< PreviousEnjoy a warm and welcoming environment in BostonFirst class restaurant, serving quality foodAre you are looking to put on a private function in the Boston area? You can takeadvantage of our superb private function facilities to make your wedding, birthday,funeral or other special event a memorable experience.Bricklayers ArmsWainfleet Road, Old Leake, BostonTel: 01205 870 657www.bricklayersarmsboston.co.uk• Locally Sourced Good Quality Food •• Family & Dog Friendly • Bed & Breakfast •SPECIAL OFFERS* * * * *Carvery on Sunday andWednesday 12-3* * * * *Weekly lunchtime special2 courses £6.50* * * * *Monday from 5pm BOGOF* * * * *Thursday is Steak Night* * * * *Tuesday and Wednesdaybuy one get one half price* * * * *Friday is Fish Night60 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYThe Humber Royal Hotel,Littlecoates Road, GrimsbyTel: 01472 240024Website: thehumberroyalhotel.co.uk Here at the Humber RoyalHotel we have a selection ofChristmas party nights tochoose from - perfect forthat work or family gettogether - but hurry as theyare filling up fast. We also have festivelunches served daily fromthe end of Novemberonwards and some specialSanta Sunday lunches.The award winning Gingerbread House is a fantastic tea room in Humberston, offering a warm welcome and more importantly the best tea and coffee in the area. We have a wonderful menu for you all to enjoy, with a large selection ofhomemade cakes and pastries and not forgetting a menu for the little ones too.The Gingerbread House really is the place to be, come and enjoy our food and have abrowse in our library or have some retail therapy.The Cloisters, Church Lane, Humberston (formerly Humberston Library)Tel: 01472 456959 Email: humberstonhub@yahoo.co.ukOpen:Mon-Fri 09.00 - 17.00 Sat 09.30-16.00 Sun 10.00-15.30A traditionalteam roomwith adifference97, High Road Weston, Spalding,Lincolnshire, PE12 6RArestaurant@thechequers.pubwww.thechequers.pubTel: 01406 370407Open: Wednesday to SaturdayLunchtime/Evening & Sunday LunchThe Chequers of Weston delivers a relaxed pubatmosphere, couple with a high quality dining experience.Locally sourced good honest foodVisit our website for further details and special offerswww.thechequers.pubChristmas PartyBookings arenow being taken,call for detailsand to make areservation.54-60_Layout 1 18/10/2017 09:59 Page 7Two of Lincolnshire’s biggest strengthsare its glorious municipalities and itssuperior produce. At The Masons ArmsHotel we had plenty of both. My starteralone was a love letter to the county andits many culinary delights. Honey andmustard chipolatas were servedalongside sundried tomatoes andwatercress in an adorable pan withhouse bread on the side. The swell offlavours ranged from the subtle to thespicy, with the honey and mustardswirling in perfect harmony. Tomatoes took centre stage for mypartner’s first course, with the heritagetomato tartlet. The shortcrust pastryalone was cause for celebration, thoughthe filling itself was a revelation, stuffedfull of an assortment of tomatoes it was arefreshing way to begin our meal. Such attention is heaped upon superioringredients and presentation at TheMasons Arms Hotel & Restaurant that onejust wants to stop and marvel at the dishbefore tucking in (provided they can resist,of course). This was evidence by my main,a flavour sensation of crab and chillispaghetti with shellfish cream, heritagetomatoes and roasted peppers. This was aslice of sunshine from Spain, come to warmus in its glow as we approach England’slong winter. It was creamy without everbeing overdone, tasted of the oceanwithout ever entering overly salty territory,and all terrifically presented besides. My partner, ever the carnivore, opted forsteak. Now, I know what you’re thinking, asteak’s a steak right? Not so. This was aLincolnshire rib eye dry aged for 35 days. Ifthat alone wasn’t enough to convince of itssuperiority, then trust the skill of the chefsthat elevated this delicious cut to greatness.The steak was superb, well-seasoned andpaired with a pepper sauce. Theaccompanying roasted vegetables were awelcome counterpart that enhanced themeat rather