Here is Lincolnshire

Lincolnshire welcomes Paul Steele … a visual round-up

On 30 and 31 August I was honoured to welcome Paul Steele to Lincolnshire for a number of reasons … Firstly I knew that as a county we would be propelled into the travel world as a ‘must-see’ UK travel destination. In addition the thought of showing a much-respected travel writer some of the great [...]

Lincoln Cathedral … still glorious during renovation

On what can only be described as a beautiful autumnal day we were fortunate enough yesterday to visit Lincoln Cathedral to learn more about the immense restoration programme planned for the two West Front turrets. The 16 week programme to erect scaffolding around the first to be restored, the South West turret, is now complete [...]

A Campaign Medal for Bomber Command … September 2011 Update

I’m delighted to report that I’ve received a letter from my Member of Parliament Mr Edward Leigh, who has in turn heard back from the Ministry of Defence in connection with our request that the decision to not award Bomber Command with a dedicated campaign medal at the end of World War 2 be revisited. [...]

A magical early morning in Lincolnshire …

Very occasionally I will look out of my window as I’m making my first cup of tea of the day and think how I’d love to pop out to take a few photographs. You see there is something quite magical about a Lincolnshire summers morning when the sun is shining and the early morning mist [...]

Dropping in on… the Museum of Lincolnshire Life

I have a dreadful confession to make … Despite being born and bred in this county until recently I had never visited the Museum of Lincolnshire Life. Not until this week, when I took my seven year-old along to enjoy the experience. Now most parents approach visits of this nature with a sense of underlying [...]

Our campaign to get Bomber Command the medal they deserve …

June 14th, 2011

Editor

Up until very recently I was unaware of the fact that RAF Bomber Command is the only section of the serving forces not to have received a campaign medal for their sacrifice and contribution during World War II.

To say I was shocked at this discovery would be an understatement.

From the fifty-four airfields within Lincolnshire’s borders a large proportion of Bomber Command prepared for and operated nightly missions, each of which had a twenty-five per cent chance of not returning.

And so we are asking that the initial decision taken after the war to not award Bomber Command a medal be reversed. The memorial to those killed that is currently being built in London is of course excellent progress, but we also believe that the veterans who are still with us should also be honoured.

I have written to and met with Edward Leigh MP, asking him to look into putting this wrong finally right; he has written to Dr Liam Fox, the current minister of defence, to this end.

If you are also of the view that Bomber Command should be recognised with a campaign medal then please get in touch with us, and stay tuned!

The Bail House Tea Rooms and Gardens

June 10th, 2011

Editor

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At the top end of Bailgate towards Newport Arch you will find the Bail House Tea Rooms and Gardens, a relatively small eatery that boasts a central location with a lovely spacious garden.

When I visited last week the sun was beaming down and so the resident chickens (confined to the garden you’ll be pleased to know!) were strutting around said garden enjoying the weather and the odd dust bowl they came across…

As establishments go you’d describe Bail House as “quaint” .. The service is friendly and quick (although to be fair there were only two other customers in when we visited).

And it’s perfect if you have children; there are play areas in the garden.

The menu consists broadly of what you would expect .. teas, coffees, cakes and various sandwiches which all looked freshly prepared and the portions of reasonable size.

Our verdict … 8/10

Pros … The fabulous garden gives the Bail House an advantage

Cons … My coffee was a little on the weak side; if you like it strong (as I do) I suggest you ask for an extra scoop in the cafetiere.

In the footsteps of Guy Gibson .. the fascinating history of The Petwood Hotel

June 7th, 2011

Editor

If you’re looking for the perfect antidote to life’s stresses and strains then look no further than the Petwood Hotel in Woodhall Spa.

In terms of location it offers thirty acres of beautiful gardens and woodlands … And its background surely rivals many an historic house when you learn that it served as the officer’s mess to Wing Commander Guy Gibson and his 617 “Dambusters” Squadron during World War II, as well as 97 and 619 Squadrons.

During our recent stay at the Petwood we were fortunate enough to sample the delights of the idyllic gardens, superb food and spacious well-equipped bedrooms. Most importantly we were greeted with smiling faces wherever we went who were all too happy to help … No-one wants to be faced with grumpiness on a relaxing break away!

