Wednesday Wander to Swaby - 27th July 2022

Cycling UK Louth Wednesday Wander to Swaby - 27th July 2022

A leisurely Wednesday Wander and after last week's request, we had been booked into Tracey's Tearooms in Swaby.

Tim Newbery, Paul Linder and Reg Bagshaw departed Louth's Meridian Sports Centre at 10.00 am. A briefing had confirmed that today's route would take us along the 'Top Road' through Muckton to Meagram Hill and the sharp push from Pado Lane to Pinfold Lane. A look of disapproval from Reg but there are few options of routes to Swaby, the reward on this occasion being fine refreshments. Reg would in the end make short work of the hills whilst Paul had clearly been in training.

The weather was at least on our side with light winds and some warm sunshine. We would encounter cyclists (one youth smiling and waving enthusiastically), a pony and trap, buzzard circling overhead and a number of hares flitting hazardously across our path.

Arriving on schedule we were given a warm welcome from Tracey who rustled up some superb sandwiches which were much enjoyed. A leisurely morning was spent chatting and enjoying the pleasant surroundings. The tea rooms were proving to be a popular choice with few seats available by our departure an hour later.

An agreement was made to return to Meagram Top before descending to the outmarshes and Authorpe and Castle Carlton. Reg was interested in viewing the watermill and wheel at Little Carlton Mill House which is fed by the 'Beck'. The mill built in 1820 is currently hidden amongst the summer vegetation (some very tasty brambles which Tim took to foraging) but Reg assured us is a fine example of a undershot (breast shot) wheel measuring fifteen feet six inches in diameter.

Further refreshments were taken at Mimi's Mission at Manby before visiting our second watermill at Alvingham. This luckily was in full view. There is known to have been a watermill on this site since 1155, the present watermill dating to 1782. Water to turn the wheel was channelled from the River Lud and culverted under the Louth Canal in a brick tunnel.

This was Paul's first visit to the mill and we were delighted also to showcase the village stocks and whipping post. A law passed in 1351 made it a requirement for every township to provide and maintain a set of stocks. Alvingham's examples date to much later and were used to hold petty criminals’ captive while punishment was administered. Misdemeanours were usually swearing or being drunk. When Tim called for a volunteer to demonstrate the contraption, there was a mass exodus with members pedalling furiously back to Louth.

Arriving at the Leisure Centre at about 3 pm Paul very kindly treated all to final cups of tea and coffee where a further lazy hour passed by whilst engaged in amiable chat.  

Just short of 30 miles. A fine day out. Many thanks to all.