Swanning around Lincoln

I will never forget the first time I went to Lincoln. Primarily because it was a blistering day, one l would later realise is a rarity in the city, and my last attempt at finding a University I liked. Before i even got out of my dad’s car i had a feeling it was going to be a special place. When I returned for my interview I remember thinking, Wowee what a windy day, this must be the windiest possible day ever. Having lived in the city for three years, I can attest that it is usually even windier. I also laddered my tights and broke the heel of my shoe clambering up steep hill with my A2 Portfolio. What a Good start. I may have grown up in Essex but it was in Lincoln that I learnt the important lessons: how to be a designer and how to have a great time.

I spent the first weekend of December in Lincoln as Enter Shikari were playing the first night of their unmissable stop the clocks tour at the Engine Shed, Lincoln’s on-campus live music venue including a Shikari Sound system DJ set afterwards. I thought it would be the perfect excuse to unwind, sprint down memory lane and spend time with a few special friends, special because they remain my friends despite a solid three years of irreparable hosiery, footwear trauma and other disasters.

So what did I get up to on a fleeting visit to my other Home town?

1.Steep Hill and Bailgate

There is one hill in Lincolnshire and in my opinion you can’t go to Lincoln without experiencing the unique Steep hill with its impressive 16.12 degree gradient.

For those less brave there is “Cheat Hill” (real name Lindum Hill) around the back for a much gentler ascent – a top tip for if you do happen to be wearing heels – go up Cheat Hill and down Steep Hill, it’s very achievable and people will still be impressed. Once up steep hill you can visit the world famous castle and cathedral, have tea and cake and browse a variety of shops.

2.Caffeine and Booze

One of the “top ten coffee shops in the UK” according to the Guardian, Coffee Aroma is the best place to get a coffee in Lincoln and it stays open late at the weekends. Of course you can take away but it’s better to have some time out for the best coffee in the city, you can either sit outside and people watch or choose from three floors of seating. Their El Salvador filter helped me recover after many an all-nighter whilst I was at uni. If you don’t like coffee – what’s wrong with you? But I would recommend having the white Hot Chocolate instead, it’s absolutely banging.

My favourite pub in Lincoln has to be The Mailbox with an amazing selection of craft beer and old rosie on tap. Have you ever made your friend buy you a cocktail just so they have to say the name? I am so pleased that they are still doing tin can cocktails which are worth buying just for their names such as Pornstar Martinny and Pina-can-lada. The food’s good too and you can even charge your phone and use the printer.

3.Art

The James Usher gallery, which started out as the personal collection of James Ward Usher – a jeweller and businessman born in 1845, is free to visit and hosts a fantastic collection relating to Lincolnshire. You can easily spend hours here looking at the cases of treasures and art, amongst them there is a Grayson Perry vase and a couple of Lowry paintings.It was the perfect stop for me as it rained most of the weekend and I didn’t mind being inside!

4. The main event – Enter Shikari at The Engine Shed

I was ecstatic that the Engine Shed has a new grippy floor – it used to be a bit shiny and I found myself face down on it countless times. Another shoe met it’s fate here – my foot had stuck to the floor in a moment of stillness and when i jerked it upwards too harshly the straps broke. I tried to fix it with hot glue and Duct tape but it wasn’t quite the same. Enter Shikari were incredible and for the first time ever I managed to leave one of their shows without any casualties. Alas, when i was walking home a curb appeared out of nowhere and I went flying – I guess Lincoln wasn’t going to let me leave without a scabby knee to remember it by.