Discover Pockets of Lincolshire Charm this September

September may conjure up images of autumn leaves and cosy fires, but I don't think summers quite finished with us yet, which is great because there is so much going on this month, both big and small. So let's get you ready to immerse yourself in the best of local culture and community spirit - don't miss out on the magic of Lincolnshire's smaller, vibrant events!

1st September - Wragby Show

Wragby Show

Wragby Show

wragby show

Start the month on Sunday 1st September, with a great day out at this local, family friendly one-day show, for people to socialise, enjoy the open air and a full programme of main ring entertainment! There's Trade Stands, Children’s Entertainment, Food Stalls & Bar, Classic Cars, Tractors & Stationery Engines, Grand Draw, Carriage Driving, Horse Show inc. Show Jumping & Heavy Horses, Fun Dog Show, Horticulture Classes, Poultry Show & Live Music! Phew, thats going to be a full on day!

6th September - Roman Posterngate Tours

On Friday the 6th September, there's a rare oppurtunity to venture below the streets of Lincoln to discover the remains of Roman Lindum Colonia's Posterngate and Southern Wall. Join the Investigate Learning team from the Lincoln Museum, on a tour of the Posterngate and Southern Wall which lay hidden beneath modern street level. there's two tours, at 10.30am & 1.30pm, check out the website for more details and to book.

8th September, Family Fun day, Lincoln Rugby Club

Family Fun Day

LRFC

Sunday 8th September - Lincoln Rugby Club will hosting their annual family fun day at their sports ground, located on Lodge Lane in Nettleham, from 10am - 2pm. Get ready for a day packed with fun, laughter and excitement for the whole family, with an amazing line up of activities including inflatables, exotic animals, crafts and activities and live music.

14th September - Soul Messengers, Coffee Culture Bailgate

Having opened in March, Coffee Culture, Bailgate is fast becoming a destination for those looking for a welcoming coffee bar vibe and deliciousness on every plate. On Saturday 14th September, they will be hosting an evening of dancing and drinks with live music from Soul Messengers. The party starts at 6pm till 11pm, and will be offering a range of wines, beers and prosecco in this lincensed premis. Walk-in's welcome

14th September, NLHS Annual Produce & Flower Show

Saturday 14th September - The North Lincolnshire Horticultural Society Annual Produce & Flower Show takes place at the Grandstand Community Centre. There's a abundance of information on the society's website, where you can also find out how to enter your own flowers & veggies. But if you just want to go and admire local growers green fingered skills then entry is free and refreshments are available.

14th & 15th September - Fibre Festival, Osbournby Church

14th & 15th September - I have to admit when I first read this I thought it was a music or light festival, but no, its a weekend celebrating the versatility of wool fibre and the many skilled creators from the South Lincolnshire Spinner & Weavers. Demonstrations include spinning, weaving, inkle weaving, temari Balls, knitting, crochet, felt making and many more and there'll be an opportunity to buy some unique handmade items. And on Sunday, BBC star 'Farmer Joe' will also be there with a few of his sheep and his spinning wheel.

*As I've mentioned before, this is only a very small, personal selection of events happening this month, there are some brilliant souces of event information available from various souces where you will find even more events happening. My go to websites I viti are Visit Lincoln, Visit Lincolnshire and I also always read the What's On Guide published by the Lincoln Independent every month, both in paperback and digitally

Cooking La Dolce Vita in the Lincolnshire Countryside

Did you, like me, have notions of learning a new skill during those indefinite days of lockdown? Did you start making your own bread, learn to crochet, take up photography or master the downward dog?

For me I wanted to learn how to make pasta and after a quick google & watching a Jamie Oliver youtube of him making pasta dough from scratch, I thought how hard could it be? I don’t possess a food mixer, so attempted the 'kitchen worktop' method. Well my patience lasted one bag of 00 flour and a couple of free range eggs and then back to Tesco wholewheat fusilli I went.

3 years later, and on the hottest day of the year so far, I found myself in the middle of the Lincolnshire countryside, on a pig farm, in a beautifully converted barn at The Lincolnshire Cookery School on their ‘Pasta Mania’ course. The school is the run by Fiona Lucas, located at Hill Farm, in Snelland - and from the moment you enter the building you are swept up in Fiona’s warm, fun and approachable personality. You’re there for the day, not just an hour or so, but with Fiona’s knowledge and passion shining through, the day whizzes by in a flurry of Magimix, a dusting of flour and a generous glug of olive oil. 