And as far as children are concerned they couldn’t possibly have a better place to explore … I should apologise here and now to the poor waiter who had to hunt my son down in order to serve his ice cream, such was my boy’s excitement …

On a final note before we break into a few photos I managed to capture during our stay I’ll say that the breakfast was nothing short of fabulous … Lincolnshire sausages to die for!

The Petwood Hotel
Stixwould Rd
Woodhall Spa
Lincolnshire
LN10 6QG

Telephone: +44 (0)1526 352411

Fax: +44 (0)1526 353473

E-mail: reception@petwood.co.uk

Spitfires and Super Jets … All in a week’s work for the RAF BBMF

June 5th, 2011

Editor

The AVRO Lancaster of the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight is a distinctive sight at most UK air-shows which, as Squadron Leader Ian Smith pointed out at our recent meeting, is the most popular of British pastimes after fishing. As the mainstay of Bomber Command the Lancaster aircraft undertook numerous gruelling missions during WWII; over four thousand planes were lost and 50,000 airmen were killed. At the end of the war the decision was taken not to award Bomber Command with a campaign medal possibly due to the Dresden raid, and this still rankles amongst the British public today. I asked the RAF BBMF’s Officer Commanding for his thoughts on the decision.

“You can’t rewrite history; many people have since had a go at [Air Marshal Sir Arthur] ‘Bomber’ Harris for the decisions he made. I am angered by these people who will dig into this now but who weren’t there at the time and consequently don’t understand the pressures that we were under; the contribution of Bomber Command shortened the war.

“Warfare is horrific … The blitz in London killed more than 40,000 civilians which people are quick to forget but equally places such as Coventry, Sheffield, Newcastle, Darlington, Sunderland and Plymouth were all being bombed remorselessly after the Nazis switched their tactics from the RAF airfields to cities … It had to be done; in order to take out the German infrastructure [Harris] had to flatten cities.

“Now, did he sleep well in his bed at night? I don’t know. But do the boys deserve that recognition? Of course they do … Now the medal is one thing but the Bomber Command memorial is another and we are embroiled in the fund raising efforts of the appeal. That is very exciting and it’s down to oversight that it hasn’t been done before now, maybe more so than political correctness …”

The RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight was established as a working squadron within the service some years after the end of WWII in 1957, and I was keen to learn from its current OC how his role had differed following his experience flying Chinook helicopters, Jaguar jets and a tour with the Red Arrows.

“There are two strands … I am the only full-time serving pilot on the flight and the running of the flight itself is very simple. I have a very good team working with me of 28 engineers and 5 ops and admin staff … It’s a fairly small squadron personnel-wise and yet we have as many aircraft (12) as most front line squadrons …

“And there is very little negativity … Everything is very positive due to the nature of what we do.

“The flying side of it is very different … Up until six years ago I was flying Jaguars and the difference of the two is that as a modern war fighter my colleagues over Libya and Afghanistan at the moment are taking air power to the customer on the ground, be it the army, NATO or the UN. It requires a very quick and finely-tuned brain to be able to deliver that air power at the speed the customer needs it, especially when you’re supporting our troops on the ground.

“The Spitfire is however a different animal. Back to basics, it’s a very rudimentary aircraft; it flies beautifully but it doesn’t have any computers onboard .. There is nothing to aid you, it’s really ‘seat of the pants’-type flying. A synergy would be the difference between driving a Formula One car with lots of technology helping you drive it effectively whereas what we’re in is a scruffy old Mini that’s sixty years old, that has lots of foibles and needs teasing, nurturing and cajoling but equally it does a great job and is a lot of fun to fly …

“A big piston engine needs careful handling .. Today’s engines are carefree-handling, you can do what you like to them and they’ll look after you, ensuring you don’t demand too much of them. With a piston engine is you treat it badly it will certainly complain, cough and maybe even stop …

“But they are beautiful. We are trained to fly them carefully, and only ever do that at half-power which is not how they would have been flown during the war.

There are twenty-four pilots who join the RAF BBMF at weekends to fly the squadrons iconic aircraft; during the week they have ‘normal’ jobs within the RAF flying different aircraft around the locale and their weekends are freely given up to fly with the flight.

