With unlimited exercise now permitted during lockdown, parks and green spaces in Lincoln are more enticing than ever with an abundance of picturesque scenery and wildlife to enjoy.
Some people have been making the most of the sunny weather, running in the local parks, walking their dogs and going for walks in other local places of natural beauty.
People are not permitted to meet in groups of more than two. They may see one person from another household outside if they keep at a two metre distance as per social distancing guidelines.
The Lincolnite has compiled a guide of highlights of places you can enjoy in and near Lincoln during lockdown and beyond. With a wide range of places to explore it should make social distancing easier.
Hartsholme Country Park & Swanholme Lakes Local Nature Reserve
Hartsholme Country Park. Photo: Visit Lincoln
Hartsholme Country Park on Skellingthorpe Road covers more than 200 acres and people can enjoy socially distant walks and cycle rides through the lakes and ornamental grounds. The Wooded and Lakeside Nature Trails are open as usual, with all footpaths and open areas accessible to the public.
Swanholme Nature Reserve can be found sharing the same boundary as the park. Parts of the park can be accessed through the nature reserve, which was formed from a series of flooded sand and gravel pits.
Boultham Park
Boultham Park. Photo: Joseph Verney for The Lincolnite
The 50 acre park on Boultham Park Road has green space, woodlands, a lake and a variety of wildlife.
Some of Lincoln’s famous swans are regular visitors to the park’s lake, as well as geese and coots. There are also large green spaces and a bandstand, along with a host of other facilities.
The Arboretum
The Arboretum. Photo: Visit Lincoln
The Arboretum on Monks Road is a 22 acre park situated in Lincoln’s Cultural Quarter.
The park is of Grade II historical importance and contains gardens, lakes and fountains.
South Common
The South Common. Photo: Copyright Glyn Drury
The South Common is a popular grassy park in Lincoln.
It can be entered from South Park Avenue or Newark Road and contains more natural spaces with ponds, shrubs and wildlife.
West Common
Lincoln West Common. Photo: Visit Lincoln
The West Common can be entered from the west end of West Parade, from Carholme Road or from Long Leys Road.
The 100 hectare green space has lovely views of Lincoln Cathedral and horses can also be found grazing across the whole area.
Whisby Nature Park
Whisby Nature Park. Photo: Visit Lincoln
Whisby Nature Park in Thorpe-on-the-Hill near Lincoln is full of wildlife, walks and trails.
The lakes at the park are surrounded by grassland, marsh, scrub and willow carr and there is an abundance of lovely surroundings to walk around. The car park is currently open, but the cafe and other activities are closed.
Witham Valley Country Park
Whisby Nature Park is one of the locations within the Witham Valley Country Park. Photo: Visit Lincoln
Witham Valley Country Park is made up of a variety of individual public green spaces, with plenty of opportunity for walking and cycling.
It stretches south from the Fossdyke Navigation and contains sites of special scientific interest, nature reserves and local wildlife sites.
Millennium Green
Millennium Green. Photo: Explore Lincolnshire
Millennium Green is a small reserve in North Hykeham of just over 40 acres.
Its predominant feature is a large lake, which is surrounded by a pathway that can accommodate buggies and wheelchairs. The green is bordered by residential housing and more lakes.
Greetwell Hollow Nature Reserve. Photo: Russell Jackson
Greetwell Hollow off Outer Circle Road is a limestone grassland in the valley.
The stream that flows through the centre of the reserve supports wetland plants and attracts wintering snipe, moorhen and heron. There is also an extensive quarry face to the east of the nature reserve. There are dozens of paths that take you over a nice brook which runs through the middle of the nature reserve.
Liquorice Park
Liquorice Park. Photo: Visit Lincoln
Liquorice Park on Yarborough Road is a former orchard and meadow located in Lincoln’s West End.
Until 1818, the park was mainly used as an orchard and meadow, and these features remain in the park today.
Skellingthorpe Woods
Old Wood, Skellingthorpe. Photo: Katherine Jaiteh, WTML
The Old Wood in Skellingthorpe is an ancient woodland that was once a haunt of the vikings.
It has an extensive network of trails for walking, cycling or horse riding.
Temple Gardens
Temple Gardens. Photo: Visit Lincoln
The grounds of the Usher Gallery, Temple Gardens, are situated in Lincoln’s Cultural Quarter.
Temple Gardens, which now includes sculpture art, has earthworks that are the remains of the walls and defences of the lower Roman city of Lindum Colonia.
Fossdyke Canal Trail
Cycling along the Fossdyke Canal Trail. Photo: Mat Fascione
Fossdyke Canal Trail runs alongside the Fossdyke Navigation, which was built by the Romans to join Lindum Colonia to the River Trent.
It is an important waterway leading west out of Lincoln and you can walk or cycle along the Fossdyke Canal Trail, which runs alongside the canal from Lincoln to Saxilby.
Georgie Twigg Track
The route is entitled the Georgie Twigg Track. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
A safe off-road route between Lincoln and Doddington Hall, which was opened by Olympic gold medallist Georgie Twigg MBE.
The track provides a link between Doddington village and the Sustrans Route 64, which carries on to Lincoln and arrives at the Brayford Waterfront.
Lincoln Castle
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Lincoln Castle is getting ready to re-open its beautiful grounds to the public from Saturday, May 23.
