Slow Ways Route – Linmet one
It was a gentle start to the day today. It was lovely to share breakfast with Peter and Anny, I felt so honoured to be receiving such lovely hospitality.
It was a short walk today and I knew I would be following the Spires and Steeples trail so I was hoping for an easy day. I walked out of the village along the road but soon headed out along decent trails.
I soon came to village of Potterhanworth and of course some Spires.
I passed Hanworth Country Park with its Camping and Cafe and thought that I maybe could have stayed there if I hadn’t had something much better. It was too soon even to stop for a coffee and I certainly didn’t need a second breakfast by then.
I walked along and under the railway line then across the fields towards the village of Branston.
Another lovely village this time with spires and a steeple.
Through more beautiful countryside towards the villages of Heighington and Washingborough.
A bit of walking through the housing estates and streets of Washingborough led me to the river and my first view of Lincoln.
It was a shared cycle path into the City. It seemed like a long way since the Cathedral had been in sight for quite a time. I stopped half way for a drink and snack. I arrived at my Slow Ways destination outside the Train and Bus Stations.
I had booked a cheap AIrbnb for tonight which appeared to be quite central so I heade into the city and climbed up the notorious steep hill through the shops and crowds.
When I got to my accommodation I was horrified. It was a tiny terraced house which was dark and it smelt and when I found my room the bed was clean but the carpet wasn’t. Also the door could only be locked from the inside with a bolt. I didn’t feel safe and was very wary of leaving anything in the room if I went out.
My plan for Lincoln was to find a new pair of walking boots. Whilst my old ones I had worn in Spain were comfortable they were worn out and as I had discovered they were no longer waterproof despite me treating them. I only had limited time to get something so I set out to Go Outdoors on the edge of the City Centre all the while worrying about my stuff and not happy about the room.
I got some boots and whilst walking back I decided to cut my losses and found a room at a Travelodge. I got back to the Airbnb got all my stuff together and walked down to the hotel and booked in to somewhere I felt safe and comfortable. Thankfully later that evening I was able to get a refund from Airbnb so I went out and had a Pizza to celebrate this new milestone. It was certainly a mixed kind of day. It was psychological but the cities of Peterborough, Lincoln, York and Durham felt like natural stages on my walk. It was almost half way too so it became the Half Way point on my journey.