Boston - The Small Town With A Big Story

 BOSTON'S COUNTRY PARKS AND RESERVES 

Andrew Malkin

Everyone needs an opportunity to get out, get away and breathe. Fortunately there’s plenty of opportunity to do that in and around Boston as the Borough has several magnificent wild places to which residents and visitors can escape; all but one have been created since the turn of the century, the first two by the Boston Woods Trust, the last two by the RSPB and the others by the Borough Council.

Sir Joseph Banks County Park and Woods: The Boston Woods Trust area in Wyberton is made up of Westgate Wood and Jenny’s Wood and has extensive wild flower meadows. There’s easy access throughout this 80 acre site along hard-surface pathways. Also featured is an owl tower, a fitness trail, an orienteering course, ponds and sculptures. There’s also a recently-created memorial dedicated to the County’s road accident victims.

Fenside Woods: This is a 30-acre amenity just to the north of the Fenside housing estate. All-weather paths wind through an extensive area of beech trees but most English tree species are also growing here. One part of the area is retained for green burials. These Boston Woods Trust public amenity areas have been created largely by the dedicated leadership, inspiration and generosity of Adrian Isaac and are maintained by a team of volunteers.

Witham Way Country Park: This is just a mile north of Boston’s bustling town centre and is a 22- acre site off Tattershall Road with paths weaving through the woodland and meadows alongside the River Witham. It is the home of the Boston Park Run. Havenside Country Park: This is an 82-acre linear park beside The Haven at Fishtoft with the Pilgrim Fathers’ Memorial at its southern end. It’s another great place to see Lincolnshire’s wildlife including oyster catchers, barn owls, bats and common seals. It’s also one of the best places to view boats and large vessels making their way to and from the Port of Boston at high tide.

Boston Cemetery: The 53-acre cemetery dates back to 1855. In the old part one can step out of The modern world and back in time. There are many magnificent trees that will soon be approaching 200 years old. Mown side paths enable the visitor to wander into extensive wild areas which are home to rabbits, deer, badgers and squirrels.

Frampton Marsh: This is a newly-created RSPB reserve with visitor facilities for families and bird enthusiasts. The 428-acre site has freshwater lagoons that are a paradise for birds and watchers alike. It is adjacent to the extensive salt marsh wilderness that borders The Wash. Freiston Shore: This is another RSPB reserve of 271 acres on The Wash marshes with brackish lagoons that attract spectacular bird life. The site is a lost Victorian sea bathing resort that once boasted a couple of hotels, most notably the ‘Plummers’. In WW2 it was strongly defended against invasion. Pillboxes and other remains are now integral to the landscape.