< Previousnuisance if it flops over lawn edges or paving. Butespecially, try leaving any perennials that have tallstrong seed heads as they still provide a structuralelement to the border whereas a fully cut backsituation will be blank until the newshoots emerge. Don’t forget that thisdead foliage is part of the plant’s lifecycle - brown is still a colour after all! This practice also provides vital helpto our wildlife by giving beneficialinsects and mammals winter shelterand some seed heads to act asessential winter food for birds.Ornamental grasses such asMiscanthus have a real impact atthis time of the year with the flowerheads constantly changing fromtheir original colour fading to greyand straw tones, especially striking onsunny mornings with frost clinging tothe plumes.After the fantastic summer we have enjoyed, it’s easyto forget about the garden, but with a brave change ofgarden practice there can be interest through thecolder months for gardeners and an increased benefitfor wildlife. It is common practice at this time of year forus to cut everything down in theherbaceous border now the flowers arefinished and the stems are dying back,to make sure of a tidy outlook throughthe winter months. However, I am agreat believer in leaving as much deadfoliage in the border through the coldseason, as this provides protection forthe crown of the plant during theworst of weather and then protectsthe early shoots emerging fromsudden extreme weather in earlyspring.I’m not suggesting everything has to beleft, as some dead foliage can cause a30 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYGARDENSThe hiddenbeauty ofgardens inwinterAs the nights really draw in, the trees lose there last leavesand our perennial plants have finished flowering, so it is easyto start missing the summer garden. Our garden expert RobParry from Mill Farm Nursery, Middle Rasen, explains howthe jobs are far from over when winter comes.030-031:Layout 1 11/10/13 13:24 Page 1Five great perennials for summer andwinter interest •Cynara cardunculus•Eryngium xzabelii ‘Jos Eijking’•Eupatorium maculatum• Helenium ‘Moerheim Beauty’• Veronicastrum virginicum ‘Lavendeltrum’Five grasses for summer and winterinterest•Calamagrostis xacutifolia ‘Karl Foerster’•Deschampsia cespitosa ‘Goldtau’•Miscanthus sinensis ‘Malepartus’•Stipa lessingiana •Stipa giganteaJobs for this month•Prepare new borders ready for planting in spring•Mulch borderline hardy plants that stay outside•Plant tulip bulbs ready for a spring display•Plant bare root trees, hedging and rosesGARDENSStipa lessingianaCynara cardunculusLINCOLNSHIRETODAY31030-031:Layout 1 11/10/13 13:24 Page 2RIVER WITHAM AT 5 MILE BRIDGE32 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYLINCOLNSHIRE WALKSFISKERTON FROM THE RIVERSIDE PATHVIKING WAY SIGNPOSTJust north of Fiskerton, beside the Viking Way, is the former site of RAF Fiskerton, a WWIIairfield opened in 1943. An unusual feature was the installation of an experimental systemknown as FIDO - Fog Investigation Dispersal Operation. This comprised a system of pipesalongside runways through which thousands of gallons of petrol could be pumped everyminute and the burnt, hopefully to evaporate fog! All of which sounds quite dodgy! One ofthe last bombing operations from Fiskerton took lace on 25th April 1945 attackingBerchtesgarden, Hitler’s “Eagles Nest” hideaway in the Alps. The airfield was closedimmediately the war ended. Clearly visible from the Viking Way is the bizarre sight of“Nodding Donkeys” oil pumps at a small oilfield sited on the airfield. Oil was discovered herein November 1997 and production began in August the following year.The northernmost of nine abbeys in the Witham valley Barlings was founded aroundAD1154 by Premonstratensian monks (White Canons) - an order from Prémontré in France.The area’s remoteness attracted religious houses for it still had access to river transport fromthe wool trade, their principal source of income. Barlings escaped Henry VIII’s “Dissolution” in1536 but was closed the following year after the Lincolnshire Rising in which Abbot MatthewMackerel and six canons were implicated. Mackerel and four canons were hanged for treasonat Lincoln on 26th March. Around 1620 Sir Christopher Wray built a mansion at Barlings butby 1791 a