[2021]
10:40–11:45 Bus №51 Grimsby–Louth
15:00–16:07 Bus №51 Louth–Grimsby
…We left home ca.9.45am, and didn’t have to wait long at “Suggitts Lane” before a №3 bus arrived (boarded, 09:54). Getting off at “Riverhead Exchange (Stand H)”, the first bus stop in Town Hall Street, we walked over to the Freshney Place Shopping Centre, for a stroll and a look
around…. I had the notion that the №51 bus left from the farthest stop eastwards in Victoria Street (“Stand G”), so we checked that, finding this to be the stop for the №53 bus to Market Rasen and Lincoln;
Janet’s notion was the correct one, that it was from the nearer bus stop northwards in George Street (“Stand B”) that the bus would leave. Indeed, the №51 bus arrived almost immediately after we got there, so we boarded after the half-dozen or so already at the stop (10:36).
… “Saturday
22 June 2019” records details of the journey; but on this journey I also jotted notes of the route, initially listing the diversions of the bus from the main A16 road and then its turns after we left the A16 for the last time — so (perhaps needlessly, given the former record), here they are, expanded:
- Left, through Holton-le-Clay. I seemed to remember that the rectangular, crenellated tower of the church had had some sort of outline structure in the shape of a spire on top of it; but there was no evidence of such a thing today. In writing this up, though, I looked up “Holton-le-Clay”, and came across this in
“11 August 2011”: “The church there looked strange: it has a square tower, but four cables bearing light-bulbs have been erected from the corners of the tower to the top of the flagpole, making it look like a transparent spire.” I included with
“11 August 2011” a small Google Street View screen-capture image—
Image capture Nov 2010 © Google 2011
—and indeed, it’s the same image which appears in
Google Street View today.
- Left, through North Thoresby.
- Right, through Ludborough.
- Left, through Fotherby.
- Left, at the Fairfield Industrial Estate, the final turn off the A16 along Bolingbroke Road.
- Right, along Tattershall Way.
- Right into North Holme Road.
- Left, into Arundel Drive.
- Left, along Chatsworth Drive.
- Right, rejoining and going along North Holme Road.
- Right, along High Holme Road, passing the Louth Hospital on our right.
- Left, along Bridge Street, past St. James Church to our right.
- Right along Upgate.
- Left, along Mercer Row.
We got off at the “Market Place” bus stop at the end of Mercer Row, and proceeded straight ahead along Queen Street to
The Turk’s Head on the corner of Queen Street and Aswell Street.
Saturday 11 September 2021 11:48:26
The Turk’s Head, 1 Aswell Street, Louth LN11 9BA
On Saturday
22 June 2019 we had very acceptable “Italian Chicken” (Janet) and “Hunter’s Chicken” (I) there, each served under bubbling cheese in a gratin dish, on a plate of “real” chips
(i.e. that didn’t soften into mush with the application of vinegar) and salad; but today, the “new menu” that was posted lacked these and had nothing that we fancied. So we went back to Mercer Row and turned right into Market Place, at the end of which, where it merges with Eastgate, we saw “Ye Olde Whyte Swanne” opposite.
Saturday 11 September 2021 11:52:50
Ye Olde Whyte Swanne, 45 Eastgate, Louth LN11 9NP
So we had a look in there, found the menu that we were given acceptable, and decided to stay. Before I had a pint of
Leffe beer on draught, the proprietress (so I took her to be) warned me that it was 6.6% a.b.v. “Not exactly a ‘session ale’, then!” I commented. I later had a further ½-pint. It appeared a somewhat pale amber colour, so I wondered whether it might be the “Ambrée” I think I once had. I think on reflection that it was perhaps the
Leffe staple “Blonde”, though. Janet had a lemonade with blackcurrant cordial.
Saturday 11 September 2021 11:57:08
In the bar of Ye Olde Whyte Swanne
Janet suggested… that we transfer to the dining room, where there were larger tables. Most of them were occupied, but there was one that was free. (The photo below was taken after the other occupants had finished, and gone.) She had sausages, chips and peas; and when she asked the woman to reduce the number of sausages and amount of chips, the latter suggested that she have a child’s portion. I had a Cheddar cheeseburger with chips and salad.
