Coffee in Caistor and tea in Tealby: a cycle ride in the Lincolnshire Wolds

The regulars in our little B group have been absent lately for various reasons. But I have had a pass out on four consecutive weekends so I have made the most of each of them. Last Sunday two riders, who were new to our group the previous week, came back for a ride across the Humber, and another brand new one made the crossing from the south bank to meet outside Mrs B’s cafe in the Humber Bridge car park. So just four of us, a familiar number but mostly new faces. The chap from the south bank was to become the ride leader on his first CTC ride as he had a much better idea of the route to take to our published destination: Tealby (I hadn’t even heard of it).

I might have suggested going somewhere on the north bank, but the new guy lived on the other side and was volunteered to take the lead (all a bit embarrassing really). A quick look at the map and I suggested we go via Caistor. I had watched the BBC’s Village SOS: Caistor and fancied a coffee in the former methodist chapel there. The building had been converted after qualifying for Big Lottery funding. From memory they need to take £300 a day to break even. We did our bit: cappuccino and a generous slice of cake for £3.70.

(We’re getting a bit decadent: last week we even went in to a pub – actually two.)

As seen on TV. The former methodist chapel from Sarah Beeny’s Village SOS: Caistor

From Caistor – whose new establishment ought to be included in our list of cafe stops – we went via Nettleton and a bit of a climb before veering away from Normanby Le Wold and back on to the B1225 we had avoided for several miles. We passed the structure below. Some early warning radar? We were high up on the Lincolnshire Wolds.

Not sure what it is called, but it wasn’t on the map…

Just 11 miles from our coffee stop we arrived at Tealby, a place that has a claim to being “the prettiest village in Lincolnshire”. It seemed that every cyclist in the region had decided to have lunch at Tealby Tea Rooms. The place seats 50 and there was just one empty table at its busiest time. I think I overindulged. Two slices of toast, beans and two poached eggs. No wonder I struggled up the aptly named Bully Hill (that’s my excuse anyway) as the others pulled away from me – just as they had near Nettleton after the Caistor stop (it was a big piece of cake).

Tealby Tea Rooms. I couldn’t get far enough back to fit in all the bikes

After Bully Hill we seemed to be going downhill virtually all the way home. The wind we faced for much of our journey hadn’t lessened and we made good time with the wind at our backs. Unusually, we retraced the same route we had taken to Caistor (I doubt the other B group chaps would have opted to do that), but it was enjoyable nevertheless to whizz along the mostly quiet roads back to the Humber Bridge.

Despite the wind this was a lovely day with none of the threatened heavy showers – although we did see some angry clouds and it rained heavily back home, apparently. We’re putting the runs list together for 2012. I had considered choosing not to go on rides to Lincolnshire destinations next year. This little ride made me think again.