Competition time...

Relax this isn't now, we need a new sign!

Ok its competition time and we have a great prize!
We would like you to paint or draw a new picture for our sign.
A picture that best describes Poachers Hideaway.
Winners will get a two night stay for two in one of our award winning cottages here at Poachers Hideaway.

Please contact us on flintwood@poachershideaway.com for further details...

You are more than welcome to come up to us by prior arrangement with an easel and paints etc and produce your masterpiece, you may even get a cuppa!

Long term Let

We still have available a lovely little one bedroom cottage for rent on a long term lease if anyone is interested in living in an idilic part of the Lincolnshire Wolds.
Please phone 07836 746865 for further details.

Siam Orchid

Yes our wonderful cottages are self catering... but everyone likes to go out for dinner once in a while! Siam Orchid on Mercer Row Louth produce wonderful Thai food! Jon and Jansee with help from their very efficient waitresses make you feel very welcome!
A definite Poachers recommendation, mention you are staying with us and you may get a little extra...

The Snug

Please remember also FREE FISHING for all Snug residents! Book soon...

We also have some fantastic midweek offers on all cottages, always worth a quick email or phone call to us before you book to see what we can offer...

Spring Has Arrived!

Lots of Hares around.

Spring has arrived and lots of wildlife has come out to play this week and the trees are budding away...

A rather bedraggled Pheasant wondering around Poachers Hideaway

Blackthorn Blossom

Another tell tale sign spring is here, the Blackthorn is starting to blossom, we have lots up here at Poachers Hideaway! 

Hawthorn and Blackthorn can look very similar, both are popular hedging species in the UK, and are often found along the edges of farmland and old boundaries.
Both species produce beautiful blossom in spring, and there’s a lot of lore associated with both species due to their dominant presence in our landscape. The saying “Ne'er cast a clout till May is out” is thought to refer to Hawthorn blossom rather than the month of May, as the species was known as May. The saying is good advice, and means that summer isn’t really here until Hawthorn has flowered.

Identifying top tips 

Blackthorn

• Blackthorn usually flowers first, in March - April.
• Blackthorn blossoms before its leaves have emerged.
• The name “blackthorn” refers to the dark colour of the bark.
• The blossom can be confused with the cherry plum, but blackthorn has thorns.
• They’re hard and sharp and not easy to miss.
• The flowers themselves are a creamy colour and have five distinct petals.
• Blackthorn leaves are oval with a serrated edge.

Hawthorn

• Hawthorn flowers in April - May.
• The name hawthorn refers to over 200 species, but in the UK we usually mean the common hawthorn, Crataegus monogyna.
• The flowers are white, and come out after the leaves have emerged.
• Like the blackthorn there are five petals, but hawthorn petals are rounded and “fuller” than those of the blackthorn.
• The thorns are short, and the branches are often dense and tangled.
• Hawthorn leaves are lobed with jagged edges.

Common Field-speedwell - Veronica persica

Wandering around the ponds there is glimmer of blue on the paths, this is Common field-speedwell, a pretty little weed...

Low to short, generally sprawling, hairy plant. Stems branched. Leaves short stalked, oval-triangular and coarsely toothed, alternate except for the lowermost. Flowers bright blue, 8 to 12 mm the lowermost petal often white. Solitary on slender stalks at the base of the upper leaves. Capsule 2 lobed, borne on recurved stalk the lobes diverging.

Common field-speedwell is a decumbent annual weed recorded on cultivated land throughout the UK. Introduced and first recorded in 1825 it was probably dispersed with clover and other crop seeds. By 1870 it was described as pretty frequent in England. Within 50 years it became not only the commonest speedwell but also one of the commonest annual weeds. A frequent colonist in cereals and in sugar beet, common field-speedwell is found on all types of cultivated soils. It prefers nutrient-rich loams of pH 6.0 to 8.0. It is not recorded above 1,000 ft in Britain.

Oh our little red tractor went to a new home this week! but will be back with its new owners on the 12th May for the Lions club annual tractor run, talked about in last weeks blog, come along...


Another great event coming up near us is The Revesby Races, a point to point horse race meeting... https://www.midlandspointing.com/fixtures/south-wold/