June 17, 2016 4.56 pm
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20 things to do in Lincolnshire before you die
Looking for things to do in Lincolnshire? We’ve compiled 20 top county gems for a must-do tick list. Here are the top places to visit in the county before you die. Frampton Marsh Nature Reserve, Boston Opening Times: Monday – Friday: 9.30am-4pm Saturday-Sunday: 9.30am-5pm Bank Holidays: 9.30am-5pm Price: FREE Frampton Marsh Nature Reserve is surrounded by a…
Looking for things to do in Lincolnshire? We’ve compiled 20 top county gems for a must-do tick list. Here are the top places to visit in the county before you die.
Frampton Marsh Nature Reserve, Boston
Photo: Neil Smith, RSPB Website
Opening Times:
Monday – Friday: 9.30am-4pm
Saturday-Sunday: 9.30am-5pm
Bank Holidays: 9.30am-5pm
Price:
FREE
Frampton Marsh Nature Reserve is surrounded by a network of public footpaths along grassy seabanks, perfect for walkers and sightseers alike. The visitor centre overlooks the reserve and also benefits from three hides and numerous outdoor benches which overlook freshwater scrapes and other scenic views.You can get really close views of birds from the visitor centre, where telescopes for visitors to use are provided.
The boating lake offers a number of facilities, including a pedalo and rowing boat rides, a sandpit for younger children, a shipwreck adventure playground and paddling area. There is also the choice of two cafes and the opportunity to look out at sea from the ABP observatory.
(The hall itself may be closed some days due to weddings so it is advised you contact the hall before attending.)
Price:
Adults: £7.40
Children (5-17): £4.20
Unders 5s: FREE
Concessions: £5.90
Described by its visitors as Lincolnshire’s ‘hidden gem’ this attraction offers a variety of events and exhibitions throughout the year. Gainsborough Old Hall is a large, late-medieval manor house, built in 1460. The house itself boasts a grand hall, original medieval kitchen and a ghost corridor for those who feel brave enough to take a look.
(The house itself opens at 12pm-5pm with the last tour at 4.30pm)
Price:
Adults: From £11.40
Children: From £7.70
Family: From £30.50
Belton House is a Grade I listed country house which is surrounded by formal gardens and a larger wooded park. Set in its own extensive deer park, the area is owned by the National Trust and was built in the late 17th century. The house benefits from an adventure playground, gardens, shops, restaurants and guided tours of the house basements.
The Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre gives visitors the opportunity to take in Great Grimsby’s history, enabling you to experience the sights, sounds and smells of the ‘world’s premier fishing port.’ The award-winning attraction aims to take you back 60 years to discover the life of trawlermen and their families with a number of different activities and attractions in the Centre.
(Between July and August the Cathedral is open until 8pm on weekdays and 6pm on weekends)
Price:
Adults: £8
Children: £4.80
Under 5s: FREE
Concessions: £6.40
(There is no entrance charge before 9am and after 4.30pm)
Lincoln Cathedral has been described as “the finest gothic building in Europe.” Around the Cathedral there is information available about its history, present activities taking place and the Cathedral’s hopes for the future. You will also have the opportunity to search for the Lincoln Imp, which hides in the walls of the Cathedral and take part in a tour by an experienced guide. Tours are available for both the roof and tower.
Rushmoor Country Park Farm is a friendly venue, set in six acres of Lincolnshire countryside, just outside the market town of Louth. The farm opened in 2001, with the aim to provide a hands on and up close animal experience. There are hawk and owl demonstrations everyday, pony rides, animal feeding and activities throughout the day.
(The Hall and Farming museum are open daily from 1pm-5pm, the park itself is open all year round from 9am until dusk)
Price:
Adults: £6.50
Children: £3.30
Seniors: £5.90
Normanby Hall Country Park is a 300 acre estate, set in the heart of North Lincolnshire. The park itself is open to the public every day of the year and boasts beautiful scenery and the perfect backdrop to your day out. The Hall and Farming museum within the grounds are open only in the summer months and provide information about the estate and farming life. There is also award winning gardens to explore, events throughout the year and ample wildlife to spot.
