Last Thursday I continued my long, interrupted walk along the Viking Way. On climbing out of the car in Horncastle I almost regretted my decision, as the afternoon was cold, with a strong, face-searing wind. But after a mile or so I relaxed, and all my cares and worries blew away.
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| What do the botanists know? Our lives should go between the lichen and the bark. The eye may see for the hand, but not for the mind. We are still being born, and have as yet but a dim vision of sea and land, sun. moon, and stars... HENRY DAVID THOREAU A Week On The Concord And Merrimack Rivers |
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| I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees / I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees / Asked the Lord above, Have mercy, now save poor Bob, if you please. ROBERT JOHNSON Cross Road Blues |
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| Roads are a record of those who have gone before. REBECCA SOLNIT Wanderlust: A History Of Walking |
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| We are but dust and shadow. HORACE The Odes Of Horace |
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| In the small village of Fulletby... |
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| ... I came across Winn Cottage opposite the church. This had once been home to the remarkable Henry Winn (1816-1914). Henry left school when he was 10, became Parish Clerk at the age of 14, and held this post until he was 90 years old. Entirely self educated, he also worked as the village grocer, draper, ironmonger, constable and schoolmaster. And as if that were not enough, he somehow found time to found a local library, and write poetry and newspaper articles about village life. Even more astonishingly, he fathered 21 children — although only four daughters grew to adulthood. |
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| The Church of St Andrew, Fulletby. |
I was now walking along the spine of a low range of chalk hills known as the Lincolnshire Wolds. I reached Belchford, my destination, but had to detour down a muddy bridleway for a couple of miles to catch the Louth bus back to Horncastle.
