previous 3 sections of The Way ran out on us somewhat today.  The forecast was for overcast conditions, light rain and thunderstorms later.  As it happened, apart from overcast most of the day, we stayed dry right until the end in Lincoln when the thunderstorms arrived and even then we were nearly back at the car.  By this point of our walk we were well into the Witham Valley which is noted for the large number of religious houses established there and today's route would visit three of them beginning with Bardney Abbey where we parked the car.  There is nothing left of the abbey now apart from earthworks, but there are comprehensive information boards and good access to the site.  In the 12th century the landscape in the valley was marshy with isolated, low islands.  This presented ideal terrain for sheep farming, a major source of income for religious communities, accompanied by a degree of inaccessibility, yet having the river near at hand as a trade route.  Boston, at the mouth of the Witham, was the country's second most important port in the middle ages.  Also adjacent to the valley were the Lincolnshire Limewoods which were used for fuel and pannage.

Our route took us from the abbey across fields to Stainfield with its hall, red brick church  and, on the opposite side of the road the old fish ponds which are all that remain of the Benedictine Priory.  The church is fascinating in that, unlike most churches, it does not face east/west and it has associations with Christopher Wren who may have designed it.

More field paths brought us to Barlings Abbey, founded in 1154 and the only one of the three with any structure still standing, albeit a solitary stone column.  The abbey field was full of long horned cattle which was somewhat disconcerting, but they proved to be only fierce in appearance.

A further 3 miles took us to the River Witham at Five Mile Bridge, where for the first time we began to walk towards Lincoln Cathedral; we had so far been walking in a huge ark, at times actually walking away from the city.  The route now, however, followed the river for three miles before heading over fields to the very attractive Greetwell hall and church.

Only a mile further on the route enters the outskirts of Lincoln and follows first an industrial estate and then housing estates before emerging in the arboretum which was laid out in 1872.  By now it was raining and we were pleased to arrive at the cathedral via Pottergate and the car a further half a mile up the road.  Despite a dreary weather forecast, this was another excellent day's walking full of interest.

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