Day 1

Day 1 Bawtry to Rawcliffe

I confess to prattling around for what seemed like hours before I launched myself into the frightenly dense - and fast - traffic in Bawtry. I really was no place for a lapsed cyclist to take up the habit again.

As the cars whizzed past I concentrated on the Great North Road in front of me but found little comfort in being forced to notice the amount of road kill in front of me - 4 rats, a weasel, two hedgehogs and a couple of rabbits. And all this before I got to the RSPCA centre less than a mile out of town. Walter Wilkinson's rants against the motorcar were ringing in my ears. I wonder what he would have made of all this in 2009. 


One type of vehicle which it was a joy to see - and I saw 4 of them - were the highly polished & decorated wedding cars. They were out in force for this Bank Holiday Saturday. They seemed like a statement of hope for the future. The little beauty waiting outside Rossington Methodist Church was such a contrast to the utilitarian red brick backdrop.

The wandering puppeteer really did meander around the countryside in these parts and I was forced to do probably even more miles than he did as his original route was so carved up with new roads, by-passes, and even a new airport. There were, however, little glimpses of the 'bucolic loveliness' which he so enthusiastically described - especially further north around Fishlake. The hedgerows are teaming with hips, haws, sloes, elderberries etc.

The Donside Stores in Fishlake were closed by the time I arrived but I had previously visited Judith & her Mum who run the shop. Walter described trying to by bread in this shop only to be presented with braid since the shop assistant misunderstood his southern accent. The goods for sale may have changed - 'tho I didn't ask if they still sell braid - but the building has changed little. It is for sale at the moment and there might be some question mark over whether the village will maintain its shop.

Tractors and combined harvesters were a common sight around Sykehouse & Rawcliffe - there really is a sense of the season beginning to change.