than detract from it. By the time dessert had come around, Iwas quietly confident I could haveaccommodated another main. That is untilI saw the sweet options on offer. Unableto resist anything citrusy, I immediatelyopted for the lemon tart. The sorbet andraspberries added another dimension tothe zingy tart, with the meringue chipsadding a touch of simple sweetness. Mypartner, eager to indulge his sweet tooth,plumped for the chocolate fondant withstrawberry ice cream. It was a delightfulend to the meal – warm and gooey anddefinitely decadent. A good class of food, but at a reasonableprice, excellent service and a stylish décorcombine to make the Masons Arms Hotel agreat place for a lunch, dinner or pre-dinner drinks at Habits Cocktail Bar. Formore information, or to book a table,visit www.the-masons-arms.com or call01507 621 200.The Masons Arms Hotel, LouthLouth needs little introduction, being as it is a picturesque market town against beautifullulling country, but that alone doesn’t prepare one for the light and airy appeal of thetown’s Mason Arms Hotel, an eatery with charm, style and quality service. LINCOLNSHIRETODAY61FOOD & DINING61_Layout 1 18/10/2017 09:27 Page 1With his qualifications in tow, Chris leftSkegness to work both ski and summerseasons which, he says, were “the bestyears of my life”. From there he travelledand gained a plethora of newexperiences working in New Zealand,integrating with a proud and vibrantfood culture. You can take the lad out of Skegness,but never the town from the lad, andChris returned after his stint abroad andthen eventually to Leeds where he haslaid his hat for the last decade. Here heevolved his career, technique and abilityat a variety of bighotels andrestaurants including worker underformer Michelin star chef JonBentham. Chris describes this periodas “cooking some amazing food andconstantly learning”. At present Chris couldn’t be happier.“Now I’ve returned to work inLincolnshire – at the Oaklands – andI’m enjoying it immensely,” he tells us,“from growing herbs and fruit in ourgarden to using local products –especially a lot of fresh fish from thedocks – and turning them into somefantastic dishes.” For this month’s ‘My County, My Kitchen’ we sat down withChris Davey, new Head Chef of The Comfy Duck, at theBest Western Oaklands Hall Hotel in Laceby. Here he givesus the lowdown on his entry into the culinary world andshares a signature dish. Meet the chef62 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYFOOD & DININGVisit the Comfy Duck on Barton Street, Grimsby.Call 01472 872248 or visit www.thecomfyduck.co.uk.Chris grew up in Skegness where it’salmost impossible not to be steeped inthe coastal town’s seafood heritage.Education comes in many guises andwhile Chris didn’t enjoy the formalityof a school setting, he loved cookingwith his mum from an early age. Withschool happily behind him, Chrissecured an apprenticeship at a hotel inSkegness where he trained andundertook his head chef supervision. “I will always remember getting £30a week to start for 40 hours,” he tellsus. 62-63_Layout 1 18/10/2017 09:28 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY63FOOD & DININGMethod:MonkfishMix together a pinch of five spice, cumin, coriander seeds and paprika with a tsp ofolive oil and marinade the monkfish for 12 hours. Seal fish in a hot pan, turning when lightly brown.Finish fish with butter and baste until fish is pure white all the way through.Sweet potato pureePeel and chop one sweet potato. Braise in coconut milk until soft.Blend together until smooth and season with salt and pepper to taste.Onion bhajiThinly slice the onion and add to the beaten egg. Add 2 tbsp of plain flour, a pinch ofcoriander seeds and ground cumin.Mix to form a thick batter.Fry the bhaji until golden on all sides.Braised chicoryCut one head of chicory into four.Braise in vegetable stock until soft.Mint yoghurtMix chopped fresh mint into 100g of plain yogurt. Ingredients: Fillet of monk fishPinch of five spice, ground cumin,coriander seeds and paprika 1tsp olive oil Butter1 sweet potatoCoconut milk1 large onion1 egg2tbsp plain flour 1 head of