< Previous...timetotalktoTimetoMove?Your mobile operator may charge data usage for scanning QR codes, please ensure you have the appropriate data plan. Images typical of Redrow homes. Prices correct at time of going to print. Help to Buy (part ofHomeBuy Direct) is a Government backed initiative in partnership with housebuilders. *Shows price with 20% loan assistance. Available on selected plots, subject to status, terms and conditions. Help to Buy cannotbe used in conjunction with any other scheme. It is highly advised, for a swift, smooth transaction that an IFA/Solicitor advised by Redrow Homes is used. Offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other Redrowoffer. Images typical of Redrow homes. Prices correct at time of going to press. YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON A MORTGAGE OR ANY OTHER DEBT SECURED ONIT. CHECK THAT THIS MORTGAGE WILL MEET YOUR NEEDS IF YOU WANT TO MOVE OR SELL YOUR HOME OR YOU WANT YOUR FAMILY TO INHERIT IT. IF YOU ARE IN ANY DOUBT, SEEK INDEPENDENT ADVICE. Kirk’s Paddock –Caspian Crescent, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire DN33 3SU. Open Thurs to Mon, 10am –5.30pmRedrow homes are built with Pride and are a Joy to live inredrow.co.uk/kirksCall: 01472 485120Get Help to Buy in Grimsby3 and 4 bedroom family homes from £164,950Pay only £131,960*with Help to BuyPay only 80% of the price of a brandnew home up front and own 100%Plus –only 5% deposit required028-033:Layout 1 15/4/13 09:49 Page 3LINCOLNSHIRETODAY31GRIMSBY & CLEETHORPESsuccess, which organisers Lake Marketing and Events and CrepeLucette hope to repeat. The theme for the event, which takes placeat Cleethorpes’ Meridian Park on 14th and 15th September is“Around the World and Home Again”, and it aims to showcase localproduce as well as bringing in different foods and cultures fromaround the world. During the event, there will be cookery demonstrations from well-known celebrity chefs over both days of the festival, along withmusic influences from around the world. The event also aims toshow people that cooking good, healthy food needn’t be difficult orexpensive and that there are alternatives to the ready meal.Organiser Steve Rusling says, “We want to bring the festival back tothe area to showcase what North East Lincolnshire food producerscan offer.” There’ll be more about this fantastic event in LincolnshireToday in the build-up.The Food Festival will serve as the climax to a fabulous summer ofentertainment in the area. Last year the Diamond Jubilee and theOlympic Games – which saw the torch travel along the streets ofGrimsby and Cleethorpes seafront – made for a fabulous summer,despite the weather, and there was a danger than this summerwould be something on an anti-climax. However this year marks the150th anniversary of the railway arriving in Cleethorpes.As luck would have it, this anniversary coincides with a spell whenrail services into the area are being disrupted due to the landslip inHatfield, and sadly it’s thought that the line, which connects the areato Doncaster and from there to the rest of the UK, may not be fullyopen until the autumn, which means several more months of thedreaded replacement bus service. Nevertheless, the anniversary is stillworth celebrating, as it was the arrival of the railways – in the dayswhen a car was untold luxury, of course – that saw the foundation ofthe area as a leading holiday resort, and the explosion of visitorsfrom far and wide.32 Above: Traditional architecture such as Cleethorpes’ beautifully restored Register Officeillustrates a resort that pays tribute to its pastRight: The Duchess of Cambridge’s recent visit to Grimsby, including the NationalFishing Heritage Centre, shone the spotlight on the good things going on in the areaESTATE AGENTS“A woman’sgotta do whata woman’s gotta do”…but when it comes to sellingyour Property, ask the professionals.Joy Walker Estate Agents offer the highestquality service and attention. Our dedicatedsales team work in partnership with you tocreate an individually tailored marketingplan for your property.We pride ourselves on ourprofessionalism and this isacknowledged by our membershipof both the Ombudsman of EstateAgents and the NationalAssociation of Estate Agents.Contact us now to arrange