Cardiff Bay

This is a 10 km  route encircling the waters of Cardiff Bay, which remain unaffected by tidal flows due to the building of a long barrage with massive lock gates that allow vessels to access the open sea via the Bristol Channel.

The mile long barrage carries a road, accessible only to service vehicles, and  a series of paths available to pedestrians and cyclists only, who are treated to the most magnificent open views in all directions.
Prior to the building of the barrage, Cardiff Bay was very much a working port, it's main function being the worldwide shipbourne distribution of the vast quantities of coal brought down by train from the Welsh valleys.
The closure of the collieries reduced traffic through the port and much of it's infrastructure subsequently became redundant.
The building of the barrage revitalised the whole area and  a host of new buildings sprang up to make it a major tourist attraction generating thousands of employment opportunities

The water inside the barrage is suitable for a wide variety of boats.;

The sea lock gates are here, giving control of the water level in the bay and permitting access by boats at all states of the tide.

The road on top of the barrage is not open to private cars so is good for cycling.

A desert style seating area with the Norwegian Church visible in the centre of this shot.

There are many fine sculptures along the waterfront.

Beside the Norwegian Church stands this memorial to Captain Robert Falcon Scott whose ship The Terra Nova left these shores on 15th June 1910 for the South Pole, never to return.

Large modern hotels and apartment blocks across the bay.

    Some fine old buildings were saved, this being the Pierhead, which stands alongside the Welsh Assembly Building............. 

...........better known to Welsh Speakers as Cynulliad Cenediaethoi Cymru (sort that out spellchecker!)

                                       More sculptures........................... 

..................... and more modern buildings, between which the path meanders.

From here on the path goes through the Wetland Area, which is a fine nature reserve which houses many types of wild fowl.

A much more open area here.

                        Looking back we see the contrast between the two environments..

To cross the River Taff, we have to go along the East bank of the river to the most downstream bridge

                            Looking downstream on the River Taff towards Penarth, 

A problem here for cyclists since cycling is prohibited on this long wooden walkway.  Penarth can be seen in the distance.

The route passes by the canoe slalom facility  where water from the Ely River is pumped up into a large tank and allowed to flow down through a series of cataracts and waterfalls

This is the pedestrian/cycle bridge crossing the Ely River to make the final link to Penarth.

The centre section can be lifted to permit the passage of boats with tall masts.

Turning left after the bridge, following the road past large apartment blocks and marinas, brings us back to the start of the route at the South end of the barrage.

The Water Rail Way

The Water Rail Way is part of Route 1 of the National Cycle Network running mostly alongside the River Witham from Lincoln to Boston.  It is well named since on it you are never far from water, a railway once ran along the route, and the water rail is a rather shy bird which inhabits the area.
Mid way along it's 37 mile length stands the small and rather old fashioned (but charming) town of Woodhall Spa, which has camping and caravanning sites and also a traditional cinema known as the "Kinema in the Woods" which is so old fashioned that it has a Compton Cinema Organ. A reminder of the days before television when most people went to the cinema twice a week.
Woodhall Spa therefore makes  the perfect  place to commence the ride as you can cycle South Eastwards to Boston or North Westwards to Lincoln.  Either way returning to Woodhall Spa makes a nice gentle day ride and both destinations have impressive buildings to see and good places to eat before returning.
The riverside lanes and paths are accessed alongside the  Kirkstead Bridge, and there follows an account of the ride to Boston, which is mostly on quiet roads alongside the riverbank.

Click on pictures to enlarge them.

Sadly you are unlikely to see an actual water rail (bird), but just in case here is a photograph of one.

                                                 Here the main street of Woodhall Spa.

                                     And the Kinema in the Woods. Nostalgia by the bucketful.

                  The Kirkstead Bridge. Cross over for Boston. Stay on the North side for Lincoln.

Decision time here at the bridge.  The route to Boston is mostly on road, but these are quiet, mostly flat, and sometimes boringly straight, but lightly trafficked and well surfaced roads.

See posting of July 2015 for the account of the ride from here to Lincoln.

Alongside the Kirkstead Bridge stands the old Woodhall Spa station. It's unusual tower must have been a great asset for the railway staff who would have been able to see the plume of smoke from approaching steam trains many miles away.

The view from the Kirkstead Bridge looking downriver towards Boston, showing the road on top of the floodbank

This is a typical view along the route for the first part of the ride.

  

The River Witham meanders through the flat landscape and here we are looking back from one of the bends 

A sad sight beside the road. 

This is the approach to the Tattersall road bridge and behind it ............ 

............... lies the old bridge (much nicer) which is closed to motor traffic.  Such is "progress"

dd

                         And here a better view of the old Tattersall Bridge and it's riverside cottage..


