This morning we completed the Lincoln City Race – an annual event that drew about 250 orienteers.  Our maps covered the northern, flat end of the city, so we didn’t see the Castle or Cathedral on our courses.  We began with a few very short legs in a university campus, then out into fairly standard residential streets and parks.  Most legs had route choice, though you often had to look wide to pick one and avoid dead ends.  Probably the trickiest leg was my 16 to 17, where I dithered over going north or south, then changed my mind and went north again – purely because it required less map reading.  Ian’s course was a longer variation of mine, and we had quite a few common legs.  I managed to finish in just under the hour – a nice improvement on last Sunday, with a bit of running in the first two thirds.  Ian mostly power walked his course, but felt up to running at the end, as he continues to recover.  He also finished in just under an hour (but his course was longer).

After lunch and a rest break, Ian dropped me off near Lincoln Castle.  This was built in the late 11^th century by William the Conqueror.  It was strategically positioned on Ermine Street, the major north south route joining London and York.

I made my way to the eastern gate, where I joined a guided tour.  That gave me some context, as I learned about the history and importance of this castle.  Inside the walls there are only a handful of buildings, but there is enough to see to keep you occupied for a couple of hours.  Not long ago, they installed two dragons, named Lucy and Norman.  They proved so popular that they’ve just added a third – a ferocious looking beast named Hastings.

One of the highlights here is being able to view one of only four original copies of The Magna Carta.  This document has particular significance to Lincoln, as the Bishop of Lincoln was one of the signatories.  After it was sealed by King John at Runnymede, one of the copies was taken to Lincoln, where it has remained ever since.  No photos allowed of course.  The writing is very tiny and the parchment looks understandably ancient.  In the same vault is the Charter of the Forests, and a beautiful illuminated illustration of Guinevere.

Lastly I climbed up a steep, narrow flight of steps, emerging onto the medieval walls that surround the castle. Although you can only walk about half of them, there are lovely views of Lincoln Cathedral and the historic town.  I could just make out the spire of the International Bomber Command Centre.

After leaving the castle, I meandered across to the incredibly huge Cathedral, where the bells had been pealing for much of the afternoon, being Sunday.  I walked around most of the outside.  It is a mix of different Gothic styles, and every time you go round a corner, it extends ever further.  Right at the back, I found some gargoyles. Happy days.

And where was Ian all this time?  The lure of another serve of home made gluten free cake was too strong, so he headed back to Robin Rose, this time for a ham and chutney toastie, and a chunk of black forest cake.  All in the name of research of course.

En route back into Lincoln to pick me up, he stopped in at the International Bomber Command Centre, with its dramatic spire, and remembrance walls containing 58,000 names.  He could see the Cathedral from there (but not me standing on the castle walls).

I really like Lincoln.  The roads are good, the villages are neat and tidy, and the city is easily walkable, with plenty to do.  Houses around here are constructed with the same creamy yellow Lincoln stone as the castle walls.  It gives a Cotswolds feel to the area – but it’s a much cheaper place to live, and whilst busy on a Sunday, it doesn’t have the tourist hordes of its southwestern counterpart. And it has dragons.