a FREEno obligation valuation of your propertyand experience the Joy Walker way.Leaving you free to enjoy the finerthings in life! Joy Walker Estate Agents Ltd58 St. Peters Avenue, Cleethorpes, DN35 8HP Telephone: 01472 200818 Email: info@joywalker.co.uk www.joywalker.co.uk028-033:Layout 1 15/4/13 09:49 Page 4TWINKLES FANCYDRESS HIRE AND SALES½price fancydress for theCleethorpescarnival.01472 200127 twinklesfancydress@hotmail.co.uk513 Grimsby Road, Isaacs Hill, DN35 8ANwww.twinklesfancydress.com32 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYThe 150th anniversary is being marked with 150 events in thearea this summer, some on a small-scale but a number ofextravaganzas which will provide vibrant excitement throughmost weeks this summer. The Cleethorpes Carnival, is thecentrepiece, but watch out at other times for the fantastic Festivalof Flight over the last weekend in July, the forties weekend on10th and 11th August with live entertainment and vintagevehicles, the Jazz Festival at the end of June with dozens of topnames and the popular events such as Pride, the Scooter Rallyand the numerous special occasions at the beautiful Coast LightRailway. With everything from an International Mela to the HipHop Festival, there really is something for everyone.The return of the Carnival, thanks to the combined efforts oflocal people and local businesses, is a great showcase for thecommunity spirit that permeates through Grimsby andPHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/GLYN SWANSONCleethorpes’ sands remain adraw for many, but there’s muchmore to discover028-033:Layout 1 15/4/13 09:49 Page 5LINCOLNSHIRETODAY33GRIMSBY & CLEETHORPESCleethorpes and can be seen everywhere youlook. Elsewhere in this issue, writer JohnOsborne discusses his first trip to Cleethorpessince his childhood holidays and how impressedhe was with the tireless efforts of the localpeople to create a vibrant and bustlingenvironment that pays tribute to its past butlooks to the future, even out of season.Indeed the local venues, attractions andbusinesses have all worked together andcontributed to ensure that the area continues toget its message across despite governmentcutbacks whittling away at the tourism budget,with this year’s promotional material comingabout thanks to collaboration between thewhole community. At the launch of thesummer’s promotion, Councillor Chris Shaw,Chairman of Tourism at North East Lincolnshire,told us, “We’ve got something to offereveryone. We have a vibrant nightlife but wealso have plenty to attract families to the area aswell. It’s all about getting everyone involved.”His colleague Sue Marshall points out that theCouncil actually had no budget for this year’sbrochure but the combined efforts of theTourist Information Centre and local businesseshave ensured that one has been published andcovered all its costs. She says, “All the localbusinesses involved have been veryforthcoming, they all wanted to be involvedand they’re all contributed.“I think Cleethorpes is a hidden gem and onethat shouldn’t remain hidden. We get the regularvisitors from South Yorkshire who come everyyear, but if you look at the lovely shops in SeaView Street and the café culture, a lot of the areais very sophisticated. I don’t think we shouldever lose sight of the fact we’re a seaside resort,but there is another side to it which means it’sstill vibrant even in the winter.”The dedication of all those working andliving in Grimsby and Cleethorpes to promotethe area’s charms to the wider world is hugelyencouraging and the packed programme ofevents this summer help illustrate how there’splenty on offer to suit all tastes. While it may beslightly less convenient to get here over theThe 150thanniversary is beingmarked with 150 eventsin the area this summer,some on a small-scale buta number of extravaganzaswhich will provide vibrantexcitement throughmost weeks thissummer.next few months, those that make the trip willfind a consistently surprising area.Carnival time again!Last year it seemed as we’d be sayinggoodbye to the Cleethorpes Carnival. The eventhad been dominating the streets of the resortevery summer since 1976 and at one point wasthe largest parade of its kind in the whole ofEurope. However, with budgets seeminglytighter