Amber is the new colour - and a tree called Robin

Barton-Upon-Humber to Market Rasen to Woodhall Spa to Sandholme, south of Boston

Wednesday morning was misty and overcast as we left Barton - you could tell the sun was up there somewhere, but was lunchtime before we saw it properly.  Managed to miss a Route sign so went a few extra miles that we didn't need to. In the Lincolnshire Wolds here- the land of undulating hills - up and down, up and down - wonderful countryside - a lovely off road track at one point that goes close to 'Humberside International Airport' - a hive of activity... not - didn't see any planes landing or taking off while we were in the area.  The highest 'wold' is the one before Market Rasen - the highest land on the east coast between Kent and the Humber - amazing views to the flat lands of the south - or would be if no haze - and a lovely down hill run to the campsite.  Arrived mid afternoon so hid out in the shade for the rest of the afternoon and early evening - cool again the following morning before the sun came up- then lovely and warm morning for a change.  Great to get the wet washing from Monday night at Barton finally dry.  Seemed to take a long time, and felt like hard work before we finally arrived in Lincoln just after lunch, where the Cathedral and castle are situated at the top of a steep hill which goes down to the main shopping area/precinct and the river Whitam.  I loved Lincoln - only ever been here 30 years ago for a week long white meat Official Veterinary Surgeon course (chickens, turkeys etc - the slaughtering, processing and inspecting etc!!!) - can't remember anything about Lincoln from this.  Had a quick look in the cathedral - was getting hot by now so lovely and cool inside.  Found one cycle shop not too far from the cathedral but didn't have what we wanted so down the steep hill to an Aladdin's Cave of a cycle shop - down a narrow ginnel through a door off the steep hill.  Roger found the new handle bar grips he wanted for us to try - instead of being completely round in cross-section they have a flat section as well - Roger complains of pins ad needles in his hands as he rides along.  Also bought a new trip as the one I'm using often loses the distance information if you go over a bad bump,or if you lean on it the wrong way by mistake when you accidently reset it to zero.  It was only when I was messing with it to check what 'number' Roger had put into it (the number of times the wheel has to revolve for a set distance) that I finally discovered that it does have an odometer that has been keeping track of how many actual miles we have done!!!! Friday night at the campsite near Boston the total distance is 1202 miles.

The precinct area was heaving with people enjoying the sun - the river is in the heart of the shopping and the bike track follows the side of the river for most of the way to Boston, along an old railway line.  We are now in fen country - dead flat land now from Lincoln all the way to past Kings Lynn - still feels hard work though even though dead flat, and the track is tarmaced!!!  No pleasing some people.  Delightful cycle ride though - reminded us of cycling along the Danube river, between Germany and Austria and also  little of the Danube delta as we got towards the Black Sea.  The river and the wildlife are outstanding, there are the occasional canal boats and 'yoghurt pots' (the non traditional glass fibre boat) on the river which must be great fun - there are so many different types of birds to be seen and watched, and I don't think I've ever seen quite so many swans before.  I know we are seeing the river valley in the best of weather, but it truly is a delight and well recommended to walk or cycle along it.  It used to take a steam packet boat over 6 hours to travel between Boston and Lincoln - when the railway was finished this journey then took less than an hour and a half.  Some of the small fen villages were on the wrong side of the river to the train track which followed the river, so had to have ferries to take them across to catch the train.  used to be a very popular river for anglers in the 50's and 60's - with 600 or more arriving at a weekend from the Midlands by train.  The river is so straight in places that it is here that the trials were done for the Sydney Olympics when the the Brits did so well.  A race is held every September for the 31 mile distance to be rowed - the record is about 5 and a half hours!!

Thursday night saw us struggling to find somewhere to camp as the place I'd earmarked was full up as a 10km race was happening this weekend - had to go about 3 miles off route to a holiday camp type camp site on the other side of Woodall Spa - a very up-market little town in the woods - with a memorial to the 617 squadron and the dam busters.  Arrived about 6.30 pm after 45 hot miles - when Roger went to register the guy said the cost for the night was £31!!  Roger sort of gulped and said 'pardon!!'- used to paying say £15 - so got it for £21 in the end.  Camped in a field of family tents with all the kids playing football.  Very hot all day today (Friday) - down the river and country lanes to the port of Boston, even though inland - with 'the stump' on view from a long way away - the cathedral steeple.  Not quite as charming as Lincoln, but  not bad - went supermarket shopping x 2 (!!) - were stopped by a guy who saw us walking along pushing the bikes, both of us in our orange bike tops- and said 'Amber is the new colour' - and then walked off!!!  5 miles or so south of Boston is the only campsite I could find out about on the internet before we set off - when got here it is a basic Camping and Caravan Club site - no one else here, no toilet - just a field and a water tap in the house yard.  At least it has 3G coverage - not had this the last two nights.  Found the only bit of shade under a tree to put the tent - which didn't work too well as the sun continued to move round - but couldn't workout why there should be lots of lumps of what looked like black dog winter coat all over the longish grass.  Discovered a little while later when all of a sudden a lady and about 10 border collies bounded up - well the dogs bounded at least... - and the lady told us that the tree we were camping under was a favourite spot for her to come with the dogs(the owner of the field) - and that she called the tree Robin!

Meeting up with Janet and Barry tomorrow night and hopefully cycling with them on Sunday - when according to the weather forecast it's going to rain!!!!

Time for bed now.