Visit to Bourne and Stamford

Yesterday, while Dawn stayed at home and boiler installation was completed, I took Sarah to Bourne for a company meeting at Point74, for whom she works remotely.

I got her there for about 8:45 and spent a while looking around Bourne and doing a short walk to take in Bourne Wood. I then drove home via Stamford, where I stopped to have my packed lunch by the River Welland.

This was my walking route after having some breakfast at a café and a walk around the town centre. - just about 3 miles.

Here are a few photos.

Sarah at the office door.

Bourne is not a large place, but it has a bust crossroads here. It reminded me a bit of Brandon.

I visited the memorial park.

Breakfast was at the Wild Heart café. I was their first customer of the day, I think.

I visited the Abbey church.

A bit of an old-fashioned place, it still has some old road signs.

Then  I went on my circular walk. The blind well is in this field somewhere.

"One of the old superstitions of Bourne was that a visit to the Blind Well would help anyone who had lost their sight regain it. The origins of this legend are lost and the only mention of it that can be found today is a brief reference by local schoolmaster Joseph Davies in his book Historic Bourne that was published in 1909.

He says that the Blind Well, also known as the Blind Man's Well, was an ancient source situated in a field adjacent to the entrance to Bourne Wood. "From time immemorial", he wrote, "it has been popularly credited with special curative virtues for eye complaints."

Legend has it that a man who had lost his sight would have it restored if he visited the well and bathed his eyes in the water and Davies records that for many years into the 20th century, many people had been known to go there for that purpose although he does not quote any evidence that the treatment was successful."

I was soon in Bourne Wood, a popular local recreation area.

I was a little surprised to find some of the paths were a bit muddy. My light trainers have very little grip and I had trouble staying upright at times on the slippery bits.

The main paths were fine, though.

The slipping and sliding had aggravated my knee injury and it was quite sore by teh time I was halfway round, but I needed to keep walking to get back to my car.

These almshouses on West road, owned by Bourne United Charities are quite interesting.

"Twelve almshouses were built in West Street in 1931 to provide homes for elderly inhabitants and tenancies are still much sought after because these houses are situated in an attractive setting just off the main road and ranged on four sides around lawns and flowers beds. A bronze plaque has been erected at the front of the almshouses to perpetuate the memory of local benefactors whose money helped finance the scheme, among them Robert Harrington."

I liked this garden further along West Street, not far from where I had parked my car.

Then it was off to Stamford. I parked close to the town centre. The pedestrianised High St. is much admired.

I walked down to the river Welland and had my packed lunch here.

I maybe should have gone straight home for Bourne as my knee was very sore now as I hobbled my way back to my car. And today it doesn't feel any better. Grr!

But it was nice to see Bourne and spend a bit of time in Stamford.