Shots in the Theatre - Lincoln

Welcome to my Blog and to the first of many posts. This post is about my recent trip to Lincoln and what it was like from an outsider's point of view.

When I was contacted by a friend who now lives in the city of Lincoln about a visit, I was less than excited about the prospect of actually going there. Surely Lincoln is one of those cities that just sort of stumbled into existence, a city off the map that is rarely talked about.

Despite my misgivings I got in the car and drove the 170 miles north. As I approached Lincoln I caught my first glimpse of the spectacular (not too strong a word in this case) Cathedral built upon the hill in the city centre. Completed in 1311, it really is an architectural masterpiece and dominates the skyline of Lincoln. In the evening it is illuminated to stunning effect. I knew as soon as I saw the cathedral that I had been naive as the sight of this building was worth the trip alone.

When I arrived at my friend's house in the centre, I was eager to explore the city and see the sights, but of course it had been a long drive and so hitting the pubs seemed the logical activity for the rest of the day. With recommendation to the J.D. Wetherspoon pub a converted theatre on the main street (hence the title) and the Magna Carta pub halfway up the hill, my personal favourite was a place called the Green Dragon. With views of the river and a huge selection of beers, this Tudor pub had a great atmosphere. However its best feature was the way in which you pay, after ordering your round you would spin the wheel and whatever price the wheel landed on is how much you would pay per drink. There is no better feeling than paying half as much for the same round as your mate paid half an hour ago!

The next day was a late starter but involved a walk down the high street, which appeared to have all the shops necessary to facilitate the masses of students as well as the families who reside in the City. We then walked up the hill past hundreds of quaint shops including bakeries, handmade jewellers, organic tailors and many more. Upon reaching the summit we entered the Cathedral (which is free) and looked round the amazing structure which I must add is equally impressive from the inside as it is from a distance.

We then walked what must have been 500 metres to the castle, which is technically a ruin but still worth a visit before heading back down the hill and finishing once more at the Green Dragon.

I must confess, Lincoln surprised me and I thoroughly enjoyed my visit although I can't help thinking without the cathedral it would have a lot less to offer.

City rating: 3/5