A Winter Walk from Fiskerton to Barlings Abbey in the valley of the River Witham

As part of my degree body of work I intend to walk from Lincoln Cathedral to Kirkstead and Woodhall Spa, where I was brought up, along the Viking Way long distance footpath, visiting all of the religious houses of the Witham valley.  Today I covered the first section of my journey from Fiskerton to Barlings Abbey.  In medieval times, when these abbeys were built, in much of the valley would have been the many channels of the River Witham, then in its natural state.  It would have consisted of a maze of channels with marshy ground in between with still, marshy pools where iron age peoples made offerings to their gods of high value weaponry, notably the Witham Shield now in the British Museum, and log boats.  At Fiskerton archaeologists have discovered the remains of a wooden causeway built out over the marsh, not to cross it, but to reach the pools for ceremonial purposes.  The remainder of the valley and Wolds edge would have been forested with small leaved limes.  The Lincolnshire Limewoods are the most important example of this forest remaining in Britain and have been designated a National Nature Reserve.  They date back to prehistoric times and provide a range of habitats for wildlife.  The Witham Valley has one of the largest concentrations of abbeys and priories in the country.  These medieval religious houses were located close to the river following a tradition of ritual use in the prehistoric period, and because it was an important link to Lincoln and the port at Boston.  In medieval times some of the woodlands would have been owned by the abbeys and played a vital role in the local economy.  Fiskerton village dates back to at least medieval times, its name originating from Old English meaning 'the farmstead village of the fishermen'.  In Fiskerton churchyard both snowdrops and winter aconites were just coming into flower.  It was good to watch a marsh harrier hunting the wet meadows and fields between the village and the river and a little egret was busy fishing in pools and river edge.  Fieldfares were plentiful and noisy in the hedgerow trees, especially at Low Barlings by the abbey.  All that remains of the abbey today are earthworks and a single standing wall, the eastern arch of the north arcade of the church nave.  Some detail decoration still remains similar to that in the chapter house at Southwell Minster.  The Abbey was founded by the Premonstratensian order in 1154.  It became one of the richest and most influential of their houses in England, with most of Barlings income coming from wool production.  The abbey was dissolved in 1537 and the abbot and four canons were hanged for treason, for taking part in the Lincolnshire rising.  On the day I completed the walk the weather had been incredibly wet and footpaths were thick mud in places and fields flooded.

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Fiskerton, the pub

Looking across the fields to Lincoln

Fiskerton Church

Marshy fields by the River Witham,  The Witham Shield and log boats were discovered here.

Marshy fields by the River Witham,  The Witham Shield and log boats were discovered here.

Marshy fields by the River Witham,  The Witham Shield and log boats were discovered here.

Lincoln Cathedral from the river

Runner on The Water Rail Way

Cyclist on The Water Rail Way

Winter Reeds

Winter Reeds

Looking back to Fiskerton

Winter Reeds

Winter Reeds

Winter Reeds

Winter Reeds

Lincoln Cathedral from the river

Farm buildings

Local pan tiles

Hazel catkins

White bryony

Muddy paths

Young oil seed rape

Muddy paths

Footpath

Footpath

Footpath

Rosehips

The Viking Way symbol

Waterlogged fields

Barlings Abbey

Barlings Abbey

Barlings Abbey

Barlings Abbey

Barlings Abbey

Barlings Abbey

Barlings Abbey

Barlings Abbey

Barlings Abbey

The Barlings Eau and flooded fields beyond

The Barlings Eau and flooded fields beyond

The Barlings Eau and flooded fields beyond

Barlings Abbey

Barlings Abbey

The Barlings Eau and flooded fields beyond

Barlings Abbey

Flooded Fields

Very Muddy Footpath Across the Rape

The Viking Way

Teasel

Rosehips

Bulrushes

The Viking Way becomes a green Lane

Solar and 'Nodding Donkeys'

A muddy Walk Nearly Completed

Hardys Gang Wood, One of the Lincolnshire Limewoods

Setting up the Winter Feeding Stations.

As I failed to get myself organised during November and December, I am only now setting up my winter feeding station.  The first port of call was Lindsey Tree Services woodyard on the outskirts of Grimsby where I have had a hide (our old, converted garden shed) set up for several years now.  Having got the regular set up organised, I then set of for Scallows Hall in the Lincolnshire Wolds, where I first began my bird photography more years ago than I care to remember.  I had not been for a good long time until I began to visit again last year.  I am keen to have a feeding station here as there are nuthatches and coal tits which we do not get on the yard and a greater chance of woodpeckers.  Who knows what else may turn up; buzzards bred here last year and sparrowhawks are now regular here.  The feeders were soon set up close to my original site all those years ago and I am waiting for a bombproof hide to be made so I can get started.  The final set up was at nearby Ravendale Primary School, where I used to be the head.  The highlight here will be the RSPB School Birdwatch at the beginning of February.  A week later there is plenty of activity at all of the sites. The children at school are enjoying watching a whole range of species.  At the yard the seed feeder is going down rapidly and the fat I put out has been decimated, suggesting that a woodpecker is visiting.  At Scallows there is a constant procession of blue great and coal tits and at least one nuthatch is visiting very regularly.  A wren has been around so all is looking hopeful.  Now for some decent light for a change to get some pictures taken.

At the yard hazel catkins are in their prime and snowdrops are poking through.  At Scallows snowdrops are beginning to come into flower, although, as yet, there is no sign of the aconites.

Woodyard feeding station and hide

Scallows feeders

Pole Lathe in the woods

Out buildings at Scallows

Out buildings at Scallows

Out buildings at Scallows

Out buildings at Scallow

New Year at Hartington

As has now become traditional, once our children had returned to Ambleside and Seville following a wonderful Christmas together, Heather and I loaded the car and pointed it towards Derbyshire and Hartington Hall Youth Hostel.  Typical of the weather for this winter, it rained heavily all the way and so we opted not to do our usual walk, but unpack and get settled in first.  Feeling like a blow, though, we decided to head out for a short 2 mile walk in the rain and gathering dusk to work up an appetite for the evening meal.

 We were delighted the following morning to fine the skies clear and were away early for our regular New Year's Eve walk; this year anti-clockwise.  Although everywhere was wet, we expected worse and Derbyshire, like Lincolnshire, seems so far to have escaped the excesses of this year's wet winter. In fact the river Dove was little higher than normal.  Our walk took us from Hartington into Beresford Dale and then Wolfscote Dale before climbing the very steep Gypsy Bank and walking across the fields to Alstonfield.  From here it was back down to the river at Milldale and then returning via Wolfscote and Biggin Dales.  In Wolfscote Dale we were fascinated to watch a dipper hunting under the surface of the river seeking out its prey of grubs and popping up onto a rock to devour them.  As a means of camouflage dippers constantly bob up and down and, with their white chest and dark uppers, they can be very difficult to spot.  It was also hugely satisfying to get several excellent views of a kingfisher on the river.  With the weather being mild, we noticed several instances of plants in flower: gorse, snowdrops and, notably, primroses.

Surprisingly the next morning saw a frost, although the morning quickly clouded over and a thaw set in.  Our walk took us the opposite way up the river as far as Pilsbury Castle and back to Hartington.  Nuthatch, several members of the tit family and tree creepers were all spotted on our walk.

We have booked again for next year and I suppose before we blink it will be here.

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