Skegness’s award-winning beach boasts a number of activities across the sands, including donkey rides, a paddling pool and a pier. The Fairy Dell paddling pool, which re-opened in 2006 following extensive refurbishment, is perfect for the younger ones. The beach also has a nearby Fantasy Island theme park and indoor butterfly conservatory at Natureland. The beach itself has also been awarded with the Blue Flag Award, making this a gold standard beach.
Built between 1555 and 1587, this house was mostly designed by William Cecil, Lord High Treasurer to Queen Elizabeth I. The property boasts 35 major rooms to the house, with 80 lesser rooms. Visitor’s facilities include a restaurant, gift shop, beautiful gardens and walks around the historic parkland, which is still occupied by a herd of fallow deer. Guided tours are also available around the house, with the view of the teddy bear’s picnic in the gardens of surprise for children.
Moulton Mill is the tallest windmill in the country, which stands at 100ft high. The tower mill is also the largest surviving windmill in the country. The mill benefits from a shop, tea room and grinding days, in which visitors have the opportunity to witness first hand how the mill works. There is also the opportunity to buy flour produced by the mill itself, along with a number of souvenirs and work from local artists.
Hall Farm Park is set on the edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds, which opened in 2006. The park is family run and a rural backdrop, with a real working farms and activities throughout the year. There are tractor rides throughout the day, with seasonal activities including lamb feeding and goat walking. There is also a play area for younger children and a tearoom and gift shop.
Photo: Mablethorpe seal sanctuary and wildlife centre video screenshot
Opening Times:
Monday – Sunday: 10am-5pm
(Opening times may depend on weather conditions and checking before you go is recommended)
Price:
Adults: £8
Children (3-15): £5
Under 3s: FREE
Seniors: £7
The sanctuary and wildlife centre has a wide variety of rescued animals including primates, reptiles, birds of prey, meerkats, birds and seals. The centre has a time walking cave facility, in which you have the opportunity to search for 80 hidden fossils and gain information on prehistoric creatures.
Lincolnshire Aviation and Heritage Centre, East Kirby
Photo: Lincolnshire Aviation and Heritage Centre Website
Opening Times:
Monday – Saturday: 9.30am-5pm (Last entry 4pm)
Sunday: CLOSED
Price:
Adults: £7.50
Children (6-15): £3
Under 5s: FREE
Seniors: £6.50
Please note: These are prices for normal days. Prices for event days may vary.
Relive a World War II Bomber Airfield at the Lincolnshire Aviation and Heritage Centre in East Kirby. You are able to experience the sights, sounds and smells of a bomber airfield and witness the Lincolnshire Bomber on its original wartime airfield. There is also the opportunity to look inside the memorial chapel, which contains 848 names of personnel who gave their lives in the war.
Woodside Wildlife and Falconry Park is a fun-packed visitor attraction, suitable for the whole family. The site boasts a Tropical Paradise area where younger ones can play in the sand and swing around in the adventure play area. There is also an opportunity to meet racoons, reptiles and monkeys. Eagle, hawk and falcon flying displays are set daily, with the chance to hold snakes and grab a coffee in the cafe.
The castle, built by architect Sir John Vanbrugh in the 13th century has a large quadrangular house with a central courtyard. The castle boasts a collection of paintings, furniture and tapestries dating back as early is the 1500’s. The grounds also has a formal gardens and a play area for children to enjoy. There is also a 3000 acre park that is home to an abundance of wildlife and a gift shop and tea room.
Elsham Hall Gardens and Country Park offers walks along lakeside gardens, a contemporary walled garden and much more. The park has an adventure playground for children, with a variety of animals and birds to go and see. There are regular family events held throughout the season including a circus and magic acts, car shows and an open air theatre. The hall also benefits from a courtyard tea room for snacks and refreshments.
Heckington windmill is a fully operational mill, which has six floors and eight sails. The working mill has a number of facilities, including a mill house tea room, guided tours around the mill and a mill shop selling flour from the mill itself and gifts and souvenirs to take home.
Photo: Lincolnshire Wildlife Park Parrot Video Screenshot
Opening Times:
Monday – Sunday: 10am-5pm (Last entry 4pm)
Price:
Adults: £9.95
Children (3-15): £8.50
Under 3s: FREE
Seniors: £8.50
Lincolnshire Wildlife Park is one of the UK’s largest animal sanctuaries, with animals from all over the world making a home there. The park is the largest parrot sanctuary in the UK and houses over 2000 re-homed parrots and parakeets, covering over 100 species. The park boasts a snack shack for refreshments and the new Bengal Gardens (opens Friday, July 29), which showcases the park’s family of 11 re-homed Bengal tigers.
