Viking Way Stage 11: Woolsthorpe by Belvoir to Sewstern

Thursday 1st December saw us embarking on the penultimate day of our Viking Way marathon.  As the driving distances were now starting to spend more time driving than walking we decided to complete and celebrate the end of the walk by staying two nights at the White Lion, Whissendine, which is close to our finish point for the day in Sewstern and our final destination of Oakham.  An what a fine hostelry it turned out to be: comfortable rooms, excellent food and even more excellent beer.  An early start and shunting around of cars saw us making a reasonable prompt start at the end point of Day 10: Brewer's Grave just outside Woolsthorpe.  The weather was kind to us today, but although beginning clear and sunny, gradually became overcast and hazy.  It did, however, remain dry.  Our route for most of the day continued along the old Roman Salt Road of Sewstern Lane.  What should be a perfect green lane has, however, been ruined in parts by the heavy off road driving it has to sustain.  Considerable lengths of the lane were so churned up that it made for difficult and unpleasant walking.  In fact at one point a trench head height had been gouged out of the track.  Although I feel that the outdoors should be available for us all I I am also strongly of the opinion that none of us should ruin the countryside for others; that is just irresponsible and selfish.  Green lanes make fabulous offroad cycle trails but many parts of Sewstern lane have been left impassable to cycle traffic.  I have also come across this on the North Yorkshire Moors which riding Wainwright's Coast to Coast route.