ITS TIME TO DISCOVER THE LINCOLNSHIRE WOLDS
Boasting over 200 square miles of unspoilt countryside The Lincolnshire Wolds is an area of outstanding natural beauty with picturesque landscapes and rolling green hills.
But venture beyond the countryside and you’ll discover the culture and heritage behind its historic market towns, picture postcard villages and charming hamlets
There’s a relaxing, slower pace of life here with an ambiance that makes you feel you’ve stepped back in time.
Each of the market towns has its own market days held in the town square where you can find bargains and buy Lincolnshire’s finest food products.
Their narrow cobbled streets are filled with small independent retailers some of which haven’t existed in our regenerated cities and towns for around 40 years such as an haberdashery emporium, ironmongers and a record shop.
Louth with its Georgian and Victorian houses is often regarded as the Gateway to the Wolds and one of the few towns to successfully avoid the intrusion of a major supermarket.
Hailed by the TV chef’s The Hairy Bikers as a “foodie Mecca” The Cheese Shop is just one of the numerous independent food shops that will seduce you into buying some even if you are not a fan of cheese.!
Towering over Louth is St James’s Church that sports the tallest medieval parish spire in the country and for an insight into the town’s story the Louth Museum is well worth a visit.
If you fancy a flutter Market Rasen is the home to Lincolnshire’s only race course so its worth checking out race meeting dates.
The High Street is narrow but warm and welcoming and lined with independent and family run shops and a market that dates back to the 1300’s.
From here you can venture out, pack a picnic and enjoy the many walks, cycle paths and country lanes or explore the many woodland walks. .
Around 3 miles from Market Rasen is Lincolnshire’s oldest thatched pub The Kings Head in Tealby, often described as the prettiest village in Lincolnshire.
It’s a great place in the summer to sit outside on its large lawns whilst in cooler weather the inside is warm, welcoming and very comfortable.
But my favourite market town is Horncastle. Walk around the cobbled streets and you feel as if you are back in the 40’s or 50’s. The original wood shop fronts and windows are still in place dating back decades a few with peeling brown paint that give an authentic vintage look.
Horncastle originates from Roman times and claimed in the Doomsday Book to be owned by King William! If you want to hear more about the town’s past then take some time to visit the 13th century church of St Marys or the remains of the old Roman wall in the library.
The town is a perfect example of a quintessential market town that time has passed by with narrow cobbled streets lined with independent retailers, antique artisan and crafts shops, galleries and windows laden with fresh product.
In the centre is Tanya’s Tearoom – a favourite with locals and visitors this is where you can get mouth-watering homemade snacks, meals and treats plus add some local colour to your visit by listening to the latest local gossip.
Tanya’s Tea Room, owned by Tanya, who bakes and prepares most of the tantalising treats – I can highly recommend her lemon meringue pie – its heaven on a plate.
Woodhall Spa is a must to visit it’s a spa town with a touch Edwardian gentility and is hailed as the home of English Golf since the building of the National Golf Centre in 1995.
But Woodhall Spa has a more famous claim to fame in the guise of the Petwood Hotel, originally the home of the famous 617 squadron.
Formerly the country retreat of a wealthy heiress it has glorious gardens and a black and white exterior. In 1942 it was requisitioned by the RAF and became an officers mess for The Dam Busters.
Step inside and the oak panelled wide spacious corridors and lounges still retain that 1940’s feel that as I made my way to The Dam Busters Bar I half imagined bumping into a 40’s fighter pilot. This bar has been sensitively preserved, as it was back in the day, with memorabilia, documents and photos and things still in the same place as when famous 617 heroes used it.
Having a drink in this bar is a surreal experience and left me feeling nostalgic and overcome with emotion at the photographs, letters and handwritten stories about these brave young heroes who gave their all for our freedom.
Situated near Petwood is The Kinema in the Woods an old fashioned cinema and the only UK full time cinema that uses rear projection and where if you visit on a selected Saturday an organist will rise up from the floor and play in the interval.
On the edge of the Wolds is Coningsby do take time to visit here to see the only fully operational Lancaster Bomber in the country and follow the county’s links with the RAF at The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Visitor Centre.
The Wolds has a great selection of accommodation from luxury hotels to b and b’s, pubs with rooms and luxury cottages.
We chose two different types of accommodation for our visit.
The Advocate Arms is in the heart of Market Rasen and dates back to the 18th century and there is a public car park just round the back. The Advocate is a pub and restaurant with rooms – and its exactly that.
The Advocate is famous for its food and is an AA2 Rossette Winner. The large bar serves great lunches and bar snacks – the latter are more like a full meal with large sandwiches that have copious amounts of filling, that come with a salad, home made slaw and a large portion of chips.
But in the evening the dining changes and the dining room becomes a haven for fine dining by dimmed lights.
The menu has lots of choices I was very impressed with my Roasted Root Vegetable Soup with focaccia soldiers it was just so full of flavour.
We both chose the Roast Lincolnshire Turkey which overfilled our large plates. The meat was tender and succulent and came with all the trimmings, creamed and roast potatoes and the vegetables four of them were cooked beautifully.
My partner feasted on the Advocate Cheeseboard with raisin and ale chutney, which he declared was delicious, celery, grapes and crackers and his choice of cheeses. My heaven on a plate dessert was the Dark Chocolate and Orange Bread and Butter Pudding that came with Rum and Raisin Ice Cream.
Next morning the dining room was transformed we enjoyed a fabulous Lincolnshire breakfast – my partner choosing the traditional one whilst I opted for poached eggs – perfectly done. Breakfast is popular with locals here because of its quality and the fact it is cooked to order.
For our second night we headed to Kenwick Park near Louth.
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This 51 bedroomed hotel also offers lodges for self catering accommodation, boasts a spa with gymnasium, indoor swimming pool, outside spa pool and a thermal spa suite. There are also two exercise studios one with an indoor cycling room and another with instructor led classes. The Evergreen Spa has an array of treatments from massages to facials if you fancy spot of pampering.
The hotel is spacious and the Keepers Bar, with its floor to ceiling French doors overlooks the rolling lawns and terrace and also the bandstand which when lit up at night is quite impressive.
The Fairways Restaurant has a good choice of food with vegan and vegetarian choices. Our starter of Prawn and Crayfish Cocktail was particularly smooth and tasty and well presented. My partners Braised Blade of Beef was cooked to perfection – it was tender and succulent.
The desert menu was rather limited but I was please with my Warm Vanilla Pod Rice Pudding with Homemade Toffee Apple Jam.
Kenwick Park is good for parking you can drive right up to the front door which is always a bonus.
Both myself and my partner have travelled the world in our respective professions but this was our first visit to the Lincolnshire Wolds and I am sure in the future when time allows we will be back.
Fact Box
The Advocate Arms, 2 Queen Street, Market Rasen. Tel: 01673 842364 – www.advocatearms.co.uk
Kenwick Park Hotel, Kenwick Park, Louth LN11 8NR Tel: 01507 608806
The Petwood Hotel for the Dam Busters Bar, Storwould Road, Woodhall Spa, LN10 6QG. www.petwood.co.uk
Visit: https://www.lincswolds.org.uk/ for further information about The Lincolnshire Wolds
Picture Credit: Main Picture and St James’s Church Louth by Andy Tryner ELDC. Just Jane Picture by ELCD
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