Beauty & The Beast
Starts/finishes Horncastle town centre LN9 5BN
Type: All on quiet scenic roads
Distance 65km
Height gain: 820m
Coffee stop: Unfortunately there are no convenient coffee stops in the Lincolnshire Wolds on this route although there are a few pubs. Cafes galore at start & finish in Horncastle.
Difficulty: Challenging with three classic climbs - Belchford, Ruckland & Tetford.
Highlights: A real taste of the Lincolnshire Wolds - 8 climbs make up this challenging but stunningly beautiful sally into the Lincolnshire Wolds.
Starting in the charming market town of Horncastle this ride gives you a fantastic taste of this area of outstanding natural beauty, The route slowly climbs out of Horncastle and abruptly launches you into the first and popular climb of Belchford Hill; a steep but beautiful ramp up onto the Bluestone Heath road and the spine of the Lincs Wolds.
After a short traverse and an exhilarating descent the 2nd classic climb is the much revered ‘Ruckland Hill’ - another short but steep ‘Woldsesque’ rise through trees back up onto Oslear’s Lane.
Our third classic climb comes 9kms later after another loop and descent of Belchford Hill and this is probably the hardest of the three and is ‘Tetford Hill’, another testing climb that brings you back up onto the Bluestone Heath road.
With the serious climbs over the route now weaves in and out of some pretty Wolds villages before crossing the main Skegness road heading South towards Old Bollingbroke on the Hareby Road through open countryside and leafy lanes before the final drop back into Horncastle and a well earned coffee stop at one of the many great cafes with our personal favourite being ‘The Big Chair Company’ on the left as you cycle back into town.