“The bomber pilots have multi-engine plane experience and the fighter pilots are all currently flying fast jets … There is a selection process to join the flight but slots don’t come up that often. We like to strike a balance between giving pilots the opportunity to join and be part of the squadron and retaining the experience already within the flight.

“Compared to the Red Arrows we’re not so regimented in our selection process, but then they have to work harder because they’re our warm up act …”

Based on pedigree and sheer elegance in the air, you’d struggle to disagree with that.

(Read part one of this interview here)

To find out more about the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight display schedule for 2011 please click here

Squadron Leader Ian Smith’s image courtesy of Andy Leonard.

Spitfire image courtesy of Gaz West.

Smithy at two o’clock: Taking tea with the RAF’s flying ace

June 1st, 2011

Editor

Meeting the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’s Officer Commanding (OC) is impressive enough, but talking to him as I did in the very place frequented during WWII by the notorious 617 “Dambusters” Squadron adds more than just extra cachet to the proceedings …

The Petwood Hotel in Woodhall Spa could only be described as striking. Set in thirty acres of idyllic woodland and gardens it makes for a wonderful country retreat. You soon begin to see why it must have served as a perfect host to Wing Commander Guy Gibson and his colleagues during WWII when it was 617, 619 and 97 Squadron’s officers mess.

‘Smithy’ (as he is known to his inner circle) has an air of cool assuredness about him. During the twenty-eight years he has served within the RAF he was always aware that opportunities to fly Spitfires were scant.

“If you’d asked me ten years ago if I’d have believed where I’d be now the answer almost certainly would have been no, but you make your own luck in life.”

After completing four years as an understudy Smithy took over as OC in 2009. He has flown in the region of three hundred hours in the flight’s Spitfire and Hurricane aircraft.

“My raison d’être is to ensure that everyone understand who we are; if people see a Spitfire flying they may not necessarily assume it’s from a working squadron within the Royal Air Force”

It is of course very easy in this relatively peaceful age to elevate the aircraft of the RAF BBMF to such an idealistic and romantic extreme that we forget that they were actually weapons of war, and as such run the risk of dashing out the harsh realities of when they saw real action. I asked Smithy what his thoughts were on this.

“There are four strands to our organisation … commemoration, ceremonial, display and recruitment. In terms of commemoration we are now a memorial for all those who have been lost in service in the air and although the name is synonymous with the Battle of Britain the flight is now a memorial to all those lost in service in the air, and that figure now totals more than 120,000 people …”

Squadron Leader Smith pointed out that last year we celebrated the 70^th anniversary of the RAF’s greatest battle honour, the Battle of Britain, and this year marks the 70^th anniversary of taking the offensive to Germany.

“Many of the 120,000 who volunteered to join Bomber Command were based in Lincolnshire; two-thirds of them were either killed, wounded or taken prisoner. It is extremely important that we honour the memories of those who are no longer with us as well as those who are …”

There is still very much an active involvement with WWII veterans who visit the flight on a regular basis with Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane pilots coming “to play” several times throughout the year.

“Geoffrey Wellum, who was the youngest pilot in the Battle of Britain, says the battle was the greatest time of his life in terms of the camaraderie and spirit … And this is not lost on us today; my colleagues currently flying over Afghanistan and Libya experience that same feeling. The difference is of course that the veterans had to go through extraordinary hardship to bring us the freedom we have today … without them it would have been a very different world otherwise.”

Read part two of this interview here …

To find out more about the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight display schedule for 2011 please click here

Squadron Leader Ian Smith’s image courtesy of Andy Leonard.

Spitfire and Hurricane images courtesy of Gaz West.

Lincoln Cathedral … A study in black and white

May 25th, 2011

Editor

I have a theory: You can’t ever see too much of Lincoln Cathedral!

Here it is in all its monochrome Gothic splendour, captured on a beautiful January morning earlier this year …

The Lincoln Hotel … unrivalled views and contemporary flair

May 24th, 2011

Editor

It’s fair to say that the aspect of Lincoln’s Bailgate area that you cannot fail to be awestruck by is the wonderful cathedral, and if you’d like to sit in comfort whilst you gaze in wonderment at this incredible structure then the Lincoln Hotel is the perfect place to stay.

Known originally as the Eastgate and built by Forte Posthouse in the 1960s, it is now an independently-owned, stylish hotel for those wanting a superb location to enjoy all that the cathedral quarter has to offer.