chicory Vegetable stock100g plain yogurtFresh mintSpiced monkfish with sweet potato puree,onion bhaji, braised chicory and minted yoghurt62-63_Layout 1 18/10/2017 09:28 Page 2LincolnshireheritageexploredIn October we featured the history of Horncastleand made brief mention of its branch line railway.Many Lincolnshire rural lines have been lost entirelybut the Horncastle & Woodhall Junction Railway (H& WJR) has been more fortunate. Here we look inmore detail at its history and its second “life” as aleisure and cultural amenity.The Horncastle canal had opened in 1802 butlike many others eventually suffered once acompeting railway was built. In this instance theyran cheek by jowl for the last 2½ miles intoHorncastle town with termini only a few yardsapart. The Great Northern Railway’s (GNR) linefrom London to the north had opened in 1848,and ran alongside the River Witham to Lincolnwith a station by the ferry at Kirkstead. Thisstation also served Woodhall, then a small spavillage with growing popularity, but needing astation of its own especially after pump and bathhouses were built in 1838. A branch lineextending to Horncastle was an obviouslyattractive idea.Of several suggestions for a railway toHorncastle during the 1840’s none came tofruition. It was only in 1853 that the H & WRCompany was formed. (Sometimes called theHorncastle & Kirkstead Junction Railway.) An Actof Parliament authorised construction in July thefollowing year and general and shareholdersmeetings were held at The Bull Hotel inHorncastle. Building began in March 1855 and450 navvies built the 7½ miles line, costingaround £57,000, in six months. It opened on17th August 1855 – it should have been the11th but there was a few days delay caused bysoil subsidence - to great celebrations. AllHorncastle’s schools were closed, with thechildren each receiving a free bun, and therewere parades and banquets. The line wasoperated from the outset by the GNR whobore the operating costs but shared theincome 50/50 with the H & WJR. There werethree Stations; the substantial one already atThis month we explore one ofLincolnshire’s “lost” railwaysand its revived fortunes.64-65_Layout 1 18/10/2017 09:29 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY65builder’s yard and a tyregarage have replaced the station. There islittle left now of the original infrastructure.Kirkstead station survives as a privatehome but both Woodhall and Horncastlestations have disappeared – the latterbeing demolished in 1985. Crossingkeeper’s cottages survive at Abbey Lane,Kirkstead and Thornton Lodge and thereis a fine overbridge near Martin at theline’s highest point. “In memoriam” therailway features on one of Woodhall Spa’svillage signs.Following closure however the H & WJRis unusual in having experienced a secondlease of life as a leisure amenity.Lincolnshire CC created the Spa Trail in1975 and the Viking Way wasinaugurated the following year, bothfollowing the trackbed. The Spa Trail hasmore recently also become an outdoorsculpture gallery and has severalinformation boards on railway history too.The majority of the sculptures are alongthe Sandy Lane to Thornton Lodgesection and feature Lincolnshire artists,and since much of this section adjoinsRevesby Estate land, once owned by SirJoseph Banks, there is a natural historybackground to some of the sculptures. AKirkstead (re-named WoodhallJunction in 1922), a halt atWoodhall that was rebuilt as aproper station with two platformsin 1896, and the terminus atHorncastle. Business was profitable from the startsince within two months of opening 1,600passengers used the line in one week. Theline was particularly busy during theHorncastle sheep and horse fairs whenhundreds of animals - commodities thecanal could not carry - would be carrieddaily. For many years there were alsothrough, direct carriages to London,detached from main line trains atPeterborough or Boston. The lineremained profitable until 1923 when it wasabsorbed into the LNER.Inevitably business declined, particularlyafter WWII, and passenger services endedon 13th September 1954 just elevenmonths before the line would havecelebrated