Louth to Woodhall Spa via Horncastle 21/09/25

Louth to Woodhall Spa via Horncastle — 48 miles

Riders today: Alan, Ty, Steve, John W., and John P.

The group was pleased to meet Tim at the Meridian Leisure Centre, looking in rude health. We all wish him a speedy recovery.

It was a cool but bright 9:30 start to the ride. John W. had ridden in from Horncastle, and we planned to meet John P. in Hemingby at 10:30 a.m.

A pacy start took us up to Hallington, then over the Bluestone Heath Road and down Redhill past the nature reserve. The group turned through Goulceby and met up with John P. just before Hemingby. Our first planned stop was The Big Chair Company for a quick coffee, before enjoying a steady off-road section along the canal towpath.

A fallen tree across the path forced us to dismount, lift the bikes onto our shoulders, and scramble under and over branches before quickly remounting like well trained cyclo-cross riders  (tough on the goolies!)—but we didn’t lose much time. John P. then recommended a coffee-and-cake stop at the Tea Room in the Woods, which turned out to be very pleasant. We said goodbye to John W. there.

On the homeward leg, we found ourselves in a Triathlon  but soon turned off to Old Woodhall. Before long we were back in Horncastle, where we said goodbye to John P.

Ty, Steve, and Alan then continued on to Fulletby, up Belchford Hill, and onto the Bluestone Heath Road past Oxcombe to the Maidenwell turn-off. From there, it was on through Haugham and Little Cawthorpe, before rolling back into Louth—home and dry by 3 p.m.