With seventy-one bedrooms it is one of Lincoln’s largest hotels, and yet the decor chosen by Lincolnshire-born owners Lady Elizabeth Arnold and Sir Christopher Neville gives the interior it’s own unique and individual character.

The hotel’s two restaurants offer guests a choice of dining experience; the Long Room serves a pub bistro menu and the Green Room has a fine dining selection. Both restaurants are available with the dinner, bed and breakfast tariff and children eat free.

Directly in front of the hotel you will find the Roman ruins of what was the old East Gate entrance to Lincoln Castle, and a few yards beyond that the delightful, bustling shops, bars and restaurants of Bailgate and Steep Hill, not to mention the majestic building itself of course.

The Lincoln Hotel caters superbly for families, offering goody bags and teddy bears for children and there is a small gym for those wanting to work off those extra calories.

Our verdict: 9/10

Pros .. unparalleled views, a great central location and a good contemporary alternative to the traditional hotels in the vicinity.

Cons .. not all rooms have a cathedral outlook so be sure to request one at the time of booking if required.

The Lincoln Hotel
Eastgate
Lincoln
LN2 1PN

Telephone: 01522 520348 (please apply international dialling codes where necessary)

Email: reservations@thelincolnhotel.com

The ‘Sexy’ Spitfire … A Modern Day American Male Obsession

May 17th, 2011

Editor

Living in the heart of Lincolnshire it’s easy to become blasé about the frequent overhead flypasts that we’re spoilt with.

The fabulous RAF Red Arrows are based here, as is the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and whilst people do glance skyward in admiration on hearing their distinctive engines, we no longer gasp with the wonderment of a first-time spectator. They’ve become very much part of the fabric of our county.

So when I received a link earlier today to a piece penned by my dear friend Douglas Gorney, a San Francisco-based senior editor at Convozine, it was with some amusement and bewilderment that I read of his covetousness towards our much-loved Supermarine Spitfire …

“As we come up on the 71^st anniversary of the Battle of Britain, Supermarine Spitfires are back in the news. The sexy interceptor overflew William and Kate’s wedding two weeks ago, and in the hands of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, the Spit is still being flown by the RAF … ”

The ‘sexy interceptor’?? Really? Well … yes, it seems there is a whole generation of men (and not just in America) who regard the Spitfire in a way that extends well beyond “fondly”.

Of course when you learn something of the history of the plane and its remarkable achievements during World War 2 you realise that due admiration should indeed come as standard, but Doug goes on to point out that the story of the plane still serves today as a lesson in how small beginnings can have the biggest impact …

“Beyond firing the imaginations of boys and men since it helped turn back Hitler’s Luftwaffe, however, the development of the Spitfire is an object lesson in how small investments in radical innovation can have a big, even world-saving payoffs. As Tim Harford, author of Adapt: Why Success Always Starts With Failure argues, that’s the visionary approach to innovation we need now …

‘”She really was a perfect flying machine,” said one pilot. A Californian who traveled to Britain to sign up for the Royal Air Force agreed: “I often marvelled at how this plane could be so easy and civilized to fly and yet how it could be such an effective fighter.”

“I have no words capable of describing the Spitfire,” testified a third pilot. “It was an aircraft quite out of this world.”

Thanks to the Spitfire, Britain’s tiny Royal Air Force defied overwhelming odds to fight off the Luftwaffe’s onslaught in the Battle of Britain. It was a dismal mismatch: Hitler had been single-mindedly building up his forces in the 1930s, while British defense spending was at historical lows. The Luftwaffe entered the Battle of Britain with 2,600 operational planes, but the RAF boasted fewer than 300 Spitfires and 500 Hurricane fighters. The wartime Prime Minister himself, Winston Churchill, predicted that the Luftwaffe’s first week of intensive bombing would kill 40,000 Londoners. But thanks in large part to the Spitfire’s speed and agility, the Germans were unable to neutralize the RAF.

It is only a small exaggeration to say that the Spitfire was the plane that saved the free world. The prototype cost the government roughly the price of a nice house in London: £10,000 … ‘ (Read more of of this article here)

Couple this with the fact that the Spitfire in flight is indeed a thing of beauty to behold and I’m starting to understand why there is globally almost a feverish desire to absorb every last detail and image of this plane.