its centenary. Goods trainshowever continued to run until 5th April1971. The line’s course is still easily traced onOS maps and much remains accessible towalkers. From Kirkstead to Woodhall it ison private land but in Woodhall it can bepicked up in Bugden’s supermarket carparkin Tattershall Road. Immediately opposite apublic footpath runs behind Royal Squareinto Clarence Road and Station Roadwhere there was a level crossing leading tothe station behind the shops in Broadway.The station site is now a carpark fromwhich the former track can be followedout of town as the co-incident Spa Trailand Viking Way (but with a detour roundthe golf course) to reach Sandy Lane atRoughton. It can then be followed all theway to Horncastle where new houses, a“Leaping Deer” and “Otter” are by NigelSardeson from Potterhanworth whilst thecurious “Seed Pod” seats (they really aretoo comfortable to resist!) were carved byHelena Stylianides from Lincoln. As theline forms part of the Viking Way theAnwick Forge has installed an impressiveViking longboat near Martin Bridge whilstMaxim Griffin from Louth has createdmile-markers from blocks of Italianlimestone resembling stylised Vikingwarriors. Other spectacular sculptures ingalvanised steel by Anwick Forge have abotanical theme in recognition of SirJoseph Banks’s career and discoveries onhis voyage to Australia with Captain Cook.There are Australasian flora and fauna,also English native woodland and waterplants, and birds.Thus does the C19th H&WJR now formpart of our C21st heritage. Readerswishing to know more should try the LostRailways of Lincolnshire (Stewart Squires:Castlemead Press) and the H & WJR (A.Ludlam: Oakwood Press) Though bothbooks are now rare!by Hugh Marrows64-65_Layout 1 18/10/2017 09:29 Page 266 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYFamed for their hoot and call, tawny owls are muchmore vocal this time of year with their squawking youngleaving their parents’ territories in search of their own.The average distance younglings will travel, is some twomiles, though two thirds won’t reach maturity. Despite that, tawny owls have exquisite spatialmemories, certainly compared to that of otherbirds. This coupled with strong territorialinclinations and what is rather asedentary lifestyle, it’s easy to seehow they retain a robustknowledge of where to findprey and roosting areas intheir lands. Although they have theirprey mapped out, tawnyowls aren’t what one couldcall a fussy eaters. In fact,they’ll gobble just aboutanything, from smallmammals, birds and bats, tochomping down on earthworms.Like all owls, they are incrediblyadept hunters, with their round heartshaped faces directing sound waves to theirears. This directional hearing allows it to pinpoint its preywith enviable accuracy. Their short wing span also affordsthem ample manoeuvrability to hunt and silentmovement to sneak up on its prey. Also with other owls,the tawny can’t digest bones and fur and instead coughthem up in pellets, which can be found littering villagesand rural areas. Britain’s largest common owl, tawnies are the charming brown birdfound across our woodlands, parks and gardens, whose distinctivecall punctuates autumnal nights.LincolnshirewildlifeDespite what Shakespeare claimed, tawny owls don’tmake the ‘twit twoo’ call. Experts believe that it was aromantic conflation of the female and male calls –‘ke-wick’ and ‘hoo-hoo-ooo’ respectively. Folklore has evenpainted the hoot of an owl as an omen of death, thoughwe’d argue that it is more indicative of the charm ofrural England than bereavement. With the abundance of beautifulwoodland across Lincolnshire, tawnyowls are widespread across thecounty, though you’ll be hardpressed to find them. Thoughthey are easy to identify bytheir call, they’re moredifficult to try and spy.With their distinctivemottled grey or reddishbrown colouration, andlarge head and dark, nearobsidian eyes, the tawny owlhas excellent camouflaged intrees and woodland. Add to thatthe fact the bird is nocturnal, and willonly make an appearance during the dayif disturbed, and you can see why you could goyears without ever seeing one. Birdwatchers can keep aneye out for gatherings of pellets to track down roostingspots. From November onwards, tawny owls are busyestablishing breeding territories for the season ahead, andwill continue to add its distinctive call into the chillynight.