Wolds Wandering

 A bright sunny day for our walk today although chilly at only 5C.  We started at Walesby and walked north along the Viking Way to leave the village before climbing steeply up to Otby.  The views across the Witham/Ancholme Valley were particularly clear and we could easily pick out the cathedral dominating the Lincoln Edge with the Trent power stations in the distance.  From Otby we took a path we had not used before which brought us out on Walesby Hill.  From here we were able to cut across the field to the Ramblers' Church where we had lunch.  Moving on towards Risby I was fascinated to ess a red kite yet again, presumably the one from the week before.  It looks as though it may have established a territory up here.  From Risby we returned to Walesby by the road to complte our walk.

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Along the Viking Way from Walesby to Risby

 A cloudless day greeted us at Walesby for our bank holiday walk along the Viking Way to Risby and back.  We climbed steeply up to the Rambers' Chrurch set high on the wold above the village.  We continued along the Viking Way Path, dry at first then very muddy and slippery in the dip before climbing back up to Risby where it was drier again.  We enjoyed photographing the impressive rams from the Risby flock of Lincolnshire Longwools before sitting on the bench at our high point for lunch.  Enjoying my turket sandwich, I reluctantly exchanged it for binoculars to check that the raptor lazily drifting over the valley was, actually a buzzard, so I was delighted to pick out the forked tail of a red kite.  A red kit in Lincolnshire is always a red letter day for me; and we came across a buzzard in the same air space a short while later.  A good first birdwatch of the year even if the birding was secondary to a family walk.

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The Ramblers' Church.

The Walkers' Window.

The Rambles' Church

Arriving at Risby.

Risby Lincolnshire Longwool Rams.

Risby Lincolnshire Longwool Ram.

Risby Pond

The Viking Way

The Viking Way

Refections

The last Leaf

The Weekly Escape

 The weather was somewhat more clement today as we pulled up behind two other cars at Normanby-Le-Wold Church.  It was our weekly escape to make sure that the battery on the Kia was kept well charged.  Our plan was to walk along the Viking Way to the Rambler's Church at Walesby for lunch and return via the low path to Claxby and back up the hill to Normanby.  The Four Churches Walk.  We hadn't been going for more than a minute or two before we met the occupants of the other two cars: long-time running friends Steve and Susan Green and their daughter and husband.  It was good to catck up.  The views from this section of the Viking Way are spectacular, it being the highest part of the Lincolnshire Wolds. To the west, across the Witham and Ancholme Valley we could see Lincoln Cathedral perched high on the Lincoln Edge with the Trent Valley power stations beyond.  To the east we could look down on the attractive Otby Valley, whist to the south the Rambler's Church was visible beyond Walesby.  It was a very peasant wander down to Walesby and as we pulled up to the church the sun put in a brief appearance.  After lunch it was back down into the village to visit the current church and then we followed the old byway to Claxby where we enjoyed the view of our fourth church with a foreground of primroses.  Pulling up the steep woldside to reach the car we were amazed to come across a huge badger sett with a great deal of fresh excavation.  The badgers had obviously been dragging fresh bedding into the set from the plentiful dry, dead grasses in the meadow, leaving several grassy trails into the wood.

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Wolds Walking at Otby

 It was a beautiful morning this morning as we drove along the A46 to Caistor and then along the High Street heading for Walesby to walk the Otby Circuit.  Otby is a tiny hamlet immediately north of Walesby and today consists of Otby Farm and a couple of cottages.  Unfortunately the attractive valley running north towards Normanby is private and cannot be walked.  Sad, as there is an attractive, spring fed trout lake set in it.

We parked up in the walkers' car park at Walesby village hall and were soon heading along the track to Mill House Farm.  The old farm here has been demolished and replaced with a new build which appears destined to be a riding stables.  Walking round the back of the farm we were soon heading steeply uphill towards Otby with fine views across to Lincoln Cathedral.  The ground was sodden and the sound of running water accompanied us throughout. Once at Otby House it was a pleasant road walk back down the hill to Walesby.  It is only a short walk but one that gives excellent views.

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