Wolds Diary: Charming discoveries on day out across the Humber Bridge

It has certainly been a very important week. I have been doing as much as I could despite still not feeling terribly well. I suspect it is just old age creeping, or in my case galloping up on me.
A different view of the  Humber Bridge.A different view of the  Humber Bridge.
A different view of the Humber Bridge.

The rainstorms have been very spectacular with magnificent lightning illuminating the night skies and black thunder clouds darkening parts of the day while at other times it has alternatively been hot and sunny or even hot and muggy.

I went to a car boot sale in Pocklington on the Sunday, and even purchased a few things, including a good carpet to put in my newly decorated kitchen.

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On the Monday I set off on a bit of an adventure. I had been invited to speak to a WI at Barton-on-Humber, not somewhere I had visited before. After walking the dogs first thing I set off, much too early of course.

Northern Lincolnshire is not a place I have really visited. I’ve been over the Humber Bridge a couple of times, but then it was straight on to points further south.

I drove down to the bridge, and marvelled at the structure and majesty of it as I drove across. Then I turned sharp left and arrived at Barton-on-Humber. I then decided to kill some time by exploring the countryside, and set off down some charming roads and tracks. There were some lovely houses and then I saw a sign for Immingham. I had heard of it, but had never visited and wondered what it was like.

Before I got there I waited for ages at some road works and there was a constant stream of heavy goods vehicles coming away from the port. Then I saw the oil refineries. These interest me as for a while down south I lived near such refineries at Fawley on Southampton Water.

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Before long I was approaching the town, and pulled up at a set of traffic lights on a dual carriageway. I wanted to go straight ahead towards the town centre. I was first in the queue, and waited for the lights to change. Then traffic from my right started to move and a huge articulated lorry pulling an empty flatbed trailer began to turn right in front of me to head into the town. One of its massive wheels seemed to disintegrate and a huge chunk of tyre headed roughly in my direction.

That was alarming enough, but it only hit the street furniture. What did worry me was that the trailer had disconnected and rolled forward, smashing into the lights just ahead of me.

Thankfully no one was hurt and it was obvious that it would take a while to clear the road, and the driver had stopped and he was helped by a couple of other lorry drivers who were looking at the problem.

The lights changed to green and I decided that maybe I didn’t need to go into the town and I took another turning. I made it into the countryside and the heavens opened with a very heavy downpour.

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I reached a T junction, and was about to turn left, and on checking to the right I saw an amazing old building and decided to investigate. I had discovered the magnificent gateway to Thornton Abbey.

Once the worst of the rain had eased I got out and looked at this wonderful old gateway, to what had once been a monastery. I took a couple of photos and as it was not open, decided to return in better weather another time.

I got to Barton -on-Humber and found the lovely church of St Mary, and was entranced with it. I arrived in plenty of time at the church hall, gave my talk to a very charming audience.

On the Wednesday I took the dogs for a mega walk, and later went to a Parochial Church Council Meeting, which finished very late, but I was up early on the Thursday to vote.

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On Saturday evening the Pocklington Singers had a summer concert at the church. It was a varied and talented performance. Some of the pieces we sang were beautiful. The audience seemed to enjoy it too. The weather had been very pleasant all evening and we finished on ‘The Heavens Are Telling’, by Haydn, at which point our heavens opened and there was a massive deluge of rain. We certainly ended on a dramatic note.