(The Hall itself is closed on Thursdays and Fridays)
Price:
Adults: £7.50
Children: £3.75
The country house, which is dates back to the 1700s is set within Victorian walled gardens and boasts domestic sized rooms which are filled with furniture and artwork. Facilities at the halls and gardens include walks through the grounds, picnic spots and the opportunity to play a game of croquet on the lawn. There is also an activity pack available, boasting ‘50 things to do before you’re 11 ¾’ , with a number of activities for young ones around the grounds.
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Lincolnshire actress Harriet Bibby has spent more than a year-and-a-half on the iconic Coronation Street cobbles and now her portrayal of teenager Summer Spellman has been recognised with a nomination at the upcoming National Television Awards.
The 24-year-old, who attended De Aston School in her home town of Market Rasen, got her big break in Coronation Street in September 2020 and after several big story lines, including a hate crime centred around Seb and Nina, played by Harry Visinoni and Mollie Gallagher.
More recently, Summer is preparing for her A-Level exams as she aims for Oxford University, but she is also struggling with type 1 diabetes and an eating disorder, something Harriet has found eye-opening in playing her character.
Harriet has now been nominated for an NTA award for best serial drama performance, where she is up against 23 other nominees, finding out via social media she was in the running for the gong. Voting is open until June 6 and then a final shortlist will be decided.
Summer after a collapse relating to her type 1 diabetes. | Photo: ITV
Reflecting on the nomination, Harriet -who lives with her sister Nancy and their friend in Manchester – told The Lincolnite: “I found out yesterday [May 24] on social media via my sister Nancy as people had already started voting. I was a bit shocked but also chuffed.
“I am really proud as in the grand scheme of things it has been quite a short time on the show, so to be recognised for the stories I’ve been in is lovely.
“To see your name in a list with actors such as Maureen Lipman feels mad, but I also feel very privileged. Honestly, I am just pleased to be on there, to see my face on there is fabulous. It is definitely an honour to be one of the names in the hat.
“Other actors in the category are fantastic, so to be alongside them is amazing. My family are so excited and trying to tell everyone to vote. My mum works at De Aston School and my dad works at the University of Lincoln so they are drumming up support. If anyone can vote for me it would mean the world to me.
“I’m proud of myself. Growing up in Market Rasen there is not much going on in this industry so to get myself in and push myself through the right doors makes me feel proud.
“When I go home it’s really lovely. The people who already knew me from home, their reaction is the same as me, still buzzing that I’m here and doing it. There’s also a lot of people who know there is someone from Market Rasen in Corrie and I now get stopped more when I go to shops when I’m back home.”
Harriet Bibby as Summer Spellman, with fellow cast members Liam Scholes, Maximus Evans, Mollie Gallagher, and Harry Visinoni during the hate crime story line. | Photo: ITV
Last year Harriet was nominated for best newcomer at the Inside Soap Awards, which was won by one of her Corrie colleagues Jude Riordan, who plays Sam Blakeman. In last year’s Inside Soap Awards best storyline was awarded to Nina and Seb’s hate crime horror, which Summer was very much involved in.
Harriet added: “Due to COVID, there was not a huge ceremony for the Inside Soap Awards. It felt really lovely to be recognised, the same as it does for the NTAs. Jude is a little star, he’s fabulous and it was really nice to see it go to him.
“That [the Nina and Seb hate crime] was one of the storylines where a huge portion of the cast were involved and it felt lovely to be included in that and help tell that story.”
Harriet Bibby as Summer Spellman, with her on-screen dad Billy Mayhew (played by Daniel Brocklebank) after Todd Grimshaw’s misdemeanours become common knowledge. | Photo: ITV
So what’s next for Summer Spellman?
Harriet said: “At the moment we are seeing Summer struggle with her type 1 diabetes and not managing her medication very well. She has also developed an eating disorder and seeing her struggle through this mismanagement of medication and being very conscious of her body image.
“She’s taking her A-Levels and this week is not looking great for her. I didn’t know much about it [diabetes] at all before and [now] I’ve done a lot of work with Diabetes UK. I’ve also spoken to people they have worked with who have been through a similar thing to Summer.
