Market Rasen 29th June 2025

Meeting up at the Meridian Leisure Centre in Louth (avoiding the ‘Run For Life’ town event) were today’s Ride Leader Tim Newbery, Ty Harness, Martin Wood and Alan Hockham. Sven Livesey and Paul Reynolds (who finally had some time off on a Sunday) had planned to meet up with us near Donnington on Bain. Chris Owen had sent apologies.

 

Departing Louth we’d head past Hubbard’s Hills to Hallington, Welsdale Bottom and up to the Bluestone Heath Road where Sven had only recently arrived. A westerly headwind was manageable and thankfully on this occasion a good deal of cloud was preventing potentially blistering sunshine from getting conditions too hot. 

 

Crossing over the Bain, an ascent would take us to the High Street where we met up with Paul who’d been waiting patiently for us. With the group now bolstered to six, we’d enjoy a recovery downhill ride to Washdyke Bridge. A typical enough place name in Lincolnshire, referencing “ash” tree. 

 

At Hainton we’d find The Heaneage Arms to be open and serving fine hearty breakfasts courtesy 'Chef Harry'. Open 09.30 am till 11.00 am. Today, we’d been booked into the Golf Club at Market Rasen but on another occasion the Heaneage Arms would make a fine refreshment stop.

 

Crossing the flat marshlands of Bleasby Moor, Legsby and Little London it wasn’t long before we’d pass the Market Rasen Linwoods, arriving at the Golf Couse at 11.15 am. Exactly on schedule. We were politely welcomed and promptly served with a variety of fayre. Nice to sit outside in the shade close to the 18th green trying not to disturb those on the final run into the club house. 

 

For our return, a very pleasant ride past Hambleton Hill with its connections with the infamous ‘Lincolnshire Rising’ of 1536. Over 50,000 protestors gathered here on a march to Lincoln in protest of King Henry VIII who described Lincolnshire as “the most brute and beastly shire”. Louth would be one the most rebellious towns! 

 

Onward and upwards through Tealby and the tough ascent of Bully Hill to the High Street. 143 m AMSL, equal only to the High Street where we met up with Paul. One more steep climb out of Kirmond le Mire and we were finally at Binbrook. Sven and Paul would depart for home from here.

 

With Tim mistakenly thinking today was the fourth Sunday of the month, we were looking forward to tea and cake at the village community hall. Very unusually, with 1st June being a Sunday, today was the fifth of the month! We have never the less arranged for our ride on Sunday 27th July to come back here. 

 

The Manor View Stores village shop was luckily open for drinks and ice creams and having undergone a refurbishment, the giant chilled drinks ‘room’ is now visited by some as an opportunity to cool off on a hot day. 

 

Up to now, we had encountered several swarms of thunder flies. Amazing to find that something so small can be so irritating but on this occasion, we were experiencing thousands massed together as an advancing sea breeze front spread inland. From Binbrook we were blessed with a refreshingly brisk easterly wind which would eventually take temperatures down to a very pleasant 23 Degrees Celsius by the time we returned to Louth at about 2.30 pm. 

 

44 miles covered by the Louth Contingent. Many thanks to all.