Chasing Amy-Lou

At the beginning of last week I took off on another Daytrippin’ adventure which saw a friend and I head down to Nottingham and then over to Lincoln for some sight-seeing (pub-visiting) and some cultural (wine-drinking) exploits.

Before we left I’d told a few colleagues and acquaintances about our impending trip only to be greeted with shocked grimaces, turned-up noses and a sheer lack of understanding as to why we (and anyone for that matter) would possibly want to visit Lincoln, as there’s not much there and it’s ‘pretty boring’. Cheers.

Well…WELL! I can safely say that my little daytrippin’ adventure proved those nay-sayers wrong, as in fact, Lincoln is not boring, not boring at all! There’s an abundance of things to do and see (historical, cultural and modern), AND, if you’re strapped for cash (or you just like to prioritise your money in terms of how many bottles of wine you can afford) there’s lots of free-ish shit to keep you entertained for much longer than the single day we had there. Plus…it’s where the Magna Carta presides…so…what more could you want?!

Here’s my list of cool, (kinda) free stuff to do. It’s dead good.

• Number one and top of my list is Lincoln Cathedral. It’s hard not to spot this gigantic spectacle of sheer beauty as it towers over the city, casting a wondrous shadow in its magnificent wake. If you’re not particularly religious, it doesn’t matter, you need to go and see the Cathedral in all its splendour, trust me! We were lucky enough to take a walk round it just as the sun was going down and then in daylight the following morning, and it’s definitely worth the two visits at those different times of day. The monstrous building is an architects’ dream as the intricate designs and sculpture echo that of the gothic era, with gargoyles and stained-glass windows that make it unique and endearing. Obviously it’s free to stand outside the cathedral and take pictures (like we did) but there are costs if you’d like a tour of the internal cavities. There’s a small entrance fee and then the tower and roof tours are an additional £4.
• Just down the lane from the Cathedral, and again, you’d be a fool to miss it as it stands almost as grand as its neighbour, is Lincoln Castle. One of the best preserved castles in the UK, Lincoln Castle used to be a prison and holds the only original copies of the Magna Carta and the Charter of the Forest from 1215 and 1217 respectively (that’s history, bitch!). The castle is open daily from 10am till 4pm with wall walks, dungeon tours and tower tours available too, all for a small price. If you’d rather spend your money on chocolate and wine though, it’s free to stand outside and take selfies in front of the turrets.
• The Medieval Bishops Palace which is maintained by English Heritage, is effectively a site of palace ruins situated in Minister Yard and basking in the shadow of the great Cathedral. With the West Hall being the sole surviving feature intact following the abandonment of the palace during the Civil War, the ruins are a piece of history worth seeing. Set just to the south of Lincoln Cathedral, the ruins are open to the public from 10am till 4pm daily for a small admission charge. And guess what? Yep, the grounds even have their own vineyard (knew there was a reason I liked Lincoln).
• If you’re on a budget or not, you need to stay at The Poplars! As a general rule, when I’m travelling, I tend to prefer hostels (social, good atmosphere, cheap) but I couldn’t find one that took my fancy in Lincoln so a B&B was the next option (hotels are so impersonal and big-named chain hotels often charge the earth and offer fuck-all in return). I scoured the internet and came across this lovely, family run place at the top of Beaumont Fee, a stones’ throw from the historic quarter. For £50 a night with breakfast included, and the promise of great location and friendly welcome, I couldn’t pass it up. And it didn’t disappoint. The décor was quirky and refreshing, the room was traditional, spacious and comfy, the amenities were more than satisfactory, and the breakfast was superb! Unlimited tea and coffee was on offer for us at any time of the day or night, free parking was available and to top it off, The Poplars felt homely because it was just that – two large family homes joined together and spread over three floors with tall ceilings and a resident cat to keep the guests on their toes. And following a disastrous incident with a car that wouldn’t start due to a flat battery and suspected faulty starter motor, I couldn’t thank the wonderful owners enough for being on-hand, helpful, charitable, and genuinely concerned when I needed to call the AA in order to get my car back on the road. Now you wouldn’t get that in a Travelodge!
• If you’re after a bit of food and drink, or fancy a trip to the cinema, or you’d just like a stroll along a marina where you can take in an array of boats, marvel at the University buildings and enjoy a bit of fresh air then you’d do well to head to Brayford Waterfront. England’s oldest inland harbour offers the perfect setting to relax after a hard day shopping in Lincolns thriving city centre. There’s an abundance of restaurants and cafes and you can even take a tour on the water by boarding the Brayford Belle…but that costs money so we preferred to just sit in a pavement cafe and watch the world go by (cheapskates).