Saturday 11 September 2021 13:18:08
In the dining room of Ye Olde Whyte Swanne
Janet asked her the way to Hubbard’s Hills, and she suggested going by the road on which
The Wheatsheaf stands. However, we (or I) didn’t follow her advice, and we went: through Market Place and along Mercer Row; left into Update; right, along
Gospelgate;—
Saturday 11 September 2021 13:39:08
View northward from 15 Gospelgate, Louth
—left into Edward Street; right, along Crowtree Lane; then followed the route we’d taken, through Westgate Fields, on
Saturday
22 June 2019. Because service at Ye Olde Whyte Swanne had been a bit slow, and we planned to get the 15:00 bus back,
Janet suggested that we just go through the valley at Hubbard’s Hills, and not go the upper way.
Saturday 11 September 2021 13:46:22
Entering Westgate Fields from Crowtree Lane
Saturday 11 September 2021 13:47:56
Westgate Fields
Saturday 11 September 2021 13:52:02
The Old Mill House, Crowtree Lane
Saturday 11 September 2021 13:52:50
Choosing the lower way through the Lud valley
Saturday 11 September 2021 13:53:40
The footbridge across the River Lud has become a “love lock bridge”. Boring!
Saturday 11 September 2021 13:54:08
Hubbard’s Hills
Saturday 11 September 2021 13:58:48
Hubbard’s Hills
Saturday 11 September 2021 13:59:22
Hubbard’s Hills
Saturday 11 September 2021 14:02:50
Memorial to Annie Pahud
Saturday 11 September 2021 14:04:36
Crossing one of the footbridges
I was very angry with some people whose dog scared Janet, for the sign at the entrance clearly said that dogs must be kept on a lead.
Saturday 11 September 2021 14:05:22
Hubbard’s Hills
Saturday 11 September 2021 14:07:28
Interesting tangle of tree roots
Saturday 11 September 2021 14:12:50
“Hubbard’s Hills” notice near the southern entrance
Despite what we’d agreed, that we go through the valley at Hubbard’s Hills and back the same way, I thought we’d have time to go the upper way; so that’s what we did. There’s a long flight of stairs, leading to the golf course,—
Saturday 11 September 2021 14:13:56
Choosing the upper way back, along the top of the Lud valley
Saturday 11 September 2021 14:14:38
Ascending to the top of the Lud valley
—with a left turn before the top, and a few more steps up, to get to the upper way through
Hubbard’s Hills.
Saturday 11 September 2021 14:15:24
Final steps up to the top of the Lud valley
Saturday 11 September 2021 14:17:38
Glimpse of the River Lud, below
Saturday 11 September 2021 14:18:36
Proceeding along the top of the Lud valley
Saturday 11 September 2021 14:21:06
View across the valley, with the River Lud, below, hidden by the greenery
Saturday 11 September 2021 14:31:18
The Old Mill House, Crowtree Lane
Saturday 11 September 2021 14:32:56
Westgate Fields
Saturday 11 September 2021 14:38:24
“Westgate Fields Information Point” at the north-east corner of Westgate Fields
Our way back, as on Saturday
22 June 2019, took us along Westgate, but we didn’t as on that occasion bear right along Breakneck Lane and go back along Gospelgate; we walked along Westgate as far as St. James’s Church,—
Saturday 11 September 2021 14:39:18
Proceeding eastwards along Westgate
Saturday 11 September 2021 14:42:02
Continuing along Westgate
Saturday 11 September 2021 14:43:54
Nearing the end of Westgate
—cut eastwards through the passage along the south side of the church, then hurried along Upgate, Mercer Row, Market Place, Eastgate, and Church Street, to the bus station. From the church to the bus station, it’s some 750 yards, and we only had ¼-hour to do it and use the toilets before the bus would go. It was waiting there when we arrived. I tried to use my
Virgin Money debit card for the toilets, but the message kept coming to retry it; so
Janet fished in her purse for 20p coins (the entry fee was 20p, as opposed to 40p in Robin Hood’s Bay). Then I couldn’t get out, and forced my way through the two leaves of the plastic barrier. It wasn’t obvious that there was a push-button to press. Anyway, I waited at the bus, and boarded (14:56) when
Janet came into view and was approaching. The plan was to go to the Grimsby branch of
Riverhead Coffee; so we entered, and sat down. Janet went to the counter, but the staff were just sitting outside. When she repeatedly called out, and finally got their attention, she was told that they were closed. Yet they left the door open! It was not many minutes after 4pm. We’d assumed that, like the Cleethorpes branch, they’d close at 5pm. So
Janet suggested that we try the Marks and Spencer café. She wanted something toasted. But they informed her that the oven had been switched off. We ended up at
Bakers + Baristas in Freshney Place, where I had a small americano with extra shot and
Janet had a hot chocolate, and we had cheese and ham “toasties”, and Janet
additionally had a summer fruits muffin. We got a waiting №10 home (17:04).…
[2021]
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