Halton Fen

Downs, Moorland in Lincolnshire East Lindsey

England

Halton Fen

Bell Water Gowt, Dowse's Sewer and Drain Bank Plantation: aerial 2023 Credit: Chris

Halton Fen is a region located in the county of Lincolnshire, England. Situated in the southern part of the county, Halton Fen is characterized by its diverse landscape, combining downs and moorland. The area spans over a significant expanse, providing a rich and varied habitat for a range of flora and fauna.

The downs of Halton Fen are marked by rolling hills and open grasslands, offering breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. The grasslands are home to a variety of plant species, including wildflowers such as cowslips and harebells, which add a vibrant splash of color to the landscape during the warmer months. The downs are also interspersed with small patches of woodland, providing shelter for a diverse range of bird species and other wildlife.

In contrast, the moorland of Halton Fen is characterized by its heather-covered expanses and peat bogs. This unique ecosystem supports a range of plant life, including heather, bilberry, and cotton grass. Moorland birds such as curlews, lapwings, and red grouse are commonly sighted in the area, adding to its ecological significance.

Halton Fen serves as an important conservation area, with efforts in place to protect and preserve its natural beauty. The region is home to several nature reserves, which offer opportunities for visitors to explore and appreciate the unique flora and fauna of the area through various walking trails and observation points.

Overall, Halton Fen in Lincolnshire presents a captivating blend of downs and moorland, creating a diverse and ecologically significant landscape.

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Halton Fen Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 53.13042/0.13157978 or Grid Reference TF4261. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Bell Water Gowt, Dowse's Sewer and Drain Bank Plantation: aerial 2023

Chris

Ings Drove, Halton Fenside

Jonathan Thacker

Path of trench through field near Thorpe Culvert: aerial 2023

Simon Tomson

Station House, Station Road, Little Steeping: aerial 2023

Chris

Railway passing through Little Steeping Ings: aerial 2023

Steeping River top right.

Chris

Farm track

Farmers access running North from East Lincolnshire railway.

Donnylad

Farm Road by the Bellwater Drain

The road ends not much further away, but I don't think my car suspension would have stood much more of it.

Dave Hitchborne

Thorpe Farm from Bell Water Drain Bank

Chris

Track alongside Bell Water Drain

Jonathan Thacker

Fen Bridge over East Fen Catchwater Drain, Halton Fenside

As part of Rennie’s scheme to drain the East and West Fens, large numbers of brick bridges were built, many still identifiable by the oval cast iron plates bearing the bridge’s reference number in Egyptian-style numerals above the arch. See: Link

Chris

Ings Drove, Halton Fenside

Chris

Subsiding road, Station Road, Little Steeping

Subsiding roads are a way of life on the East Fen, which was once an area of meres and marshland, with some deeper parts (there is an area called The Deeps nearby in TF4358). P.203 of "A History of the Fens of South East Lincolnshire" (W.H.Wheeler, 1897, Link

) quotes Camden (1602), who describes the East Fen as "quite in a state of nature and exhibits a specimen of what the country was before the introduction of draining". Various drainage schemes have been implemented here over the centuries. The marsh has been tamed - or has it? The roads do not sit well on their peaty foundations and the area is traversed by switchbacks like this one, which throw vehicles off the road and into deep watery dykes. So it seems the ghost of the banished marsh still lurks, and claims its sacrifices.

Chris

Down the track to an unnamed wood, Halton Fenside

Chris

Farmland and tree, Halton Fen, south of Halton Fenside

Chris

Halton Fen: Albion Farm

Chris

Railway embankment SE of Little Steeping

Chris

Field track from the railway crossing SE of Little Steeping

Chris

Pub and unloved telephone box in Little Steeping

From the point of view of a villager whose call box was stolen overnight and replaced with a boring modern one, it makes me sad to see the state of this one. However there is no doubt that these are little used facilities these days, and villages are to be asked to buy them for £1 and thereafter be responsible for them. I suppose it depends on how many willing helpers there are in the village...

Chris

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Halton Fen is located at Grid Ref: TF4261 (Lat: 53.13042, Lng: 0.13157978)

Administrative County: Lincolnshire

District: East Lindsey

Police Authority: Lincolnshire