Day 302: Boston to Gedney Drove End
Distance: 22.80 miles
Ascent: 937 feet
Weather: Rain and WInd Morning, Overcast in Afternoon
Accommodation: Camping THe Rising Sun Beer Garden (kindly allowed)
It had been a lovely rest day in Boston with Jen, Rob & RJ and thanks so much to them for booking the lovely accommodation. They left around lunchtime yesterday and this morning after having a massive breakfast downstairs I was on my way a bit after 8.
I should be used to it now in Lincolnshire but after just 300m I encountered my first path closure when they were doing work on The Haven in Boston. As per normal there was no map up showing a diversion but I felt looking at my map I could actually find a way around. As I rounded the corner there was to my surprise a path diversion way marker, the only issue was that it was pointing towards a path closed sign where you couldn’t walk (just about visible in photo below) and the next one pointed to a solid wall. After that though confusing, the path diversion way markers did just about make sense and after a mile I finally made it back onto the embankment.
Once back on the embankment I expected it to be easy going, but strangely it was surprisingly overgrown. I was hoping it improved at some point but I was not confident as if it was like this near Boston why would it improve. The forecast hadn’t mentioned rain but it started to drizzle so I put my waterproof cover on but decided not to put my waterproof trousers on. Fortunately after a couple of kilometres the path suddenly cleared, and for seemingly no reason, but I was pleased. Then the rain/wind suddenly and very quickly intensified and I knew I had made a big mistake not putting my waterproof trousers on as within 30s my legs were soaked through, I decided now I was wet there was no point putting the waterproof trousers on as the only chance of them drying out was if it stopped raining and the trousers were exposed to the wind.
The weather just continued to be terrible for the next 2 hours and I had made a big mistake as my legs were actually getting cold and a certain amount of dampness due to not having the waterproof trousers was getting into the boots. It was properly miserable and I just put my head down and had decided I would try and take a break at Fosdyke Bridge if there was somewhere open when I got there. About 3 hours after setting of I reached Fosdyke Bridge and there was a pub that was literally opening as I arrived. I entered absolutely soaked through and with permission I placed everything on the radiator and they even lit the fire maybe with sympathy for me. I stayed for about 45 minutes, and after a tea and a snack and with stuff surprisingly dryed out I headed back out.
The rain had stopped but I think the temperature had dropped. I was heading down the other side of the dyke and was once again following the embankment, I was actually getting slightly cold due to my stupidity earlier, which is pretty much a first whilst walking, so I just had to keep going to slowly warm up. Without the rain I was slowly drying out and the walk didn’t change much after this, following the embankment which became a gravel/tarmac track as it passed the military base. After about 11 miles of this I reached Gedney Drove End.
Very kindly The Rising Sun pub in Gedney Drove End had allowed me to pitch in their beer garden and this had kept me cheerful all day as I knew I could dry things out a bit in the pub at the end of the day and also warm myself up. Even though I made the pub look like a launderette, the people in the pub were really nice.
Today was a real rarity and maybe the first day I have actually been cold whilst walking due to my own stupidity. Expecting it to be a few degrees below zero tonight so will be snuggling up tightly in my sleeping bag tonight.
NB - Not many photos today due to rain.
