Club Ride to Grainthorpe

Sunday 11th April 2021

Cycling UK Louth Club Ride to Grainthorpe

Our first ride of the year, indeed the first ride since the second ‘lockdown’. A shortish ride had been planned with the aim of a ‘social gathering’ (following covid-19 regulations) at Grainthorpe Play Park, much as we had enjoyed back in December.

One rather large fly in the ointment was the predicted weather…one of the coldest April days for at least 35 years! The average at this time of the year is 12 degrees Celsius but today a high of only 5 degrees, the same as on a January day. Add in a strong northerly wind and snow showers, not perhaps ‘picnic’ weather! Although the weather Apps had indicated showers from 1 pm, Tim having viewed the weather radar, predicted the first ones to arrive about 10 am.

Arriving at the Meridian Leisure Centre were Ride Leader Tim Newbery along with Chris Owen and John Rickett. Apologies had been sent by Mike Gray who wasn’t feeling well and John Ambler who’s recovering from illness. It was also going to be too cold for Barry Jordan and Jim Brennan to join us at Grainthorpe.

At this point in time the skies were clear blue, the frost had just melted and we looked forward to our ride to Grainthorpe. There was a brisk northerly wind and with the thermometer reading just 3 degrees it was a bit chilly but we were cheered and warmed by amiable chat and the joy of being able to ride as a group once more.

Our route would take us north through Brackenboough and Covenham before heading east along Fire Beacon Lane, all the way to Wragholme. Skies were now darkening and just as Tim had forecast, the first showers arrived at one minute past 10. Never the less we were surprised to hear the tuneful call of the Skylark and noted fields turning to a gaudy bright yellow as the oil seed rape was burgeoning into life.

Arriving at ‘Watts For Tea’ exactly on schedule at 10.30 am we were warmly welcomed by Michelle and Pete who served us with coffee and bacon baps. Many thanks to John who very generously paid for the Bacon breakfast goodies. Chris would now depart for home (we wished him well, battling into the headwind and snow showers) whilst John and Tim headed for the Play Park. Here we enjoyed a rest and a pleasant chat and just before getting ready to depart were joined by Reg Bagshaw on his gravel bike and Rob Whitworth who had come by car. Both had been a little delayed on such a wintry Sunday morning.

By now the few flakes of snow had intensified, the snow having totally obscured Louth and the Wolds with the winds swirling about us. With temperatures dropping back to just 1 degree, time to move on and we bade farewell to Rob. Many thanks for coming to have a chat with us Rob! Good to have seen you looking so well.

The next few miles were best described by John as ‘character’ building’.

Reg would turn off at Fen Lane whilst John and Tim carried on through Conisholme. Tim offered to buy an ice cream at Appleyby’s Ice Cream Parlour but John most surprisingly declined the generous offer!

Battling on in what was by now quite a fierce snow shower we were glad to head west along Ings Lane to Scupholme. We noted that ‘Ings’ is a common place name in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. Indeed, the name dates to the Norse invasions (Ings being an old word of Norse origin referring to water meadows and marshes).

Conditions improved significantly as we continued through South Cockerington and Keddington, the sun now bursting though the canopy of cloud and temperatures recovered to a rather magnificent 5 degrees.

For the Louth contingent 26 miles covered. Many thanks to all who ventured out in the unseasonable weather, for others plenty more opportunities to meet up in rather better weather (hopefully).