Of course in the female version the dashing fighter pilot jumps into the cockpit, turns and gives you a nonchalant yet assured wave before he points his Spitfire at the runway … And off he goes to save the free world.

The sexy interceptor at his best!

(Many thanks to Douglas Gorney at Convozine.com … Read his piece “What the Spitfire can teach us about nurturing innovation and radical ideas” here)

And finally … if words alone don’t do it for you, take a peep at ‘The Airplane That Saved the World’ in this marvellous video shot from the BBMF Lancaster one summer’s evening:

Canal View, Saxilby .. so much more than Bed and Breakfast

May 11th, 2011

Editor

It’s fair to say I have very exacting standards when it comes to the hospitality industry; when I part with my hard-earned money I like to feel my custom is appreciated.

One of the main reasons I started this site was because I wanted to give potential visitors to Lincolnshire an honest appraisal of what they would find when they got here .. and this is all-important when it comes to accommodation. So with this in mind I’m delighted to report that I visited a gem of a find on Monday when I went to see the Canal View Bed and Breakfast in Saxilby, near Lincoln.

It’s been a number of years since I stayed in a bed and breakfast establishment and it would not be stretching a point to say Canal View would rival most hotels in terms of its’ facilities, interior and service.

Open 365 days a year, Canal View has three bedrooms (two double, one single) each with en-suite facilities together with a guest’s lounge and separate dining room. Breakfasts are freshly cooked using produce from some of the best local suppliers to ensure you get a true taste of Lincolnshire.

The accommodation is light, airy and scrupulously clean; within minutes of arriving it became very apparent that the comfort of guests is of paramount importance. Digital freeview television is also available as is free WiFi internet access.

The Trip Advisor page bears out my findings .. It appears that the breakfasts are wonderful too (sadly my visit was at lunchtime but I may need to make it earlier in future!)

Evening meals are not available at Canal View but there is a number of places to eat nearby at the Pyewipe Inn and also at Burton Waters.

The only drawback I could see is the location; it would help if you have your own transport to get here but I was advised that trains do run from Lincoln to Saxilby.

Currently Canal View has a special offer of ‘stay Friday, Saturday and get Sunday half price’ which runs until the end of June 2011.

Our verdict: 9/10 .. superb accommodation with great attention to detail

Pros .. Beautifully furnished rooms finished to a high specification .. Separate tables in the dining room .. Good location for Lincoln and other county attractions.

Cons .. Having your own transport would be more convenient.

Canal View Bed & Breakfast
Lincoln Road, Saxilby, Lincoln LN1 2NF

Tel 01522 704475 or 07801 236272 (UK dialling codes apply)

Email stay@canal-view.co.uk

Web www.canal-view.co.uk

The pack drops down Yarborough Road and onto West Parade ..

Lincoln’s Cycle Grand Prix 2011 hits the city streets ..

May 10th, 2011

Editor

From the desk of Pip Wilson ..

Lincoln’s 56th Annual Cycle Grand Prix was held this past Sunday, as part of the weekend long Lincoln Festival of Cycling and what a weekend it was for it too. With teams taking part from Australia, Poland, Sweden and New Zealand, the day truly has become an international event for our small city.

Crowds packed the Bailgate and surrounding areas to enthusiastically cheer on nearly 200 competitors in what some describe as the toughest ride on the circuit. The circuit itself takes in 11 laps over 86 miles with a final, mean climb up the cobbles of Michaelgate, round onto Drury Lane and back into the Bailgate. Final results were Johnny McEvoy (Motorpoint) in third, Ian Bibby (Motorpoint) in second and Scott Thawaites (Endura Racing) in first.

As well as the main race, there were Boys and Girls races on the Sunday, and on the Saturday a mass participation event was held, The 1st Annual Lincoln Grand Prix Sportive. This is an event for all abilities and not just for racers. With two lengths of course (an epic 92 mile and a shorter 55 mile) there is something for all abilities here. For more information check out the website here.

Overall, a great turnout from locals, along with a thoroughly well organised event make this a worthy addition to our city’s growing roster of good days out. The atmosphere in the Bail at the end of the race was worth it alone and I highly recommend that if you missed out this year, you come out to see the spectacle next year.