Gunby Hall 02-04-2025

The last time we’d planned to visit Gunby Hall was back in October when the forecast of torrential rain and strong winds forced a postponement and a change in plans. 

 

For today’s ride, Tim Newbery would lead with John Rickett, Paul Linder and Ty Harness also meeting up at Louth’s Leisure Centre. The weather forecast was for a fine sunny day with a brisk easterly wind. Temperatures a smidge above the seasonal average at 13 Degrees Celsius, some 5 degrees cooler than further west.

 

Outbound would see the quartet heading along the ‘Top Road’ through Muckton and Belleau to meet up with Cycle Route C4 to Haugh, another hamlet that’s difficult to pronounce correctly. Great scenery with views across the fields of Rapeseed covering the middle marsh, slowly, ever so slowly turning yellow in response to the spring sunshine.

 

We were at this point delighted to meet up with Alan who had the day off with his Giant Defy equipped with new tyres and inner tubes. 

 

At Well Turn, we’d bid farewell to Ty who needed to head to Huttoft to meet up with a relative, before work duties at Withern. 

 

Continuing through Willoughby, it was a straightforward route to Gunby Hall, arriving exactly on schedule at 11.45 am. 

With permission to visit the tea room located by the clock house, we’d all walk up from the cycle park. The offer of a free drink if cycling, walking or arriving by bus has sadly been discontinued. Never the less it was very pleasant to sit a while in the courtyard. The clock and clocktower have just undergone a major refurbishment.

 

On departure, Alan and Paul would head north at the junction at Welton le Marsh whilst Tim and John would take the planned route to join Cycle Route C3 to Sloothby and Bonthorpe. A large hare would leap out from the verge right in front of John, missing his front wheel by a few feet. A narrow escape for all.

 

At Farlesthorpe a short pause to admire the thatched roof sporting another hare, this time made of reed, perched on the Farlesthorpe Road Gatehouse of the former Willoughby branch line. This East Lincolnshire Railway ran between Boston and Grimsby. 

 

Opposite lies the entrance to Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust’s nature reserve, a fine ashwood and hawthorn scrub ideal for butterflies and in particular the common blue, although sightings are best from May to September.  

 

With the wind now increasingly turning behind us, we arrived at Woodthorpe with plenty of time for a cup of coffee (thanks John) before continuing through Legbourne Furze and Stewton. Arrived back at the Leisure Centre a little ahead of schedule at 2.45 pm, Tim having covered 75 km (45 miles). 

 

Many thanks to all for the company. Hoping all was well with Timmy the dog in Alford and that Alan returned safely on the new tyres.

 

Tim’s ‘Relive’ video: https://www.relive.com/view/v8qkrk8zE36