It’s my birthday and I’ll cry if I want to – but let’s hope nothing horrible happens that may produce tears!

Having convinced the taxi driver that we know where we’re going, we meet him in the small carpark at Moulton Marsh, leave our car and direct him along a series of narrow dyke roads to a village seven miles north and a mile inland from the sea wall. From here we make our way across fields to a minor road which runs through a hamlet called Bucklegate, and down to the sea wall at Kirton Marsh.

A field of horses is the first challenge but they are completely disinterested in us. I used to have a horse who was my best friend for three years but I’m still wary of those that are not.

When we reach the sea wall we turn right along what is marked on the map as The Macmillan Way. I later discover that this is part of a network of long distance walks across England and Wales, set up years ago to raise awareness of Macmillan Cancer Support Charity.

http://www.macmillanway.org

On we go along what is now called the New Sea Bank, past a couple of pumping stations until the path bends down to the right and we meet the River Welland

Piles of spiky driftwood litter the bank so I assume there is sometimes flooding. I later learn that tidal flooding can occur from overtopping of the embankments of the river between Spalding and Fosdyke Bridge.

A couple of miles more and we reach Fosdyke Bridge – cross it, and then walk down the east bank of the river to the carpark where our car waits patiently. On the way back to our BnB we see the most beautiful rainbow, the colours even more vivid against the backdrop of the dark rain clouds – a wonderful birthday present.

Distance: 7 miles (because it’s my birthday)