Onin.London Escapes To Historical Lincoln
There’s something rather magical and just rather cool about Lincoln. The city is full of history, lined with charming cobbled streets and has a magnificent cathedral and castle right in the heart of it. It’s a city that never fails to impress… no matter how many times I’ve visited. I mean who knew that Lincoln was nearly the capital of England instead of London? I didn’t until this visit and it was a fact that had me imagining the what ifs.
Getting to Lincoln is extremely easy. We travelled from London King’s Cross with LNER and we were in Lincoln in just under two hours. Staff on LNER were great as well because travelling with a double buggy that wouldn’t fit in storage slots was not fun. Luckily they stored it away for us on the way there and on the way back allowed us to be upgraded to first class so we could use the accessible section. It made getting there so much easier!
As a solo mum to infant twins, I’m always looking for destinations that are both convenient and welcoming for little ones. Lincoln really did tick every box. Better still, it made for the perfect getaway with my mum who was visiting from Australia.
It was my mum’s first time in Lincoln and she loved it.
Our home for the night was No. 6 Castle Hill, which is part of the beautiful and iconic White Hart Hotel. It is located in the heart of historic Lincoln and is a gorgeous restored Georgian townhouse. My dream town house for sure and it couldn’t be in a better location, it is literally a couple minutes walk from Lincoln Castle and Lincoln Cathedral.
The accommodation was ideal for travelling with young children. Two cots had been provided for my twins and there was plenty of space for us all to relax after our journey. Staff even tried to fit baby gates when they realised both my babies were on the move and the multiple floors weren’t the safest option for that. Staying at the townhouse rather than the White Hart Hotel itself provides the comforts of a hotel stay but with the privacy and space that families so appreciate and need. I wasn’t worried about my crying babies waking up other hotel guests at all, which took a lot of stress off me.
We loved the self contained kitchen and dining room which looked like it had been built into the castle itself. The bathrooms were a dream and all the in house amenities… simply stunning. It really would be the perfect location for a family getaway.
The White Hart Hotel itself is a destination in its own right. We were told the venue dates back to the 14th century and proudly holds the distinction of being Lincolnshire’s only AA Four Star Silver Award hotel. Pretty impressive if you ask us. We were also told that it’s region’s most elegant and exclusive venue, now featuring 49 luxurious ensuite bedrooms across the main hotel, fourdeluxe bedrooms in the 16th century historic annex of Leigh Pemberton House and a further four bedrooms with full ancillary facilities within two Georgian Town Houses at No 6 and No 7 Castle Hill.
Before dinner, we enjoyed a pre dinner drink at one of the numerous bars along Steep Hill and soaked up the atmosphere of historic Bailgate. The location really is unbeatable as when you step outside, you’re surrounded by centuries of history, independent shops, inviting cafés and friendly folk from Lincolnshire. Plus we earned dinner because we walked down and up Steep Hill! It’s not named that just to be funny!
Dinner was served at Antlers Restaurant, which holds two AA Rosettes and is run by acclaimed chef Billy Frost. We were told to expect seasonal Lincolnshire produce and this really does take centre stage throughout the menu. There’s a lot to chose from and everything sounded delicious. Staff were also great at explaining what each dish entailed. This was a great help and made our decisions about what to eat easier.
Starters wise mum enjoyed the breast of Wood Pigeon which came with pigeon spring rolls but I jumped straight on to the mains. I chose to have the
Pan roasted Stone Bass With buttered baby spinach and warm tartare sauce. It was even served with a Panko breaded Calamari ring. I hadn’t eaten Stone Bass before and was pleasantly surprised by the meatiness of the fish. It was flavoursome and as someone who avoids tartare sauce, the Antler’s home made one was something special.
Mum opted to try the fish and chips in the kids menu and let’s just say the portion was huge!! She loved it as it’s not often she gets to try a classic British staple.
Travelling with babies and dining at nice restaurants can sometimes feel like I have to rush and I’m a burden, but the team of the Antlers couldn’t have been more accommodating. From providing highchairs to making us feel genuinely welcome, it was refreshing to enjoy amazing food without feeling that I was being annoying to staff or other diners for having my babies with me. Luckily they weren’t too badly behaved but they were pretty tired so we didn’t have dessert. We did appear to have missed a treat though, as we gazed in envy at other diners’ desserts as we left.
After a wonderfully comfortable night’s sleep, breakfast was another highlight. I had the breakfast bagel which was the perfect start to the day.
There’s so much to see and do in Lincoln but no trip to Lincoln would be complete without visiting Lincoln Castle and thanks to Visit Lincoln, we were able to explore one of England’s most significant and historic landmarks. There’s castle dates back over 900 years and has many fascinating exhibitions, spectacular views from its medieval walls and the chance to discover one of the last surviving copies of Magna Carta. We were also pretty impressed with how accessible the castle was so pushing a double buggy around was no hassle at all.
We were supposed to visit the International Bomber Command Centre, just a short ten-minute taxi ride from the hotel but weren’t able to because twins were demanding to be put to bed. Though this is another must see attraction in Lincoln. We were told though the Command Centre is a great place to hear stories of those who served during World War II as well a place of remembrance.
One of the things I love most about Lincoln is just how walkable and accessible it is. From the White Hart Hotel, so many of the city’s highlights are quite literally on your doorstep. So whether you’re exploring the historic streets, admiring the cathedral, discovering independent retailers and they have some great ones or learning about the history of the Lincoln Imp, there’s something wonderfully relaxed about experiencing Lincoln at your own pace. As I said it wasn’t my first visit to Lincoln but it was one of my first with my mum so getting to share with her the history of the city.
Previous visits have been spent with friends at Christmas time where the city is full of festive cheer, drinking and fun so this time it was all about slowing down and creating memories with my family.
Thanks to the exceptional hospitality from the White Hart Hotel, outstanding dining and fascinating local attractions, our overnight stay was one we’ll remember fondly and never forget.
Lincoln may only be a train ride away from London, but it feels wonderfully removed from the everyday… and that’s perhaps its greatest charm of all. So what are you waiting for? Book your visit to Lincoln via LNER and your stay at The White Hart Hotel now.