In this area you are beneath the flight path for military aircraft based at Conningsby.
Click HERE  for video of RAF Typhoon coming in to land. You may wish to turn down the volume on your speakers and if you have ear plugs take them with you on this ride.

 The River Witham is wide enough to take quite large boats and no doubt would have done before the railways came along to carry goods much faster than could be done on rivers and canals.  Neverthe less quite a few leisure craft to be seen on the water.

Away from the riverside the roads are somewhat lacking in features apart from a few small villages and farms amongst the gigantic fields.

You might expect that the village of Chapel Hill would at least have a hill, but this approach to the bridge over one of the drainage dykes is as steep as it gets.

                                               But yet more boats below the bridge.

After a few more miles of this (groan!) we return to the riverside at Langrick Bridge ................

................... which is traffic light controlled and single carriageway, and appears to be a

Bailey bridge.

The rest of the ride into Boston is on the NE side of the river  that is left side in this picture. 

 So a nicely surfaced meandering path takes us all the way to Boston.

  

 Passing Anton's Gowt where a canal enters the river from the left and ahead is the lock keepers cottage.

  

                                 Here is "The Pendulum", a cantilevered viewing platform.

                         And this is the view looking towards Boston just a few miles away.

 And at last St, Botolph's Church better known as Boston Stump comes into view.

 Since the building of the sea lock in Boston, the upstream water level remains constant whereas previously the outgoing tidal waters left banks of mud here.

 Boston Stump surrounded by medieval buildings

little changed since the Pilgrim Fathers left here for

Plymouth on their way to America.

  

 And finally the best place to eat in Boston, Churchill's Restaurant, Superb food at sensible prices.

They also have a similar outlet in Lincoln, which we will be visiting shortly in Part 2 of the Water Rail Way Ride from Lincoln to Woodhall Spa.

The Grantham Canal

Route 15 of the National Cycle Network runs along the towpath of the Grantham Canal, which is one of those canals which are not connected to the main canal network and therefore not accessible to boats unless they are taken there on a lorry or trailer.
Nevertheless, it makes a fine cycle ride as the surface is quite good and there are some pretty villages and some interesting buildings in the vicinity. In particular Belvoir Castle, seat of the Dukes of Rutland stands on a ridge high above the rolling fields and the view from there makes the climb worth the effort.
Also Harlaxton Manor now Harlaxton College a branch of the American University Evansville College.

Click on pictures to enlarge them.

From Granthan Railway Station we take the leftmost arch here, onto Harlaxton Road, which though quite busy with traffic, has a shared path to take us away from the Grantham conurbation

The first port of call is to turn onto the entrance drive towards Harlaxton College which is behind these locked gates, but fortunately there is a narrow entrance for pedestrians and cyclists to the left of the wall.

                   
                           The entrance gates are impressive but wait until you see the house...........

The long and impressive drive gives an idea of the size of the grounds, the actual building being hardly visible in the distance although you can just make out the arch at the lodge gates.
Anyway a relief to get away from the road traffic. Very few cars pass this way. Nor should they since "Roads were not built for cars" according to Carlton Reids new book.

The main building is just visible now through the lodge arch, but the public may go no further.


                                       Some fine architectural detailing above the archway.

                            And this is the house/college, not normally open to the public

On now to Harlaxton village
which like many villages in East Anglia, has a unique sign on the
outskirts.
    

                                     ........and has some lovely old cottages like this.....

                                                   .....................................and this.
Interesting chimneys, which appear to have been extended, either to improve the up-draught for the open fires or perhaps to impress the neighbours.

                                                      and also a fine church

After crossing the main road, we arrive at our first sight of the Grantham Canal, here at Harlaxton Wharf, once no doubt a very busy place. The viewpoint is from Bridge no. 66.

    The towpath surface is not the best but perfectly adequate for cycling and here we are on Route 15 of the National Cycle Network..

              Here at the Sustrans mile post, Route 15 leaves the canal bank onto a disused  railway track.

                                                                   Over this bridge.

                  But we are never far from the canal and we return to this point on the return journey.

The railway track section is heavily wooded and has a rudimentary ash/grass/earth surface.  OK in the dry weather but no doubt a bit dodgy in the wet.

Turing right where the green track meets a lane, brings us to a fine stop for a meal at the Gap Inn which has a large modern restaurant behind this simple façade. From here we head towards our next grand edifice of the ride .........................................

Belvoir Castle, which  stands high on a hill, but the views from here make the climb worthwhile, and of course it's all downhill back to the canal towpath....................................

                                        .............. where we re-join NCN Route 15 ...............................


                                               .............. for the ride back to Grantham