visitor described how “they are daily carting away the stones” and nearby farmsand cottages are believed to be largely of ‘abbey’ stone. The site has several interpretationboards.The river Witham’s south bank once carried the Great Northern Railway’s main line fromLondon to the north built in 1848. When the river traffic was the principal mode oftransport there had been a bargee’s inn here, the Five Mile House, and it became part ofthe railway station. Five Mile Bridge itself, built in 1957, replaced a vehicle ferry, hencetoday’s to No Through Roads facing each other from opposite banks. The bridge providesfine river views to distant Lincoln cathedral.For many thousands of years the Witham valley to the east of Lincoln was largelyswampy reed beds an only in 1812 was the meandering river channel straighteneddownstream as far as Bardney. however the area has yielded a rich bounty ofarchaeological finds including weapons and dug-out boats. Local folklore says that thesewere sufficiently common to used on the village inn fire. Furthermore between the riverEXPLORINGON FOOTFISKERTON AND BARLING ABBEYSections of the Viking Way, plus country lanes and a riversidewalk combine to create this autumn walk from FiskertonLincolnshire032-033:Layout 1 11/10/13 13:03 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE WALKSBARLINGSABBEYFIVE MILE BRIDGELINCOLN FROM 5 MILE BRIDGEFACTFILESTART: Carpenter’s Arms, Fiskerton (GR050720)OS MAPS: Landranger 121 (Lincoln) • Explorer 272DISTANCES: 71⁄4miles / 11.5 kilometresREFRESHMENTS: Carpenter’s Armsand Fiskerton our walk passes the oldest site so far discovered. Althoughnothing is now visible above ground 195 buried wooden posts werefound in 2001 that were dated to around 450 BC. Their purpose remainsunclear although they were possibly a causeway or jetty of some sort andmany nearby finds of weapons, jewellery and tools, including Romanartifacts, may all have been votive (religious) offerings to the “Gods”. Areconstruction of the causeway, along with many of the finds, can be seenat “The Collection” museum at Lincoln.NOTES. Park at the Carpenter’s Arms by kind permission of the landlord,but please park to the rear. On Sundays park considerately elsewhere in thevillage as the inn is extra busy.THE ROUTE. Readers from the south of the county could park on thesouth bank of the Witham at Five Mile Bridge. (GR058715) Cross the bridge,turn left and initially follow the route guide from (*) below to the inn.From the inn carpark turn right through Fiskerton and in about half a mile,at the end of the village, bear left into Hall Lane. When this bends right keepahead along the signposted Viking Way, at first a short track but soon agrassy, hedged bridleway skirting the old airfield. It soon starts to veer rightan reaches a 3-way footpath sign, pointing right; keep ahead ignoring twomore signs - both pointing left. In a further 100 yards or so the path swingsright to a fourth 3-way sign.Now veer left having a hedge on your right, cross a footbridge into a largeopen field and keep forward for about a quarter of a mile. Then bear rightthrough a gap in trees to another 3-way signposting reading “Low Barlings 3⁄4mile”. Remember this! Head slightly right over a large arable field, a markedtrack shows the way, and beyond another footbridge continue besidehedges to reach a lane at Barlings. Go right for the abbey site, explore; thenreturn to the “Low Barlings 3⁄4miles” sign.Now turn left beside a hedge and at a footpath sign go through itcontinuing to Fen Farm and joining its access track. This shortly becomes aconcrete road that forms a junction with Hall Lane again.Turn right for a quarter of a mile to reach a footpath sign on the left bysome woods. Turn here and beyond the trees cross an arable field to a smallwood with a path leading to a road. Turn right, soon along a pavementand at the Old Tannery B&B cross into the lane opposite. On reaching theRiver Witham turn right along its embankment.