Cycling UK Lincolnshire 'Reindeer Ride ' 2025

Cycling UK Lincolnshire ‘Reindeer Ride’ 19th December 2025.

Special thanks to Andy Townhill (Cycling UK Lincoln) fore devising this year’s annual ‘Reindeer Ride’. The ride was scheduled to start at 09.30 am from Lincoln Central Railway Station with a route along the Water Rail Way to The Open Door at Bardney to take refreshment.

The weather forecast had seemed perfect, brilliant clear blue skies and an above average temperature of 9 Degrees Celsius. However, Thursday had seen heavy rainfall all afternoon and evening and following on from a wet week, Andy had discovered that the multi user path between Stamp End and Five Mile Bridge had been made impassable by floodwaters.

Several members had turned up at the railway station and Andy appraised them of the situation. A few decided to re-route and attempt a ride to Bardney avoiding the Water Rail Way. Melanie very sensibly decided not to attempt riding through the dangerous floodwaters along the multi user path. It was such a shame we didn’t get to meet up with her at Bardney but we hope to see Melanie in the New Year and send Happy Christmas wishes.

Barbara, Mike, Neil and Tim met up with Andy at Five Mile Bridge where luckily the route to Bardney was passable with due care. Tim had used the Memorial at RAF Fiskerton as a start point as cycling in from Louth is still too far just for now. Others arrived at Bardney via alternate routes and whilst most members were from the Lincoln area, John Weeks had ridden from Wood Enderby. 

Upon arrival at The Open Door, it was a packed house with groups of cyclists coming and going in addition to the Cycling UK Lincolnshire contingent which nudged into double figures. A great turnout and good to have seen Barbara again. Hot drinks and a mix of cakes and bacon rolls went down well over amiable chat. The staff coped magnificently. 

Soon time to depart and with the sun still shining down, Andy led a group back along to Five Mile Bridge. We noted high water levels by Bardney Lock and enjoyed the views of the art installation, in particular ‘The Lady of Shalott’ 4.5-metre-high metal sculpture designed and produced by Anwick Forge. It is an elegant, split arch shape that represents sheaves of barley and at its base there’s the opening lines from Alfred, Lord Tennyson's poem "The Lady of Shalott": "On either side the river lie long fields of barley and of rye". 

Many thanks to all for turning up and to Andy for leading.