than ever, the Council announced theywouldn’t be able to commit to the event in2013, and so there was a bittersweet edge tothe family fun last year.Fast forward twelve months, and the Carnivalis back! As we mention elsewhere in thesepages, the community spirit in Cleethorpes istruly exceptional and the Carnival’s return in2013 is thanks to one of the area’s leadingemployers, seafood giant Young’s, who aresponsoring the event and have helped securethe future of the summertime staple.The Carnival, which this year takes place onSaturday 20th July, is certainly a sight to behold.The parade brings together local residents,businesses and charities and almost every inchof the four and a half mile route from SidneyPark to the Meridian Park Arena is lined withwildly enthusiastic crowds. Happily it’s an eventthat almost always seems to coincide with thatoften rare sight of a Lincolnshire summer, brightsunshine, but spirits never seemed to bedampened even when the skies are gloomy. Thefun of the Carnival seems to have that effect onpeople.As well as the parade itself, those waitingalong the route regularly enjoy liveentertainment and the event serves as thecentrepiece of the summer of events in the area.Over the years the event has supported manylocal community groups, as well as creatingnumerous arts and community projects throughparticipation. The community spirit continues asall money collected during the parade beingshared between participating groups and thecarnival fund itself in an effort to make it acompletely sustainable event.028-033:Layout 1 15/4/13 09:49 Page 6Living theDREAM?There comes a time in one’s life when the yearning to own your ownboat and sail (or in my case cruise) off into the sunsetovertakes the logical part of your brain - or at least that’sthe case with this normally financially savvy reporter. good for small boats that’ll live yearround in the water. As mine would beused in fresh water mainly andoverwintered out of water, a stern drivewould be fine and there seems a widerchoice in the size I want - around 30 feetlong. My search uncovers everything fromdusty, ramshackle old tubs through togleaming, luxurious models, some ofwhich I’m sorely tempted to spend tentimes my budget on, but stay strong forthe sake of my marriage! In the end weopt for a 28ft Bayliner which seems somuch roomier down below than its34 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYON THE WATERIt was one of those now or nevermoments – the kids grown up, themortgage paid off and a bit of a healthscare that made me sit up and think,“Life’s not a dress rehearsal for the realthing and if we don’t do it now, wemight not be able to in a few years… sowhat the heck, let’s go for it.”Now, I must confess my onlyexperience at sea has been either on acruise liner or small rigid inflatable duringmy diving days, many years ago. So,where do you start once you decide totake the plunge in becoming arecreational skipper? Well, the thought of learning how tohandle all those ropes and sails doesn’tappeal, so a motor boat is the naturalchoice – that said there’s a bewilderingchoice available. Over 80 manufacturers,from Bayliners through to Cranchis,Sealines, Sunseekers and Princesses. Sizesvary from around 20 feet long through toover 80 feet and budgets run fromaround £15,000 on the used marketthrough to billionaire type budgets. Asbrave as I’m feeling, I figure an entrylevel budget of around £30,000 will buyme something half decent to learn in thatwe can play andparty on and that’llsleep sixcomfortablyshould we havetoo many G&Ts!Internet reviewsturn out to be a bustas everyone eitherwaxes lyrical, or despisestheir boat because they’vepresumably bought a dud – abit like car searches in many ways. Idismiss new boats as I’ve never beenfond of lining the VAT man’s pockets andwant more ‘bang for my buck’.Besides, a used boat has the advantageof having been out there banging aroundon the waves, so anything that’s gonewrong will most likely have already doneso and been sorted by the manufacturer.And, even if my purchase does turn outto be a mid-life misjudgement, it will bea mid-life misjudgement that costs lessthan half as much!The next decision then is outboard orstern drive. The basic difference is that anoutboard can be lifted up out