(*) In half a mile cross a footbridge on the right over the North Delph.Follow the path ahead to a junction and turn left, then at a lane turn leftagain. At the main road simply turn right back to the inn.by Hugh MarrowsLINCOLNSHIRETODAY33032-033:Layout 1 11/10/13 13:03 Page 234 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYWILDLIFEWild harvestIt’s the time of the year when, as Iwrite, there are lots of bubbling pots onthe hob as jams and wines are beinglovingly created. I called on a friend’shouse recently and while in the kitchen Icould actually hear the pop-pop-popping as fresh elderberry wine wasfermenting and bubbling through theairlocks on five demijohn jars. I hopeyou are taking advantage of a family dayout gathering in this wonderful wild(and free) harvest.Elderberry wine is supposed to be sogood for you... and it is really is!Elderberry syrup seems to be somewhatof a dark horse in the health world. Whyis it so few are aware of the huge benefitsof elderberry wine and in particularelderberry syrup? In every study I’veseen, it always gets recommended fortackling colds and flu. You will beamazed at what healing properties this socalled ‘weed’ has to offer us.Right now, we’re in the middle of themigrating season for birds and there arelots of comings and goings. Wintervisitors such as the pink footed geese aretaking up their usual residences in theHumber, especially around Barton uponHumber and Read’s Island. Whilewatching various warblers feeding in thehawthorn hedges near the sea bank andmaking their way south for the winter Iheard that familiar call – the first geese ofthe season coming across the Humberfrom Spurn and settling in the fields nearDonna Nook. That was 8th September.That call from a flock of high flying wildgeese still makes the hair on the back ofmy neck stand on end.Redwings and fieldfares that havespent the summer months in Scandinaviawill be looking for your fallen apples anyday now. They just love to feed on fallenapples so if you can leave them on theground that will suit them just fine andadd extra interest in your garden.They also like berries and just look atthe hedgerows this year! Lovely bunchesof rowan, elderberries and hawthornberries. The brambles in my usual patchwere not so good this year. Maybe thesummer of 2013 was a bit of a fright forthem – it certainly surprised us.Bird of the MonthBird of the month has to be a rarecattle egret which took up residence nearTetney in early September, leaving at theend of the month to take up a newresidence on the Gibraltar Point naturereserve. It is still the only cattle egret inthe UK at the moment and so a very nicebird to see and photograph. There’s no hide needed, just pick a spotand wait until it eventually comes near.It’s always with the cattle because theyCountry DiaryColin Smale takes a look at Lincolnshire in the wild – and over thepage we look at his book!ElderberriesCattle Egret034-035:Layout 1 11/10/13 13:29 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY35WILDLIFEhave an abundance of flies on them andthe egret just reaches up and picks themoff. Occasionally it will have a change ofdiet and pluck a frog out of the reeds.Avian displayAre you ready for the annualCleethorpes wildlife spectacular? Duringlate October and into November dogwalkers, joggers and, yes, birdwatchersopposite the Leisure Centre are suddenlyconfronted with a real wildlife spectacularon a par with anything else in the worldin my opinion and it is right here on ourdoorstep. You may have seen those fantasticimages on TV of swarming starlings –these are various species of swarmingwaders. Unlike starlings which lookbasically black, waders tend to be whiteon their undersides and darker above. Asthese huge flocks of many thousandsswish through the skies, climbing,turning and diving, the whole flock keepschanging from dark to light.I love seeing and photographing thisevent. Unfortunately conditions forcapturing it on camera only last a coupleof weeks for getting the very bestimages. This is all to do with the tidesand sunsets and it is all very complicatedbut the best day to see this should beSunday 3rd November. High tide will beat 5.26pm and the birds should beswarming in the skies about 4pm. I thinkthis might be the best day this year tosee this event but remember these arewild birds. I hope they won’t let medown! The next best day will be Sunday17th November. High tide will be at5.30pm and the birds should bedisplaying around 4pm.To order copies of the photos on thesepages, visit www.fotolincs.com.034-035:Layout 1 11/10/13 13:29 Page 236 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYINTERVIEW