PEAR TREE LOG

pear tree log: I started this blog to keep my younger son, Jonny, in touch with life in Lincolnshire, while he spent a year working in China. That year turned into five! Now he is home and training to become a physics teacher. This is simply a patchwork quilt of some of the things I enjoy - life in rural Lincolnshire, our animals, friends, architecture, books, the gardens, and things of passing interest.



Wednesday 7 December 2011

A Winter Walk

The sun was so bright and inviting that Toby and I just had to abandon our walk in the wood for a walk along the old railway line.  


Normally Toby doesn't wear a lead, but as we had to walk along the road for a hundred yards, I nipped inside for one, remembered the camera and off we set.


Toby positively pranced along the road in his delight, and I must admit the cold clean air and sunshine combined to make me feel quite excited too.


We turned off the road and into the field, with the Byre to our right and the railway line on the left.  The barley looked spring-like in the sunshine so I whipped out the camera, only to find that I hadn't taken my specs - so I could only 'point and click', hoping for the best.


The railway line was opened in 1848 as part of the East Lincolnshire Railway which ran between Grimsby and Boston.   It was closed in 1961.


Farmer T, who owns this stretch of it is perfectly happy for people to walk along it, with or without dogs.  Once a year he allows the Banovallum Motorbike Club to race along it.  See Aby Enduro.


As a result of the many years this event has taken place the surface of the old line now undulates quite a lot - great for the calf muscles.
It is a peaceful, quiet walk.  The only sounds are of pheasants and rabbits as they scuttle away through the undergrowth.  Our section of the line ends with a lovely view to the right
and this is to the left
with another section of line straight ahead.


Enough for today though, we turned for home.


As ever, I couldn't help but ponder over the countless numbers of people, including royalty, who have travelled along this very line...


All too soon (for Toby, anyway) we were back home.


As the light began to drain out of the day, the sun sank below the trees, it was time to put on the lamps, light the stove and have a cup of tea and a snack.
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6 comments:

  1. Chris7 December 2011 at 17:42

    I love walking along old, redundant railway lines. The UK is littered with 'em.

    It's a delight to find a cutting or old railway building to explore.

    Your stove looks very warm and inviting. Hope you've saved a mince pie (or three) for me Elaine...

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  2. Anonymous7 December 2011 at 18:16

    lovely, lovely, lovely! your place is just breathtaking!

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  3. Elaine7 December 2011 at 19:30

    Hello Chris,

    Before we came here, we used to walk a stretch of the same line but about 25 miles further north - little knowing that in the future we would be living so close to it.

    The stove is lit, just let me know when you'll be arriving and we'll warm up the mince pies.

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  4. Elaine7 December 2011 at 19:39

    Hello Anonymous (Linda?)

    You are very kind; we love being here, and only wish we had moved here years ago!

    Dog walking does ensure that we explore and enjoy the countryside - as my dogs have always insisted on lots of exercise!!

    The older I get, the greater my need for cold, clean air, space to breathe and to think.

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  5. Little Blue Mouse8 December 2011 at 21:07

    What a lovely walk on a sunny day.

    Your fireplace looks stunning; what kind of berries are those?

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  6. Elaine9 December 2011 at 13:51

    Hi LBM, That would be artificial. I bought them a few years ago in a sale at the local garden centre.

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