of thewater; stern drives can’t so the former is034-035:Layout 1 15/4/13 08:44 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY35counterparts and offers the styling,practicality and performance we’relooking for within our budget.A quick test drive reveals my boat skillsare a bit rusty - the water seems so muchfurther away than when I took my boathandling course in a RIB (ridgedinflatable). In fact, my wife can visibly seemy knees knocking and unconsciouslytightens her life jacket. But, I’m soon outand cruising the inland waterways, whichis serene. The Bayliner handles this withease but it’s out on the waves where itreally comes into its own. The powerfulV8 engine roars into life and we’re soonbanging across wave after wave with seaspray cascading off the bow (that’s thepointy bit for any landlubbers out there).It’s not the sort of boat I’d fancy takingout on rough waters but it certainlyhandles well enough on a ‘normal’ dayand confirms it’s a sailors life for me. Even my wife now seems to havereduced her grip on the chrome barsenough for the blood to circulate againand has a smile on her face as the windcourses through her hair. Back at the marina a few hours later,we’re blessed with a rare burst ofsunshine and can’t resist opening a bottleto seal the deal (all subject to survey ofcourse, which I’m pleased to say goesswimmingly). Now, we’re looking forward to ablazing hot summer. Lazy days onLincolnshire’s water ways and blowingthe cobwebs away out at sea – it’s easyto see why more and more people aretaking to the waters, it’s a great way tomeet new friends, as well as enjoying thethrill of the ride; not to mention a fewG&Ts. DECK PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/RISTESKI GOCE • CABIN PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/ISABELLA PFENNINGER •MAINPHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/LUIGI NIFOSI034-035:Layout 1 15/4/13 08:45 Page 2SCULPTURE SEAT AT THE LAGOONFreiston Shore actually has quite a long history. The earliest sea banks are traditionallythought to be Roman but may only be mediaeval. Initially the Saxons in the mid C5thprobably settled the area when the coastline was probably about a mile inland from the RSPBcarpark. The area was badly affected by the “Great Flood” of 1810 and there were failedreclamation schemes in the 1850s and 1870s. Most reclamation therefore has been relativelyrecent – from the 1930s onwards.However from the mid 18th Century Freiston Shore had become a popular seaside resortoften referred to as the “Brighton of Lincolnshire”. There were two hotels with around ahundred bedrooms in total between them and regular coach services ran from Boston toserve them. The Plummer’s Hotel (originally called the Coach and Horses and then theAnchor Inn) took its present name from the family that ran it and it is still there andoccupied, though it is not now a hotel. Nearby was The Marine – still there too, but in ruins!The Plummer’s had a bridge projecting from its upper story onto the sea bank, and thereare modern replacements still for residents to reach their gardens! Immediately beyond thebridge was then the beach and by the 1840’s horse racing was a regular feature there;although presumably only when the tide was out, for it lapped up to the bank – withinyards of the hotel - as late as 1908. Freiston’s popularity declined as a resort however oncethe railways reached Skegness in 1873.During WWII, much of Lincolnshire’s coastline was commandeered for defence purposesand many fortifications from that time remain between the Humber and the Wash. Someof the largest (and best preserved) structures however are at Freiston. A few yards beyondthe Plummer’s there are substantial 6-inch gun emplacements, ammunition stores,accommodation / sleeping quarters and numerous lookout pillboxes.The RSPB established their reserve here in 2000 and two years later, as part of theWash Banks Scheme, the outer sea bank to the northeast was breached in three places,partly to extend the reserve by creating additional salt marsh but also as a flood defencemechanism. In recent years too the reserve has been extended southwards with thecreation of almost 200 acres of wetland area with its own reservoir / lagoon and small36 