Lincolnshire Cookery school

For each stage there was a short demonstration by Fiona, then we simply got stuck in with hands on cooking. First, we learnt how to make fresh pasta dough and use a pasta machine to create tagliatelle, which we used for a Carbonara, my all time favourite pasta recipe and this one was probably best I’ve ever tasted. Next was filled pasta, I stuck to Ravioli with ricotta, garlic, spinach and walnuts, while others got adventurous creating Tortellini. I made some pasta bows with the left over pasta dough (now dried and in my kitchen cupboard waiting to be used) and we even snuck in some gnocchi (not technically pasta, but who cares they were fun to make and bloomin’ delicious)

Fiona is so patient, which is a good job because I wasn’t the fastest pasta maker *, but her charisma also creates an atmosphere where no one feels they are going too slowly or too quickly for that matter, and because the class sizes are limited, it's more like you are having a one-to-one lesson. (* i was also taking the photos, although not of the Carbonara, I was too busy sampling that!) Fiona is also a member of Ladies in Pigs, a group who support the pig industry by working to increase the awareness of Red Tractor Pork, bacon, ham, gammon and pork products, particularly in local schools.

As well as all the ingredients being provided we were given a delicious lunch and refreshments were plentiful throughout the day, in fact the only thing you need to bring with you are some containers to take your pasta creations home and a tray for your pasta bows to finish drying out on, which I didn't have, so cobbled together some tinfoil laid on a car mat.

The Lincolnshire Cookery School won the Destination Lincolnshire's Experience of the Year 2023 Award, and for good reason! There’s a course for all tastes and skills; from baking bread to patisserie, pies, pasties & puddings to Indian, Asian, Spanish & Italian. I haven’t covered even a third of the courses available, but as the tagline says ‘Nothing beats the taste of freshly made pasta’ and there are now 3 new pieces of pasta making equipment in my kitchen.

Lincoln Cathedral - my beacon of home

If you’re already a follower of Follie on Instagram or Facebook, you may have noticed that I have a bit of a ‘thing’ for Lincoln Cathedral, in particular taking pictures of her. Whatever the weather, come wind, rain, snow or sunshine, her spectacular architecture always lifts me up and I count myself very lucky that I get to walk past her to my shop every day.

She’s survived fires, earthquakes and sieges by Oliver Cromwell’s forces, provided backdrops for Hollywood blockbusters like The Da Vinci Code and Napoleon and to this day is still a very welcome homing beacon for RAF pilots & their crew returning to their bases throughout the county.

Stood magnificently at the top of the hill overlooking the city & surrounding countryside for over 950 years, Lincoln Cathedral is always the landmark I keep a lookout for, especially if I’m travelling back by train, watching the illuminations light up the Brayford. But even from several miles away, once you get that 1st glimpse, you know you are nearly home.

Having already weathered many a storm, like a steady symbol of reliability, I found photographing her during the recent lockdowns and sharing those images quite comforting. And even now, some days when you need a quiet moment to yourself, I sometimes go in to one of the little chapels, not to pray, but just to be still, take some deep breaths and look up at the great big V shaped arches, a legacy of the Norman engineering introduced by the Bishop of Lincoln, St Hugh, in 1186, meaning that the windows could be bigger, ceilings higher and the architecture a whole lot more Gothic.

I got to walk above those arches a few years ago, right up into the rafters, when I went on one of the roof tours. If you love history & architecture, it’s absolutely fascinating and something that I definitely recommend. You’re guided to parts of the Cathedral that are usually hidden away under lock & key, behind big thick oak doors, up spiral staircases, across walkways, through passages and most importantly, you get to go outside on the roof with views west over towards Lincoln Castle and to the south over the whole of the city.

In the warmer months, before starting work, I like to go and have a stroll in the new Deans Garden, which is also the entrance to the Cathedral cafe & shop. It’s very peaceful and when it’s in full bloom, the plants and trees are beautiful & I’ve even taken a little planting inspiration to my own little green space, a 10 x 10 allotment on the edge of town.

There is an entrance fee to visit the Cathedral*, which includes a guided Floor Tour, but I recently discovered if you Gift Aid this entry fee, it then becomes a pass to visit for 12 months. As well as the roof tour, there are several others to choose from, including an Historic Graffiti Tour and the Tower Tour, with 300 steps to tackle to reach the top, they usually run from Monday - Saturday, each costing an additional £7.50 per person and lasting up to 90 minutes, *students & under 16s are free.

As well as providing your usual cathedral services and ceremonies, Lincoln Cathedral continues to provide a magnificent setting for an increasingly diverse range of theatre & musical productions, graduations, concerts, engineering festivals and immersive light shows and as renowned author & adventurer Simon Reeves once said “….Lincoln Cathedral is one of the finest buildings on planet earth” and I happen to agree with him.