Donington On Bain - 29th January 2011

29th January 2011 - Donington On Bain
(Pathfinder guidebook Lincolnshire & The wolds Walk #14 - 6 Miles)
(Donington and the Bain Valley)

Donington On Bain is about 8 Miles south West of the market town of Louth in Lincolnshire.

We parked in the centre of the village on the roadside opposite the church mentioned in the

guidebook and this was the start point for the walk.

The day was cold (about 2 Deg) but clear and crisp with blue sky and occasional sunshine.

The ground was fairly frozen in places with puddles all frozen over, though it was thawing and still muddy in many places.

We set off through the village crossing over the road and over a stile along an enclosed track. This we followed for about a mile with a steady uphill gradient up onto the wold-top ridge.

At the top of the ridge to the right of the junction there is a disused NATO radar station which was decommissioned in the early 1990`s.

Following the wold top we had good clear views all around across the Bain valley.

We could see the distant silouette of Lincoln Cathedral.

We enjoyed the walk along the ridge top and the fine views for a couple of miles before descending into the hamlet of Gayton Le wold, passing by a small brick Victorian church.

From here we crossed more open fields and the giant and semmingly ever-present Belmont transmitter mast.

We passed by the deserted medieval village of Biscathorpe and St.Helens Church below.

The final 2 miles follows the very narrow river Bain, and at one point this is dammed to create a lake with plenty of wildlife and would no doubt be grown up with plants in summer months.

today it was part frozen, but the Sunshine and remains of the plants had their own beauty.

From here the way back to Donington on Bain was an easy walk along the river tracks, before once again alighting in the village and its splendid church

All in all a nice walk on a cold but bright and clear winter January day.

Fine views across the wolds form the ridge top, and a few points of interest (several churches, a radar station and of course the ever present Belmont tranmsitter mast)

Our Walk Score: 6.5/10