A quick trip

I had been thinking for a long time about taking the train to Lincoln just to have a wander around, as opposed to going there for work.

I like going to places with Louise, but then I like going to places and having a wander around anyway.  I have a tendency to not use the area's public transport as well if I don't have to, such as when I go to London I like to walk as opposed to using their wonderful tube trains - why catch two trains from Westminster to Leicester Square when you can just walk down Whitehall to Trafalgar Square, cut through an alley at the side of the gallery there, where you end up on Leicester Square (where they have the film premieres don't you know)...  Anyway, Lincoln not London!

I caught the train, which took about twenty five minutes to get there.  The trains that East Midland Trains use aren't as quick as some others, perhaps there is a speed limit in place? They also have little town/village stations that they stop at as well on their routes, so that probably slows them down as well?  I didn't mind too much.  From the pictures on my Facebook account, you can see that I love having a window seat on the train so that I can look out.  I used to read a lot while I was on public transport, but I do actually like looking out on what are new journeys to me (I used to drive to Lincoln all of the time for work).

When I got there it was completely alien.  Other than for work purposes, I hadn't actually been in Lincoln for about thirty years! For work though I had only been to Morrisons on Tritton Road and the Lincolnshire Showground for my present company.  Both of those are far out from the centre of Lincoln itself!

I got off the train and went left from the station onto what was the high street.  I scanned the area and realised that I was stood directly next to the HMV store there - well, isn't that lucky hey! ;-)

In a way I didn't know what I wanted to do, which is something else that I have done before at other places.  Sometimes it is just so much to go somewhere without having a plan as such - just go and get lost!  you can always ask people for directions back to the train station or jump in a taxi or use their park and ride services - you can't really get lost as such in that way.

From there I looked around HMV, then came back out and got directions to the cathedral there - it's the touristy thing to do isn't it.

By the time I got to the cathedral, it was about midday, and I saw that there Lincoln Castle was nearby as well.  I was also meaning to go and visit my friends at Morrisons on Tritton Road, so a lot to get in when I had given myself a time limit.

The idea of the time limit was to be back at home before Louise finished work.   So, my train home was at 2.33 in the afternoon.  A very quick trip then considering I didn't get to Lincoln until around eleven thirty!

I had a wander around the cathedral grounds, taking photos wherever I went (obvious from the Facebook page photographs and my instagram account).  During this time I also ate the sandwiches I made myself.  When I got back to the main entry side of the cathedral I got talking to a local lady, who was telling me about the work that was being done on the turrets, as well as some other ideas that they were contemplating, which I thought sounded good.  For more, you can look on their website.

After that I went inside for a chat with the people there, and then I went to the castle just to see what the prices for admission were (quite reasonable).  The trouble with both places though is that you need longer to go around each than I had to go to Lincoln altogether!

From these places I started towards Tritton Road, but then saw the distance on my phone's sat nav app and thought it would take too long out of the time (I probably would have had to get a taxi to make it back to the train station on time)!

So, after changing my mind, I walked back past a "homeopathy practitioners" towards the city.  I looked in Primark and again in HMV without buying anything (tempting as it was), and then looked at my watch and thought that after about seven hours without a drink that I should "get to Greggs"!

I did just that, where I had a regular coffee and, upon the suggestion of another customer, a toffee crunch cake type of thing.  Yummy, but very crunchy!

Then I caught the train home, which again came back through Hykeham, Swinderby and Collingham.  The train pulled in at 2.53pm - Newark to Lincoln and back again in four hours!  A nice little trip.

Thank you for reading.  Please take care.

November 29 2013 (43 years and 3 days old).