THE LINCOLNSHIRE WOLDS BLACK DEATH CHALLENGE WALK - 26 MILES

I first walked across the Lincolnshire Wolds, a few years ago, as part of a 460 mile East of England walk, linking the cathedral cities of Norwich, Ely, Lincoln, York and Durham together. I was entranced by the area and kept a file on the Wolds with intention of coming back .....sometime. Three years ago I did a quick tour of the area and gazed down a delightful dale near Stockwith Mill and I resolved I must do a walk here. But, with so many walks to do, it remained
on the ever expanding pile. As my walk guides to the Peak District and Derbyshire expanded, I recently started walks exploring many of the lost villages - over sixty sites - that scatter the area. I turned the Lincolnshire Wolds file over and realised there were many medieval village sites here also. The file now became the top of the pile!

However, before I could start, the 2001 Foot and Mouth crisis started and all the paths closed. I had to wait several months for the paths to open, but in many ways it was worth the wait. Autumn approached and I waited for favourable weather and the day the clocks went back an hour, I set off from Louth, in truly stunning weather - just a T shirt and shorts. Surprisingly, I only met two other walkers all day near Donington on Bain, on a five mile walk. Even at the Black Horse Inn in Donington, I was the only person staying overnight. With the short daylight hours, I couldn’t walk it all in a day, with maps, photographs and sketches to do.

The whole walk was a sheer delight through totally unspoilt graceful scenery to a cluster of small villages and hamlets rich in history. Added to this the path went through several medieval village sites, mostly depopulated following the ravage of the Black Death in the 14th century. I found more sites than marked on the map and discovered many fascinating places. It was one of those
walks which I didn’t want to end. I dawdled back to Louth, relaxing in the Hubbard Hills, while eating a banana, before regaining the St. James church where I had began the previous day. I can only hope you have an equally fascinating time walking through the Wolds and seeing at firsthand where history was made; may the sun shine and skylarks sing above.

WALK STARTS AND ENDS AT LOUTH, LINCOLNSHIRE.

A5 WALG GUIDE, PLACED IN A WRAP AROUND PLASTIC COVER, SIGNED BY JOHN MEREILL.

Special embroidered cloth badge and signed certificate from John Merrill for successful walkers.

All successful walkers added to me Walkers Rill of Honour page.