Impish Behaviour

So it’s the start of the holiday and the first target is the Lincoln Imp Trail. This will be my third time visiting Lincoln for an art trail, but this time there are not only 30 Imps around the city but there is one outlier. I opt for the logical move, pick off the outlier before heading in to Lincoln for the main event.

After a four drive I am standing in a car park in Cleethorpes trying to get my bearings. Then I get them. I’ve got my Lincolnshire coastal towns confused. I should be an hour south in Skegness. Back in the car…

This time I park up and, as it is now the correct town, I am able to locate the shopping centre and the Imp within. 1 down, 30 to go. There follows one of those lovely rural drives where you are stuck behind a tractor for 20 miles.

As I have done a couple of trails here before I am relatively used to the city, and the locations where they place the sculptures. I would say it will be easy, but it’s Lincoln and that means one notable feature. Steep Hill. Whoever named this street took his work very literally, it really is a steep hill. A very steep hill.

I start around the top of the hill covering the Castle and Cathedral area before bracing myself for the descent. Once at the bottom the biggest problem is getting photos without too many people in them. The route is laid out quite logically and it is a straightforward task to wander round and see them all. Well, relatively straightforward. There is the fun of being held at the level crossing by the station whilst no less than 4 trains pass, and there is the disappointment of one sculpture having been removed for repair.

In the end though, after around 3 hours the 29 available Imps had been seen, giving a final total of 30/31 for the Imp Trail. Time for a meal and some well earned rest.