Walking Tour

[ChrisM]

Gents: My wife and I are toying with the idea of taking a week-long walking tour in Lincolnshire in, oh, October.

Can you comment on the advisability fo this plan? (Weather, that is.)

Can you suggest any itineraries?

I have never taken a walking tour.

Lincolnshire selected because we intend to spend a few days with friends in the village of Martin.

Thanks!

Chris

[Stu]

Chris

I live just 20 miles from Lincolnshire - my parents live there and it's a county I know well. Bad news, I'm afraid, Lincolnshire is notoriously flat. Much of it was under water in previous centuries (areas we now call The Fens) and the land is used for growing potatoes and keeping pigs. It's perhaps not the best county for a walking tour because the landscape is somewhat unspectacular with long, straight and rather boring roads and paths. It's even boring to cycle or drive through!

There are places worth visiting, though. Not least among these are the ancient city of Lincoln, with its castle and cathedral. There are a few pleasant seaside towns, too, although there are some horrible, run-down resorts such as Skegness, Grimsby, Cleethorpes and Mablethorpe. The weather in October is likely to be mild to cool. You will need moderately warm clothing and waterproofs.

If you want to go on a walking tour, may I suggest you consider some of the more scenic and interesting counties that border onto Lincolnshire. Norfolk lies to the south of Lincs and has "The Broads", an extensive rural canal system with a lot of history and character, and some very pleasant towns (e.g. Cromer, Norwich), although the landscape is still relatively flat. To the north of Lincolnshire, however, lies Yorkshire. This county has some far more interesting landscape and many interesting towns and cities, especially on the northern side. Lincs is also close to counties such as Derbyshire - with its famous "peaks" (a walker's paradise!), and even Nottinghamshire - a county full of country houses, castles and, of course, forests (e.g. Sherwood Forest).

You are very welcome to contact me before, or when, you come to the UK and I'll be happy to share my knowledge with you and maybe meet up for a drink.

Stu

[Big and Bashful]

Stu,
(Dons pedant's hat). The Broads are not canals, canals are man made things with locks and stuff. The Broads are a network of tidal waterways consisting of rivers and the "Broads" themselves which are wide areas of fresh water like sort of lake things. The waterways were modified to help with draining the surrounding land but they aren't canalised. Boating on the Broads is very different to boating on the canals, instead of locks and wiers, you have to worry about clearance under bridges and fast currents near the estuary bits. I have a nice photo of someone on a Broads cruiser who tied up in the wrong place at the wrong time, they were near some water, but not in it.
Sorry, my anorak needed airing and I do like inland waterways! I will be taking my kilt on the canals in June, if it fits me then! (MUST diet!)

[Charlie]

Hi Big & B. I wore a Utilikilt while narrowboating on the Llangollen canal a couple of years ago - a delightful experience

Charlie

[Stu]

B&B

Thanks for the correction.

I went for a short boating holiday once in my life in Skipton - in a narrow-boat with eight teenagers and an old skipper. After 24-hours I felt like jumping in the water and ending it all. Never again!!

Stu

[ChrisM]

Thanks Stu et al. Yes, we have been to Lincoln once previously (to visit the same dear friends) and I do see that the Fens, while lovely in their own way, might pale after a few hours. This also means that we have seen the castle and the cathedral. Although there's a bookshop on the High Street I'd like to return too...

I shall take a look at Nottingham & Yorks, I appreciate those recommendations. Indeed, I know very little about the UK and would welcome any and all recommendations. I do know that your rail system works and thus nowhere is too far away from anywhere else.

I live on a boat here in the US, so the mention of the Broads caught my eye. I've just finished reading "Three men in a boat" so I had toyed with punting on the Thames...shall I consider some sort of pulling-boat tour in the Broads? Is that even an option?

My wife is a bird watcher, so quietly drifting downstream or down the road can amuse us equally well.

All suggestions welcomed! Thanks!

Chris

[Big and Bashful]

ChrisM,
The Broads are a good place to spend a few days, Hoseasons and Blakes are two companies who hire out boats on the Broads. They normally hire boats for a week but may also do shorter breaks. Broads boats come in several flavours, fibre glass cruisers are the most common, but yachts and other sailboats may also be available.
On the Broads there is a lot to see, loads of wildlife, windmills to make wind, plenty of pubs to cater for floating drinkers. Through the summer it can get very busy but in October I think it would be very quiet.
I prefer canals because they are a bit more user intensive with the locks etc.