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYLINCOLNSHIRE WALKSEXPLORINGON FOOTFREISTON SHORE AND CUT ENDIn acknowledgement of this month’s coastal theme our walkexplores the RSPB reserve at Freiston Shore. Along withsome bracing sea air we discover some World War II historyand a “lost” racecourse too!THE SEAS BANK MEMORIALPLUMMERS HOTEL FROMTHE RESERVOIRLincolnshire036-037:Layout 1 15/4/13 09:07 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY37LINCOLNSHIRE WALKSTHE WETLANDS FROMTHE GUN TURRETTHE LAGOON FROM THESEA BANKWWII SIX INCH GUN EMPLACEMENTTHE RESERVOIR HIDEhide. This part of the Wash is a SSSI and the whole reserve (lagoons,wetland and salt marsh) currently extends to nearly 2000 acres.The longer walk also visits the Lincolnshire Bird Club hide at Cut End.This remote spot is a wonderful bird watching location with extensive viewsacross the Boston Haven (the Witham outfall), that of the River Welland andacross The Wash - itself one of England’s premier salt marsh habitats. Thetwo-storey hide opened in 1987 and was refurbished in 2009.On the way to Cut End is the sea bank memorial to the inmates of NorthSea Camp prison who began its construction in 1936. The camp had openedthe previous year and so this must have been one of the prisoner’s firstprojects resulting in the reclamation of some 500 acres of land. One mustwonder however if any of them would have understood the ratherpretentious part of the dedication written in Latin!NOTES.The reserve is signposted from the A52 via Freiston. Warning –there are no toilets at Freiston Shore!THE ROUTE.From the carpark return to the entrance ramp; there are twooptions here. To follow the RSPB Wetland Trail keep ahead on the concreteroad below the inner sea bank. Better – and grassy underfoot – is to turn lefton the public footpath at the top of the ramp. This runs through a series ofgates and gardens behind the Plummer’s Hotel and provides close-up accessto the WWII gun emplacements etc. Walkers following the road should proceed for a good mile to reach theboundary gates of North Sea Camp prison. Those on the bank top shouldcontinue until the road and bank part company; the bank veering right andthe road below going left. You can descend to a kissing gate at this point.Alternatively stay on the bank until you see the prison gates (below left) anddrop down to a stile.Both route now follow a grass track to steps up the outer sea bank. Onceon the bank top the short route turns left back towards the RSPB lagoons.The main route however goes right for about a mile (each way!) to the birdhide at Cut End. Clearly visible, and only about 300 yards away, is thememorial. Walk just to that or the full distance to Cut End.Retrace your steps back along the outer bank and stay on it until a path isseen descending leftwards by the southern edge of the reserve lagoon backto the carpark via the RSPB hide. Alternatively proceed another few yards andthen bear left on a path around the northern shore of the lagoon. When thisreaches some steps on the left follow the path along the inner bank past theMarine Hotel ruins to reach the carparkby Hugh MarrowsFACTFILESTART: RSPB carpark, Freiston Shore (GR 397424)SAT-NAV: PE22 0LYDISTANCE: 3½ or 5½ miles • 5.5 or 9 kilometresMAPS : OS Landranger 131 • Explorer 261(The last few yards to Cut End are shown on OS Explorer 249.)REFRESHMENTS: (Nearest) In Freiston village •The Bull & Dog and the King’s Head036-037:Layout 1 15/4/13 09:07 Page 238 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYFASHIONGantGant outfits offer the quintessentialbackdrop for a carefree summer bythe sea. The perfect pair of sandals,washed shorts and a wrinkled poplinshirt are ideal for lazy summer days,while a pair of cotton chinos and astriped tank gets your evening ready.Earning yourstripes038-047:Layout 1 15/4/13 10:18 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY39FASHIONThe nautical influence on fashion is particularly notable this spring. Light,fresh outfits make for a fabulous look even if you don’t have any sea legs.Bold primary colours such as yellow, red, orange, sky blue and indigo aregrounded against sharp white and fabrics are comfortably cool like cottonpoplin and satin, heavily washed for a relaxed worn-in feel.038-047:Layout 1 15/4/13 10:18 Page 2Next >