“I’ve learnt a lot about the management of diabetes, but also that being hand in hand with an eating disorder and how difficult that is. It has definitely been eye opening for me and I hope it has been for viewers as well.
“Right now, we are still seeing Summer aim for Oxford University, revising and worrying about exams, but over the next few weeks we may see her dream crumble a little bit.”
And the future for Harriet? She added: “I am happy on the cobbles and seeing what’s to come for Summer.
“I think there’s always growth that comes with playing a character. You learn something new about yourself and I have grown in the past a few years. I think with an actor normally they are short-term jobs, but with a character on a soap you are with them all the way through and you don’t necessarily know where they’ll end up.
“There are definitely people who I am friends with now such as Elle Mulvaney [Amy Barlow] and I sometimes think ‘wow, I”m out with Amy Barlow’. I think [being star struck] will always kind of happen having grown up watching the show.”
Harriet at her graduation at Westminster Cathedral in 2019 with her dad Stewart, sister Nancy and mum Emma.
Harriet’s mum Emma said: “We are over the moon with Harriet’s achievements since leaving drama school, especially since she has had no contacts or knowledge of the industry before embarking on her career. Harriet has made all this happen and all of her family are so proud that she is doing what she loves.”
Her dad Stewart added: “We are all incredibly proud of Harriet and her achievements in portraying a character who is struggling with coming to terms with her issues. Watching her on screen is so amazing and the nomination for a NTA just incredible!”
A new £2.5 million playground all about “colour, light, interactivity and inclusivity” with “thrills and surprises at every turn” will open at Butlin’s in Skegness next Easter.
There will be six different zones to explore at SKYPARK, celebrating positive play emotions with a range of exciting equipment, including climbing towers, tube slides, and the ‘UK’s longest interactive seesaw’.
Sensory elements and wheelchair-accessible features will allow children of all ages and abilities to play together. Children can also have after-dark adventures on the light-up towers and slides, and it is all included in the price of a Butlin’s holiday break.
STOP SCROLLING 🛑 Something exciting is coming to Skegness…
Introducing SKYPARK, our brand-new playground for 2023! Designed to spark young imaginations, this playful world of colour and light is all about inclusivity and interactivity. pic.twitter.com/rpTFFYu8wZ
Accessed via a ramp, a one-metre mound at the base of the Tower of Excitement places disabled children in the heart of the action.
A first-floor platform in the Tower of Surprise gives wheelchair users the chance to experience height and be shoulder-to-shoulder with other kids.
Children can also have after-dark adventures on the light-up towers and slides, and it is all included in the price of a Butlin’s holiday break.| Photo: Butlin’s
There’s also a wheelchair-accessible trampoline and roundabout, sit-up swings for support and sociability, and wheelchair-friendly walkways and ramps.
Alongside, SKYPARK will be a new cafe and outdoor terrace, serving drinks and light snacks.
SKYPARK is “all about colour, light, interactivity and inclusivity” with “thrills and surprises at every turn”. | Photo: Butlin’s
The key features at SKYPARK are as follows:
Four epic climbing towers, each with unique challenges
The tallest tower stands at a whopping 14-metres high, with panoramic sea views
10-metre tube slide lights up as children go down it
The UK’s longest interactive seesaw
Two interactive games that families can play together
Designed for inclusivity, so children of all abilities can play shoulder to shoulder
Sensory elements and wheelchair-accessible equipment
Lights up for amazing after-dark experiences
Café serving a selection of hot and cold drinks and snacks
Included in the price of your break
The new playground and cafe will cost £2.5 million and has been designed for tots to 12-year-olds, although everyone can get involved with plenty of family play options available.
There will be six different zones to explore. | Photo: Butlin’s
Simon Cope, commercial and marketing director at Butlin’s, said: “Our new SKYPARK is going to be incredible. It’s a fantastic addition to our Skegness resort and has been purpose-built with inclusion in mind. As the home of entertainment, we offer fun for the whole family, with so much included in the price.
“SKYPARK will be free to access along with all our amazing live shows, free flow entry to our Splash Waterworld pool and unlimited fairground rides. We’re counting down the days and can’t wait for families to enjoy the best playground in the UK – day and night.”