Thursday 24 August 2017

Day: 216 27/10/99 Mablethorpe to Tetney Lock

Weather:  Fine and mild

Distance:  29 km (18 miles)    Total Distance:   2809 miles

Margaret and the boys were in Ireland so I decided to make the most of having the car and took a days holiday.  The previous day I had been in Lancaster at a meeting, so I drove straight to Brigg and spent the night at friends.

I headed off at about 7.30am and drove to Mablethorpe, parking back from the front on a side street and therefore avoiding parking fees.  Mablethorpe had a completely different feel to it now out of holiday time and was very quiet. 

It was a mile or so along the promenade and then onto the beach where there was fortunately a firm band enabling me to make reasonable progress.  There was quite a number of people out walking their dogs along this pretty beach.  The gas terminal was not in sight from the beach and it was only when I travelled back did I see the place where 20% of the country gas is landed. 

The beach gave way to dunes and marsh.  I kept to the top of the sandy area where there was usually an OK path.  After a couple of hours I crossed the two rivers and into the village of Saltfleet.  No sooner than I entered than I left along the river and down to the sea.  A sharp left at the end got me back walking northwards.  I stopped at the PC on the north edge of Saltfleet and then onto the marshes again.  I met an elderly gentleman wading a river in his wellies – fortunately I decided not to follow him and I kept inland on the sea-defences.  These took me North to Donna Nook.  Before getting down onto the beach again I had a rest and lay in the sun for 10 minutes – great weather for the end of October! 

There was just one heavily pregnant seal at Donna Nook making its way back to the sea and being looked at by lots of people.  I was told to keep on the landward side of the signs indicating another RAF bombing range by a century shouting out of a viewing tower. 

North of Donna Nook things got peaceful again.  The path turned inland and up towards a disused airfield.  I was pleased to see that there was a path on the seaward side of the airfield even though there was not one on the map.  I therefore carried on up to Stoneybrige Farm.  I was also pleased to see that there was a footbridge over the river – again it was not clear on the map whether this was a public footpath.  I decided not to cross it just  yet but to finish the walk there and leave entering Cleethorpes till next time – I was already pretty shattered by this time.    

I had just over a miles walk then up to Tetney Lock but there was hardly any traffic so I had to walk all the way to North Coates before I got a lift.  Once on the main road, the second car to pass stopped – a retired gent who used to work for Fisons and he took me to Grainthorpe.  After that I walked again for a mile before a bus stopped when I put my hand out and a kind driver charged me £1 to go to Saltfleet.  After a quick chat to the driver I headed trying to get a lift but the main road through the village was closed to through traffic so there was no cars for ages.  Then on the other side of the village just as I was getting downhearted an elderly gent stopped who took me all the way to may car – very kind of him indeed. 


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