Poachers Hideaway, Flintwood Farm,
Belchford, is situated in an outstanding position in the middle of the
Lincolnshire Wolds, designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
The Lincolnshire Wolds is relatively
unknown and is consequently tranquil, traditional and unspoilt.
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| Winter is upon us, adding to spectacular views over the Wolds. |
The landscape has been inhabited by
Stone Age and Bronze Age ancestors. Romans, Saxons and Danes lived and farmed
these hills. They would have walked and ridden along the ancient trackways,
still available to us today. The Doomsday Book listed manors and mills along
the same routes and more recently RAF bases of the Secord World War have
populated the area.
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| One of two dugouts cut into the ridge of Park Hill, which is the next hill ridge to the south east of Poachers Hideaway. During the Second World War, planes returning from bombing raids would be guided by search lights positioned here. |
Five miles from Poachers Hideaway
lies the tiny hamlet of Somersby, here Poet laureate Alfred Lord Tennyson was
born and raised. Tennyson being a keen walker would almost certainly have
meandered around the hills of Poachers Hideaway, gleaning inspiration from the
surroundings to put his quill to paper.
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| Alfred Lord Tennyson, born here in Somersby on the 6th August 1809. |
The development of Flintwood Farm
began 20 years ago. A range of former farm buildings were sympathetically
converted to create a series of holiday cottages, known today as Poachers
Hideaway.
We are an award winning environmental
farm with 150 acres including ancient woodland, wildflower pastures, natural
hedgerows and water meadows. Several lakes have been created which are well
stocked and fishing is open to Poachers Hideaway guests.
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| "Gone Fishin" |
We have an abundance of wildlife here
on the farm, a particular favourite and resident family here at Poachers Hideaway
are the Kestrels, our logo was born from the fact there is usually one hovering
above!
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| Lunch |
Poachers Hideaway offers breathtaking
views over the vales of Scamblesby and Belchford. We boast many archeologically
sites, including a Roman sale road, ancient cultivation terraces and a
Neolithic burial mound. Stone Age tools and fossils have been found in most of
our fields. The farm provided working horses for the First World War and was a
training ground for the Home Guard in the Second World War.
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| A moody look down the valley toward Tetford and beyond. |
There are miles of private walks
linked to a network of long distance footpaths and bridleways such as the
famous Viking Way.
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| On the Viking Way |
Close by are the market towns of
Horncastle and Louth, also the picturesque town of Woodhall Spa home of the Dam
Busters is not far either. A little further afield is our capital city Lincoln
with its many shops and historical interest sites.