© Shutterstock / Mark Bridger 66-67_Layout 1 18/10/2017 09:31 Page 1© Shutterstock / davemhuntphotography LINCOLNSHIRETODAY6766-67_Layout 1 18/10/2017 09:31 Page 268 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYCOUNTY MOTORINGNot just because manufacturers pullout all the stops for this one, but alsobecause it gives us a chance to catch upon different manufacturers’ latestshowroom-ready production models andget a glimpse of future plans. You might think it’s just an excuse for ajolly but believe me, as glitzy as it mightseem, getting around twelve halls inthree days, just once, is hard work. Butit's all worth it to be able to bring readersthe very latest on what’s hot and what’snot.All-new Continental GT Commenting on its unveiling,Chairman and CEO, Wolfgang Dürheimer,said: “Today is a defining moment forBentley Motors. Today we build on ourrecent success story and look to thefuture with a new car that will set newstandards in luxury grand touring. Todaywe introduce a car that is the ultimate inextraordinary design, technology andinnovation.”“When Bentley launched the originalContinental GT in 2003 it established anentirely new market segment – themodern luxury grand tourer. Today, I’mconvinced that we are redefining thissegment again. It is an honour to replacea car that has – for 14 years – been thebenchmark against which all other grandtourers are judged.” The third generation of the legendaryBentley Continental GT is designed,engineered and handcrafted in GreatBritain, ensuring the highest levels ofattention to detail, artistry and cutting-edge technology are blended together tocreate the finest grand tourer everproduced. The new Bentley Continental GT isavailable to order now with customerdeliveries starting in Q2 next year andBentley has confirmed that a plug-inhybrid model will be available in thefuture.Audi AiconAs concepts go, the Aicon is a four-door four-seater that addresses how cabinpackaging could work for cars without awheel or pedals (somethingmanufacturers are keen to work out withautonomous vehicles on the agenda!)Audi say the Aicon will cover a 500-milejourney on pure electric, and amongst itshigh tech gadgetry includes a mini dronethat lights the occupants’ path for whenthey step out of the car -now, how greatis that?Show stoppersOf all the shows we get to attend the Frankfurt Motor show isunarguably the one we consider THE show for the motoring press. Continental GT68-71_Layout 1 18/10/2017 10:23 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY69Electrifying driving pleasure:BMW i Vision DynamicsJust a year on from the presentation of itsfuture-focused NEXT 100 vision vehicles, theBMW Group introduced the electric mobilityof the much more immediate future in theshape of a four-door Gran Coupe. The BMW i Vision Dynamics combines itselegantly sporty design with an all-electricdrive system enabling a range of 600kilometres (373 miles), acceleration of 0 – 100km/h (62 mph) in 4.0 seconds and a topspeed of over 200 km/h (124 mph). “With the BMW i Vision Dynamics we areshowcasing how we envisage future electricmobility between the BMW i3 and BMW i8: adynamic and progressive, four- door GranCoupe. We are therefore electrifying the heartof the BMW brand and, at the same time,elevating BMW i into a totally newdimension,” explains Harald Krüger, Chairmanof the Board of Management at BMW AG.The BMW i Vision Dynamics is the latestfruit of the BMW Group’s rigorously appliedelectric mobility strategy. Armed with thetechnological expertise of BMW i and arenowned premium carmaker’s experience andunderstanding of quality, the BMW Groupraises the bar in sustainable personal mobility. The company has already launched moreelectrified vehicles than any establishedcompetitor. By 2025 the BMW Group willBMW i Vision DynamicsAudi AiconHonda CR-V Hybrid70 Á68-71_Layout 1 18/10/2017 10:23 Page 2Next >