Cleethorpes 3rd April 2022

Cycling UK Louth Ride to Cleethorpes, Sunday 3rd April 2022.

The snow, frost and ice of the last few mornings thankfully were absent this Sunday morning and there was a respectable turnout at Louth’s Meridian Leisure Centre. Alongside Ride Leader Tim Newbery were John Ambler, John Rickett, Paul Linder and Chris Owen who had cycled in from Cleethorpes.

Navigating our way through the roadworks on the Brackenborough Road, we were to enjoy an increasingly sunny morning heading out to the Covenham’s and Fulstow. Great to see many other cyclists out too, each giving a cheery wave or greeting. John Ambler was obviously in good form as he powered his way to the front, leading us all to Tetney. At this point Chris had suggested an alternative route to Cleethorpes and he would take the lead, following Sustrans NCN 110 South Sea Lane to the Fitties. We were glad of Chris’ navigational skills through Thorpe Park and we eventually exited onto the promenade close to the Meridian Line.

Re-joining NCN 110 it wouldn’t be long before the welcome sight of ‘The Brew Stop Café’ indicated time for refreshments. Once again, some very fine bacon buns were enjoyed with plenty of time to chat whilst looking out to sea. Great views of Bull Sand Fort lying some 1.5 miles offshore with historical insight supplied by Chris, John Ambler and John Rickett.

Chris would depart for home whilst the rest would follow Mike Gray’s request of a route to take us to Tetney Lock via NCN 110 and Newton Marsh Lane. It’s a pity Mike wasn’t able to join us today as he may have wanted to view a former agricultural tramway which ran between Bishopthorpe Farm to Low Farm (clearly shown on OS Maps of the 1930’s and 40’s). Now a gravel track through wind farms, there would have been WW1 narrow gauge trench railway equipment to allow year around access to soft fenland fields.

We were lucky in that Newton Marsh Lane was dry and we arrived at Tetney Lock with relative ease having passed fields of Llamas and Alpacas! After a brief stop at the Crown and Anchor good progress was made to North Cotes.

Passing by St Nicolas’ churchyard, it was sobering to see headstones commemorating 31 airmen of the Commonwealth air forces and Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm, alongside 3 German Luftwaffe aircrew. Feldwebel Helmuth Kress serving with a Heinkel Squadron, having been taken prisoner at North Coates Fitties Camp, was caught in anti-aircraft fire and died of his injuries on 2 October 1940.

With a back wind and Paul taking the lead through Yarburgh and Alvingham having stripped down to his Skegness Wheelers attire, we would soon arrive back in Louth at a little after 2 pm having covered 36 miles. Many thanks for everyone’s company.