FENLAND SKATING was once a popular sport in the Bourne area where the dykes and drains provided an ideal surface whenever the weather was cold enough. But it needed several nights of sub-zero temperatures to ensure that the ice was sufficiently thick and as these extreme conditions also stopped work on the land, it was the agricultural labourers of yesteryear who pioneered this winter activity. 

They used skates fashioned from wood and bone, long blades that became known as fenland runners that enabled them reach high speeds. Farm workers would skate along the rivers and drains from pub to pub, often racing each other, and so what was once a pastime soon became a working man's sport with prizes of much needed food put up by the farmers such as a sack of potatoes or even a joint of ham. 

The speeds that could be achieved when miles of waterway were suddenly opened up were quite phenomenal and there are records of a 15-mile race from Wisbech to Whittlesey in Cambridgeshire in 1763 with a winning time of 46 minutes. 

But thin ice always meant danger and in January 1792, Jarvis Lank, aged 22, a shepherd, was skating along the Counter Drain at Tongue End, near Bourne, when he ran into a part of the waterway which was not frozen and was drowned.  

The thickness of the ice became all important once competitive skating started although there were still many misjudgements when both spectators and competitors were put at risk. An official ice tester of suitable weight was therefore appointed, usually wearing a pair of heavy boots, and sent out to jump up and down on the surface and if the ice held, then skating went ahead.  

The most popular period for this winter pursuit was during the late 19th century after 15-inch steel blades were introduced and the popularity of the sport led to the formation of the National Skating Association in 1879 followed by the Lincolnshire Skating Association in 1890 to organise its own amateur championships within the county whenever the temperatures dipped to below freezing point for a prolonged period.  

The enthusiasm shown by skaters when conditions were right is illustrated by a local newspaper report during a cold spell in December 1885: “During the latter part of last week, a considerable number of skaters availed themselves of the opportunity afforded them by the Bourne Eau being frozen over. On Saturday, a match took place on the ice, money prizes being given, the amount being collected from various subscribers.” 

There was a similar freeze in January 1894 when the newspaper reported: “The fenland is now alive with skaters. The Bourne Eau, the River Glen and the large drains are ice-bound and afford an almost unlimited field of enjoyment for this favourite winter pastime.” 

In February 1907, the cold spell lasted even longer: “The ice was strong enough for skating on the Bourne Eau”, said the newspaper. “The dykes in every part were safe and provided a ready means of reaching the river where the ice was excellent with an odd place here and there that was somewhat rough. On reaching Tongue End, most of the skaters crossed over to the Counter Drain where the ice was in better condition for a distance of over six miles to Pode Hole. On Saturday, there were many skaters on the river and quite a number proceeded to the Wash at Spalding to witness the championship racing. It is several years since the ice was in such good condition.” 

Organising officials were perpetually aware that the thickness of the ice was a major factor and that a wrong calculation could lead to a disaster similar to that which occurred in March 1955 when the secretary of the Lincolnshire Skating Association, Mr Harry Gibb, fell through into the lake at Grimsthorpe Park while testing the surface to decide whether it was suitable for competition skating.  

The committee had already declared that it was not but he disagreed and decided to make a further inspection. Unfortunately, the thaw had set in and as he weighed 18 stones, the ice gave way and he fell through and was left struggling in a hole with water up to his armpits. Mr Gibb managed to elbow himself out and back to the safety of stronger ice and then, still sucking his pipe, crawled to the bank unaided. He was taken for a warm bath and hot drinks at a house in Bourne and was otherwise unhurt but confirmed that ice skating should definitely be abandoned for the day. 

A popular venue for skating in later years was Baston Fen, near Bourne, where thirty acres of the nature reserve were specially flooded to a depth of several inches in anticipation of severe overnight frosts that would create the ideal venue for skating. Once the ice had been tested and found to be sufficiently thick, the alert went out by telephone and skaters flooded in from all parts of the country and soon skating was underway, even attracting the television cameras and I remember reporting from there for the BBC on many occasions. 

Apart from pleasure skating for all the family, there were also competitive events, usually over a distance of one mile on a triangular course, to decide the various outdoor speed skating championship titles for Lincolnshire, for Fenland and even for Britain. The tradition had become so entrenched that grand silver shields and cups were on offer for the winners, handed down through the years, from generation to generation. 

This popular pursuit ended at Baston Fen in 1993 when the Lincolnshire Skating Association was forced to pull out because of crippling insurance charges. Pleasure skating continued for a few more years but the owners of the land, the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, faced similar difficulties with their insurers over public liability and so skating for fun also ended in 2003 although the sport continues to attract an enthusiastic following, mainly at venues in Cambridgeshire and Norfolk, whenever the weather is cold enough.