Lincoln Christmas Market

Lincoln Christmas Market

Lincoln Cathedral can be seen for miles around the Lincolnshire countryside

Christmas Market season is in full swing, and one of the best in Europe is situated this side of the channel in Lincoln. The cathedral city is one of two distinct halves, uphill and downhill, a societal division left over from Lincoln’s days as Lindum Colonia, the hilly Roman fort.

Two whole millennia later and Lincoln’s uphill area is much the cultural heart of the city, with the harsh and winding walk up the aptly named Steep Hill to the thankfully flatter Castle Hill area.

Roasted Chestnuts at Lincoln Christmas Market

Steep Hill is a cobbled cornucopia of independent shops, blessed with ancient buildings such as Jew’s House and littered with dust covered antiquarian book shops. The climb is worth it to reach the square above, which separates the utterly magnificent Lincoln Cathedral from the slightly less imposing, but equally interesting Lincoln Castle, the city’s Victorian gaol house.

For a few days each December these open spaces and the area three times this behind it – through the Lawn in Lincoln complex, the Bailgate streets and the Burton Rd area is filled with continental traders, local produce stalls, three or more craft markets and an ensemble of food fairs, bratwurst stalls, roasted chestnuts carts and the magic of a wintery Christmas land.

The descent down Steep Hill gets a lot steeper beyond the Wig and Mitre pub

Hot chocolate, mulled wine and real ale were all flowing by the looks of things, amongst the hog roasts, German sausage hot dogs and vintage cheese platters.

Traders range from skilled craftsman making anything from wooden fruit bowls, artisan Christmas decorations, intricate glassware, and beeswax candles to steam powered candle boats, brightly coloured fudge chocolate, recycled artwork and fantastic wooden toy sets. There really is something for all the family (if you have kids of work in education you must check out the Puppetman’s stall there).

It’s terrific, it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but it works in its surroundings, starting in the grand open space within the castle walls, leading on across the grounds, through the Norman barricades and around the streets that are lined with wood beamed buildings and mini Douglas Firs adorned with simple twinkling lights.

Yorkshire Black Cheese at Lincoln Christmas Market. I just to to find the perfect beer to taste it with!

We enjoyed a few drinks in Widow Cullen’s Well, a relatively new addition to the old and comfy pubs of Uphill Lincoln (Sam Smith’s cherry beers and pale bitters) and a bite to eat before the bus back to the mudscape that was the park and ride (priced at £12 per car so go with mates!)

Scrooges beware! Gastro guzzlers, full steam ahead, if you can get through the crowds to the stalls there are many foody delights to be sampled and purchased. I left with an assortment of cheese (hopefully some of which will go with my ageing Orval) including Yorkshire Black, Maplewood Smoked, Lancashire Strawberries and Cream and something or other full of apple, raisin and cinnamon. R’Sam left with a bag full of Milestone Christmas beers which he’ll be writing about very soon.

If you get a chance to go here I recommend you do. It gets busy but its well worth a day or evening out.

Milestone Brewery's Christmas beer offerings

If you do get to Lincoln next year, here’s a quick rundown of where to get your refreshments:

Magna Carta – (pub) named after one of Lincoln’s great attractions (one of the only remaining copies is in the Castle) the Magna Carta pub is a lively affair on the corner of Castle Hill. Often live music of different varieties and buskers outside (although by buskers we mean fiddlers and things usually!). Does food.
Prince of Wales – (pub) worth a pint in here if you need respite from the crowds, relatively modern despite the traditional exterior.
Thailand No.1 – (restaurant) good Thai restaurant on the Bailgate, they’ll give you party hats whilst the market is on though!
Widow Cullen’s Well – (pub) the snuggest of the Steep Hill pubs (upstairs anyway) with a ‘well’ hidden feature for the tourists. Sam Smith’s beers throughout. Not tried the food but a substantial menu.
Wig & Mitre - (pub/restaurant) in a very old building just off Castle Hill. Bit pricier but a very traditional environment for the heritage seeking day tripper.
Brown’s Pie Shop – (restaurant) arguably one of Lincoln’s best gastro treasures, and they serve a fantastic apple and cinnamon drink (non-alcoholic I think?!) whilst the market is on. The pies are fab and large and the service is generally very good.
Kind - (bar) at the bottom of Steep Hill this a plush and modern bar. You won’t find real ale but its trends and they do Christmas Market specials including mulled wine.
Dogma - (bar/kitchen) better than its Nottingham equivalent the club sandwich here was legendary whilst I was at uni. They’ve changed the salad since there but this three-floored bar has a great heated deck garden, good selection of bottled beers, reasonably priced good food and snacks, and a chilled out atmosphere all day. The jazz/motown evenings are super!
Adam & Eve – (pub) a bit of walk from the market but this is a good pub with cask ales (to the best of my knowledge) and will certainly get you away from the hustle and bustle of the market

And last but not least, probably the best of the lot for a shopping-break ale, the Tap & Spile has a fantastic record player (I’ve heard Dylan and Jackson Brown many times in there) and serves a cracking selection of ales that change regularly. It’s nothing fancy or pretentious, just unadulterated British pub through and through. Situated just off the junction between the main shopping street and the start of Steep Hill, you can’t go wrong with a pint or three in here.