The Elm Tree luxury bed and breakfast, Lincolnshire Wolds - travel

My visit to the Wolds was actually my first ever to Lincolnshire and having discovered the beauty of the area I now want to go back and take a look at the rest of the county and in particular Lincoln Cathedral, an ecclesiastical building that has interested me for many years.

But back to the Wolds which has been an Area of Outstanding Beauty for over 40 years. And if you thought Lincolnshire was entirely flat, be prepared for a big surprise. It has hidden valleys, sleepy and pretty stone villages and charming market towns. Perfect for leisurely and not so leisurely strolls and walks and for wandering the byways of the towns filled with antique shops and independent stores – plus lovely coffee shops and pubs. Out on the coast, close to Skegness which is an entirely different experience, is Gibraltar Point Nature Reserve, an internationally recognised wildlife haven for seabirds. Take your binoculars and enjoy friends of the feathered variety at all times of the year.

Now back to the great outdoors, there are many walks of varying length including a 147-mile long distance footpath The Viking Way! But on the more leisurely side we did the Spa Trail, three miles of flat surfaced path and bridleway along the mid section of the Old Horncastle to Woodhall railway line with sculptures made from wood, stone and metal scattered along the route. Enchanting. And once in Woodhall we stayed a while and wished we’d had more time. It’s noted for its mineral springs and cinema ‘in the woods’ – a cinema that takes you back in time with its design and also offering regular entertainment on an original Compton Kinestra 3 Manual / 9 Rank organ.

Perhaps more importantly for many of a certain age is its link with aviation and Second World War association with the RAF 617 Squadron – which carried out the Dam Busters Raid. There’s a moving memorial to the squadron and all those lost from it during the war.

Lincolnshire was known as Bomber County during the war as it had more operational airfields than anywhere else in the country and its aviation heritage goes back to aircraft production in the First World War. The county is also home to the world’s fist military academy at RAF Cranwell. That rich heritage is still very much alive today with a host of museums ad living memorials, as in Woodhall Spa. The Red Arrows, one of the world’s greatest air display teams, is also based in the county.

We visited the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre at East Kirkby where I have to say a tear or two were shed at the sound of a bomber firing up and in the chapel.

This is one of the most interesting and thoughtful museums of its type I’ve visited. Run by volunteers, the centre allows visitors to relive life on a World War Two bomber airfield. Based on an original wartime airfield, you can experience the sounds, sights and atmosphere of an airfield as it would have been in operation in those dark days. In the control tower look into darkened rooms filled with models and machinery from the day and a soundtrack talking pilots in after raids and taking off for sorties. Also very emotional. There is so much to experience but if you visit, time it with days when the centre’s magnificent Lancaster Bomber fires up those Rolls-Royce Merlin engines and does taxi runs around the airfield. An experience never to be forgotten. You could spend a whole day here and it is also dog friendly!

There is such a lot do in the Wolds, much too much to mention and we did pack a lot into a short weekend stay. But I have to include Gunby Hall, run by the National Trust for more than 70 years, also not far from Skegness. This isn’t a terribly grand country house but a warm and homely property dating back to 1700 and set in beautiful Victorian walled gardens and grounds. It is quintessentially English and although in a remote location it has many famous connections including Dr Johnson in the 18th century to Rudyard Kipling in the 20th. There are also links with Charles Darwin, Josiah Wedgewood, Virginia Woolf and Vaughan Williams and many more covering all aspects of life. At the end of a visit, try a sweet treat in the courtyard cafe, delicious homemade cakes and scones are included on the menu. And if you are on holiday with your dog, well-behaved pooches on leads are more than welcome in the gardens and courtyard.

And last, but certainly by no means least, The Elm Tree. Let’s start by saying I am not keen on bed and breakfasts. They are so often too intimate with the owners and with little in the way of privacy. Yes, I know they can be very good but I don’t like to feel as if I’m staying with a complete stranger in their home.

However, I am VERY keen on The Elm Tree. It is owned and run by Chris and Jonathan Wilkinson-White, Lincolnshire born and bred who have comprehensively refurbished what was more or less a derelict 19th century farmhouse. There are four bedrooms in the main property which has many antique furniture pieces, several bought from those antique shops mentioned earlier!

All the rooms are luxury as are the spacious bathrooms which come with Neals Yard Remedy products and large and fluffy towels and robes as well as coffee machine, fresh water and homemade biscuits from the kitchen downstairs. And yes, once again The Elms is dog-friendly even providing your four-legged friend with a welcoming pack of treats alongside your biscuits. There’s a spacious landing area so you don’t feel jammed in with other guests and . . . mine hosts live in the former carriage house to the property just a few yards away. Perfect. Even though I love Jonathan’s company as front man. If you want even more privacy there’s also a self-catering ground floor apartment.

We stayed in the ‘top’ room, the Percy Pheasant Suite. King-size four poster bed with duckdown pillows and crisp white linen, the most wonderful antique bedroom furniture, sofas and chairs and loads of space for my terrier Jack to wander about in before settling into his bed. And then there is the bathroom complete with roll top bath and walk-in rain shower. At £150 a night for the room and breakfast, this is outstanding value.

Jonathan does front of house in the perfect way, attentive when needed, but stepping back when not. Chris is behind the scenes and an excellent chef. Breakfast is five star, without doubt.

Full English plates feature quality local sausage, bacon and the like while other options include (and I hate to use this phrase but needs must) 'to die for' pancakes, crispy bacon and maple syrup. I had it both mornings even though of my other favourite breakfasts (eggs Benedict) was also on the menu. Juice, fruit, yoghurts, cereals pastries and the like are also offered. Just help yourself to as much as you want from the perfectly laid out breakfast room.