My Adventure!

Wow!

I have literally just got back from a truly amazing walk. It was spontaneous, interesting and quite nostalgic.

This afternoon I went into town for a few things, with Ana's birthday presents the main concern. After purusing various shops I decided that only up Steep Hill would I find that special something that will woo my lady (we've already got everything from Ann Summers).

On the way up I saw Andy, Paddy and Vikki. They looked happy and we had a wonderful conversation which took the sting out of the heartache I felt when discovering Kes wasn't in Game. They also wished me good luck on my quest.

So I went up the hill and browsed a few shops. After hitting the top and continuing down the main street (having a glance at the Whisky Shop up there) I decided to keep going until I hit Bailgate. Around here to me was easily the most picturesque place I've seen in Lincoln I think, apart from Ritzys on a Wednesday. I carried on through the stone arches of Bailgate and continued to walk on unchartered territory past them. The point I realised I must turn back came when I saw the BBC Radio Lincolnshire offices. After that it all got a bit boring again.

Rather than heading back where I came I decided to attempt a different route back towards Steep Hill and the Cathedral. So I went down Church Lane to a street called Northgate (there's one in Darlington! I also passed a Turk's Head on Bailgate) which curved around back to the Lincoln Hotel (where I once shared a drink with Ana's folks) and the Cathedral.

At that point I decided to wander around the back of the Cathedral back to its front. On the way I spotted the Cathedral cafe, in which one sunny day me and mum sat on one of her various visits. I also remember we discussed U2's Vertigo, which had just come out at the time.

So, around to the front of the cathedral I went, walking through the mighty arches that guard it and got back to the top of Steep Hill. Instead of walking down the tourist-infested hill though, I took a different route down Michaelgate, which is rumoured to not be named after St Michael of Marks and Spencer.

After mosying down there, I hit Drury Lane and wandered along it for a bit, taking some views of Lincoln from upon high while trying to figure out where my house was. After panicking that Drury Lane (and then Belle Vue Terrace) was taking me out to the countryside at one point, I found the brilliantly named Liquorice Park, not so much a park but a field with weeds and a footpath in it. Wandering down through the foliage got me onto Yarborough Road and a new sense of purpose came over me.

As my parents are staying on said road in September during my graduation, I decided to hunt down the B and B where they're staying. When I hit Yarborough, I was in front of St Faith's Junior School, so I searched for a house number to help me discover 133 Yarborough Road, the Archer's Lodge B and B. When I got to a house it said 80 and the next was 82, so I carried on up the road to discover the B and B was literally only 30 yards from where I'd first clambered onto Yarborough Road from. How coincidental!

My main concern now was to get back home. To start off this task, I headed back towards the school and down Hampton St. My hope that this would get me closer to home was wonderfully confirmed when I found I was coming down to not only Richmond Road, but then of course West Parade and Gresham Street. I decided against going down Gresham and preferred to wander along the Parade and down Moor Street. From there a brisk walk got me back to Carholme Rd and then the glorious Derwent Street. At that point, my one man adventure was complete.

To many people, this strange spontaneous walk, which was navigated only through stupid guesswork of where I was and where I live, would be dull and pointless and best described as the act of a man who is sitting and watching his housemates and university friends disappear slowly from Lincoln.

But to me however, it was a very cool moment and the act that only a man on his own can do for a couple of hours. I doubt I know Lincoln much better, but it was cool to be nosy and see where the more well-off types in this city live. There were some stupidly huge houses and big cars (and the man in the Whisky Shop blatantly hated that I was a student), and one day I'll have those somewhere too...but probably somewhere less dank than Lincoln.

Lincoln is very dank.