WITH…Colin tells us, “I’ve been giving talksabout wildlife photography since theseventies and I often get asked the samequestions. Someone suggested I hadenough knowledge for a book, so I startedputting down a few questions. Then everytime I went out, I brought a notepad withme, so I’d be putting up a hide orsomething and think, ‘Oh, that’s a point’.Eventually I had enough tips and tricks fora book.”A Wildlife Journey is published in fourvolumes, and as Colin says, “It was goingto be one book but because of its size Isplit it up. As the title suggests, it’s allabout the journey and volume one featuresmy beginnings as a photographer. I hadn’texpected to include that but I ended uptalking about the problems I encountered –at one point getting a gun pointed at myhead!“Elsewhere, volume four, for example, isabout flight photography which everyonelikes – but you need to fine tune yourcamera in the same way a Formula 1 driverwould fine tune their car! A lot of peoplejust take the camera out of the box, pointit at a bird and then wonder why theycan’t get the best shot. It’s never easy butlearning about how to fine tune yourcamera, and your lenses, will make a realdifference.”Camera technology has certainly comeon in leaps and bounds since Colinstarted taking photos, but as he tells us,“A lot of people make an investment in anew camera, spending a thousandpounds or even more, but then keep it onauto, which won’t improve your picturesone bit. A camera is stuffed full oftechnology, and people don’t use thefeatures that are in it. You should decideon the type of picture you want and thenwork out how best to get it.“With wildlife photography, you can besat for hours with nothing happening andthen it all happens in maybe thirtyseconds. Were you ready?”A wildlife journeyOur wildlife correspondent ColinSmale inspires us each monthwith his fabulous photos – and weknow from our postbag that heinspires many of you to get yourcameras out and try and capturewildlife on camera. The problemis often how to get started,however, but if you’re afterinspiration, Colin provides a hostof valuable tips in his e-book, AWildlife Journey.Colin’s tipsand advice, gleanedover many years, will behugely valuable for anyonewho wants to capture the county’swildlife on film. A WildlifeJourney is available as an e-bookfrom Colin’s site atwww.fotolincs.com.036:Layout 1 11/10/13 12:36 Page 11stissues only £1Great reasonsto subscribe...Each issue is brimming with a diverse topic range...• Heritage • Fashion • Hair & Beauty • Leisure • Homes & Gardens • County Motoring • Dining Out • What’s On • Free Reader Giveaways and much much more…First 3 issues only £1!FREE delivery to your doorReceive your copy before it hits the shopsORDER FORMYes, I would like to subscribe to Lincolnshire Today magazinefor the next 12 months, with the first 3 issues only being £1.Personal Details:First name:Last Name:Address:Town:County: Post Code:Tel: Mobile:Email:Payment by DEBIT/CREDIT cardName as it appears on card:Type of card: Mastercard / Visa / Visa Debit / OtherCard Number:Card Verification number (3 digits on signature strip):Expiry Date:Amount Authorised:Cheque enclosed YES / NO Please post this form back to: Subscriptions,Lincolnshire Today Magazine, Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby. N.E. Lincolnshire DN31 2QEMake cheque payable to Business Link Magazine GroupCall now to subscribe on01472 310301 www.lincolnshiretoday.net/341orScan QR Code4Looking for a great Christmas gift idea?A gift Subscriptionis the perfect present that lasts all year round!Call 01472 310301 for your subscriptionTotal Price: £27.553£1037:Layout 1 11/10/13 12:31 Page 138 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYFASHIONThewowSamoon by Gerry WeberSamoon by Gerry Weber stands for casual, self-assured fashion for women with plus sizes.Curves are shown in a favourable light makingwomen feel comfortable and self-confident038-049:Layout 1 14/10/13 08:39 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY39FASHIONfactorWhether you’re aiming to catch someone’s eye orjust stand out at a special event, Lincolnshire’sretailers offer a host of fabulous fashion. As thenights draw in you can add some sparkle withthese beautiful outfits038-049:Layout 1 14/10/13 08:39 Page 2Next >