• Liquorice Park is worth a visit if only for its name. I mean…Liquorice Park sounds pretty sweet does it not (pun definitely intended). While maybe not being the best looking or most impressive park in the world, Liquorice Park has an allotment, some interesting sculptures, offers cute views of the city and has a really ‘English’ feel to it. Plus, it’s part of the Millennium Green project, was given a grant in 1998 for its upkeep and development, and is preserved and maintained by a team of trustees and volunteers from the local community. It also has some quite nice walks, which, are, well…free…of course.
• Situated in the heart of the city, stretching across the River Witham is The Empowerment Sculpture. Designed by artist Stephen Broadbent, it was completed in 2002 and is intended to echo the shape of turbine blades in recognition of Lincoln’s industrial heritage. It takes the form of two aluminium and steel human figures reaching to each the across the water. Yeah, ok, it’s just a sculpture, and yeah, once you’ve seen it and taken a picture or two and pondered as to what it actually represents, you’ll probably wonder why you bothered, but come on, it’s part of the city – it’s a tourist attraction, and it’s free! No cost! Genuinely free to look at!
• Again, I’m gonna bang on about the Historical Quarter but in all honesty, if you’re after some good old English culture and heritage then you need to spend most of your time in Lincoln in and around this area. And for what better reason than tea rooms and fudge shops?! At the top of Steep Hill (yes, the road is actually called ‘Steep Hill’, and yes, it is very, very steep, and yes, it was named Britain’s Greatest Street 2012. Fact) as you make your way onto Bailgate there’s a collection of quaint little tea shops and confectionary shops. From Bells’ Tea and Coffee House to Bunty’s Tea Room, from Imperial Teas of Lincoln to Pimento Tearooms, you won’t be short on choice when it comes to selecting a place to sip on a brew or three. And if that’s not enough to wet your whistle then check out Roly’s Fudge Pantry, a relatively new confectioners, stocking a smorgasbord of delicious fudgey delights in an array of tasty flavours. You can see the fudge being made right in front of your eyes and if you’re lucky you might even be able to get a free sample or two (gotta love a bit of free food).
• It’s not often these days that you get to visit a City’s premier art gallery for little more than a donation, or, better still, for freeee! But that’s exactly the case at Lincoln’s Usher Gallery. Together with The Collection which houses award winning archaeology, these fabulous museums can be found on Danes Terrace, with excellent views of the Temple Gardens, and are a definite must for any culture vulture, art lover or history boffin. And who knows, you might even learn something while you’re at it!
• I’m sure that Lincoln holds many more cultural delights, hidden gems, and wonderfully tucked away treats than my list has dared to mention, but unfortunately we didn’t get to see any as we spent most of our one and only night there deciding whether to blow our daily budget on expensive food or cheap alcohol (guess which one won). Therefore it’s only fair to complete this Daytrippin’ Adventure Top Ten List with a shout out to a public house or two. Lincoln boasts many a cosy, old, traditionally English pub where the ale flows freely, and in the winter-time the mulled wine smells Christmassy, and the fires roar wildly but we happened to stumble across (or more accurately, into) The Magna Carta which sits at the top of Bailgate, just off Castle Hill. While not fitting entirely to the spec of ‘ye olde worldy’ pub as I imagine other pubs in Lincoln do such as the Wig and Mitre, the Lion and Snake, or even the Tap and Spile; The Magna Carta had no roaring fire and no comfy leather chesterfields in which to relax and recline but it was close to our B&B and right up our financially-strapped, student-esque-budget street, and for £14 a bottle of prosecco, we weren’t going to argue!

Out of all of the places I’ve visited so far on my UK Daytrippin’ trips, Lincoln has got to be one of the best, one of the most interesting, and like Bath, one of the most beautiful. Contrary to popular belief and despite the tone of most of my ramblings, I don’t take off on these road trips in order to get drunk and spend what little cash I have in boozers up and down the country. I go to experience new villages, new towns, and new cities. I go to seek out the little idiosyncrasies that I know exist in different parts of Britain, the things that give a town or city character; and I go to explore the nooks and crannies of the country I so fondly call home. If I can add a bit of humour into my wanderings, if I can take the time to do as the locals do, and if I can appreciate a good bit of touristy fun along the way then I just might’ve achieved my goals. And where will the next stop on my backyard travels be? Well, that’s something I’ve yet to decide…