From the Downs to the Wolds

What the heck are downs and wolds anyway? A wold, according to the Oxford Dictionary, is a piece of high, uncultivated land or moor. A down, according to the same source, is gently rolling hill country. The Lincolnshire Wolds would once have been 'uncultivated' but not any longer. In fact I'm struggling to detect the difference between a down and a wold. Both seem to me to be stunningly beautiful vistas across rolling farmland. However, Sussex most definitely has more trees.

Now fens are much more easily detected. They are defined as the flat low-lying areas of eastern England, mainly in Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk, formerly marshland but largely drained for agriculture since the 17^th century. You can spot a fen a mile off, literally. Flat as the proverbial pancake and covered with crops of corn, wheat, barley, onions, potatoes etc. depending on the season. The other distinctive feature of the fens is the deep dykes that drain the land and allow it to be used for agriculture.

Lincolnshire has wolds and fens and sandy beaches, and nowhere near as many people as West Sussex. Or maybe they are all at Skegness at the moment. I drove there to see if it was a s bad as predicted. It was. Think of a giant version of the Melbourne Show minus the animals and you have Skegness. One over-sized side-show and fish & chippery.

But even Skegness has something to recommend it. Two things in fact. One was the wonderful sight of the three wind farms off the coast, by name Lynn, Inner Dowsing and Lincs. I counted 127 turbines. They are a part of Britain's commitment to provide energy from renewable sources. It was a sight worth doing battle with the holiday crowds to see. 

The other thing that made the trip worthwhile was to see the Skegness beach donkeys. These cute little fellas and their forebears have be delighting holidaymakers for sixty years. That's quite an achievement in an ever-changing world.

Lincolnshire also has a rich aviation history and was home to 49 airfields during WWII. Two important groups of Bomber Command were stationed here and the famous Dambusters flew from RAF Scampton near Lincoln. There is great excitement amongst aeroplane enthusiasts this week because RAF Coningsby will be host to the visiting Lancaster Bomber due to arrive on 8^th August from the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum. It is one of only two airworthy Arvo Lancasters left in the world, the other of which is here at RAF Coningsby, home of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. More than 100 Bomber Command Veterans will be on hand for the arrival of this very special plane. Aeronautical events: flypasts, starring at the Eastbourne Air Show and the like are planned for the coming weeks. I may just be lucky enough for see her fly overhead when she arrives tomorrow as I'm not far from Coningsby.

Lincolnshire, what an underrated destination. If you like to walk and cycle and enjoy the great outdoors then lovely Lincolnshire has a treat in store for you.