A one way system is being introduced as the gateways are narrow and wouldn’t allow for a two metre gap to be created if visitors were allowed to enter and exit at the same time.
Spotted an error? Please notify us by selecting that text and pressing Ctrl+Enter.
The Lincolnite welcomes your views. All comments are reactively-moderated and must obey the house rules. Please stay on topic and be respectful of other readers.
The Lincolnite welcomes your views. All comments are reactively-moderated and must obey the house rules. Please stay on topic and be respectful of other readers.
Phase two of the works at Speakers’ Corner in Lincoln is well underway and expected to finish on schedule this summer.
Phase two, which began on Monday, January 11, will see existing paving upgraded, as well as new street furniture being installed.
It will follow the first phase which was completed and open to the public on December 22, with a new bench put in place around the existing London Plane tree, instead of the demolished kiosk.
Speakers Corner bench is in place, but closed off until phase two paving works are finished. | Photo: The Lincolnite
Site setup for phase two is complete, with workers on site currently digging out the existing hard paving standings at the Cornhill.
A large portion of the area has been fenced off while work takes place, leaving just two pedestrian strips on either side to access both the High Street and the Cornhill Quarter.
There is limited access in the area while works take place. | Photo: The Lincolnite
Despite the cold and wet weather throughout January, progress of the paving removal has not been affected.
This means that phase two works are still on course to be finished in summer this year.
It is hoped that once the area is completed, the walkways will blend in with those at Exchange Square, as well as utilising the space for events.
A look at how the finished development will look. | Illustration: City of Lincoln Council
Bin collections in Boston and in parts of East Lindsey will be suspended for the rest of the week due to COVID-related staff absences.
The collections will be suspended from Wednesday, January 27 as a number of East Lindsey District Council’s and Boston Borough Council’s waste crews either have coronavirus or are self-isolating.
Boston Borough Council and East Lindsey District Council said it is not a decision that has been taken lightly and it is necessary for the service to be suspended in some southern parts of the district until Monday, February 1.
From Monday, waste collections are expected to continue as normal.
Households impacted by the disruption can present any accumulated side waste in black refuse sacks alongside their black bins on their next scheduled bin collection.
The following areas are affected:
Boston
Friskney
Eastville
New Leake
Stickford
Coningsby (part)
Coningsby Moorside
Dalderby
Haltham
Mareham Le Fen
Moorby
N Bolingbroke
Revesby
Scrivelsby
Tumby
Tumby Moorside
Tumby Woodside
Wilksby
Wood Enderby
Carrington
Dogdyke
Frithville
Gypsey Bridge
New Bolingbroke
New York
Scrub Hill
Thornton Le Fen
Westville
Antons Gowt
Cowbridge
Fishtoft
Frithville
Langrick
Sibsey
East Keal
East Kirkby
Hagnaby
Keal Coates
Midville
Stickney
Toynton All Saints
West Keal
Victoria Burgess, Assistant Director for Operations at the council, said: “Over the past couple of days it has proved a real challenge to keep the service going with a number of rounds having not been completed due to staff absences.
“With more crews off again today we needed to take action now and suspending the service is the only realistic option available to us to keep everyone safe – something we’ve worked hard to avoid.
“Our workforce has done an amazing job over the past year and they’ve received much praise from the community and are grateful for your continued good wishes.”
Meanwhile, Lincolnshire County Council has agreed to extend their open days at the Household Recycling Centre on Bittern Way for the disposal of black-bagged general waste and recycling only.
The two extra days of opening are Wednesday and Thursday of this week and next, between the hours of 8am and 4pm.
Over 6,000 people living in and around the Scunthorpe have signed up to donate convalescent plasma after having coronavirus.
This comes as NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is appealing for more potential plasma donors ahead of an upcoming third trial.
Convalescent plasma is the antibody-rich plasma of people who’ve had coronavirus. This can be transfused into people who are struggling to develop their own immune response.
NHSBT wants more people in the area hitting the 28-day recovery mark to sign up.
Over 30 donations have so far been taken at the Scunthorpe donor centre at Berkeley House at Berkeley Business Centre on Doncaster Road, which opened in December last year.
People can register to donate online here and can donate 28 days after they’ve recovered from coronavirus.
The Lincolnshire centre is located at Berkeley House at Berkeley Business Centre on Doncaster Road in Scunthorpe. | Photo: NHSBT
NHSBT is collecting the plasma for new trials for older people or those with cancer to treat them early in the course of the infection.
Two earlier trials have now stopped for data analysis. The upcoming third trial’s focus will be on those with low immune systems and all donations are tested for COVID antibodies.
The NHS trials of convalescent plasma are the largest randomised controlled trials for this treatment of COVID-19.
Professor Dave Roberts, Associate Medical Director for Blood Donation at NHSBT, said: “More people than ever are now able to help – the time to donate is now.
“We especially need donations from people in Scunthorpe who’ve had hospital care. Men who had hospital care are around six times more likely to have the high antibody levels which might save lives.
“We have completed two trials and analysis is ongoing. We now need to collect plasma for further planned clinical studies. We’re particularly looking at high risk groups such as the elderly and people with cancer.
“Donations are vital to the ongoing lifesaving research, which gives us a better understanding of how we can best treat patients with COVID-19 and help prevent deaths in the future.”
Whatsapp
