This is a very early map of Lincolne Shyre/Lincolnshire, dating from around 1600.
The original is beautifully coloured (I have seen a copy) but this image is taken from a black and white photograph in a very old magazine.
Beautiful as it is, I'm glad I don't have to use it to navigate my way around the byways and tracks of Lincolnshire.
For that I print relevant sections of the OS Explorer map, which is just as well, because sometimes public footpath markers mysteriously disappear.
Today was was a case in point. I came over the hills, through fields with spectacular views punctuated by copses of ancient trees. We were following a plethora of public right of way signs, down a steep hillside and out onto a quiet village lane. No signs in sight. Luckily, I knew I had to turn left, so I did.
I passed a small handful of very quaint cottages with outbuildings, but then the lane disappeared and became a beautifully mowed green swathe bordered by a neatly clipped low privet hedge on one side and a cottage on the other.
I went back along the lane, tried a few other lanes and footpaths, none of them felt right.
Returning to the original grassed lane I decided that it had to be the correct one - took a deep breath, then ventured into what is really the cottage garden. I fully expected an irate cottager to tell me that I was trespassing!
Thirty yards further on, round a bend, there was a public footpath marker. I had followed the correct path. Phew!
This photograph was taken when I was even further along the footpath, if you look to the right, middle height, you can see the neatly clipped privet hedge and the green sward of the garden. The land beyond the hedge is also their garden, they have a public right of way and bridle path running right through it.
This village was listed in the Domesday Book as having 21 households, it has a few more these days, but not too many.
The original village church was yet another one which was destroyed by Henry Vane, back in 1658. He also had the church dismantled in the village I live in, he used the stone to build the manor house.
The path led through a glacial overflow valley and a site of special scientific interest, because of the soils, habitats and flora. All I know was that it was muddy after all the recent rain. There was a chalk stream running through the bottom of the valley, lovely old trees, and shelter from the worst of the cold breeze.
Once through the valley we skirted some more old trees, then found ourselves back out on a lane, a lane which would lead us to Henry Vane's old estate. Just a few fields more then home.
We had walked about 6 miles.
There is a countryman's saying, found in another old magazine(!),
"If cold sets in on February 22nd, it will last for fourteen days."
Today is the day. The garden is heavily frosted and the weather men are burbling on about some cold weather settling in for the next ten days or so.
These old countrymen knew a thing or two!
