TWT 30 Days Wild_countdown_04In celebration of the 800th anniversary of the Battle of Lincoln and the sealing of the Charter of the Forest the Lincoln Knights’ Trail is made up of 36 sculptures across the city.

KnightsTrailEach knight has been designed by a different artist and takes on a different theme.

The trail could be completed in a day but for those of us journeying with some mini legs we decided we might split it into two or three parts – today, armed with map and booklet to record the secret code in, we went on the hunt for those at the lower end of the city.

Unsurprisingly, given the make-up of the county of Lincolnshire and the inspiration of the Charter, many of the designs take their inspiration from the natural world.

Today’s selection included:

36. Guardian of the Forest by Emma McKinlay: The Guardian of the Forest is handsome, chivalrous and romantic. She is inspired by the virtuous knights depicted in tapestries by the artist Edward Burne-Jones, as well as the nature-inspired patterns of designer William Morris. She nobly protects the right of access to the royal forests. Like her trusty steed, she is at one with nature – a knight to remember!

33. Knight in the Forest by Julia Allum: The 800th anniversary of the sealing of the Charter of the Forest was the inspiration behind the design. The horse is decorated with flora and fauna, with many animals and birds hiding between trees and leaves. The Lincolnshire landscape features on the knight’s body, with his sword and shield standing out in gold. The design is painted in a bold, almost stained glass style with pearlescent and gold leaf highlights to really sparkle in the sun.

23. Knight of the Minster by Lesley Ann Withers: Lincoln Cathedral was built to inspire and the design reflects all that happens within the iconic space, as well as some of the wonders of its architecture. The stylised trees commemorate the signing of the Charter of the Forest in 1217, owned by Lincoln Cathedral and displayed for all to see in Lincoln Castle.

The minis enjoyed spotting the knights from afar, searching for the symbol on a green shield on each one and the process of recording the finds in the booklet and Luke was quite determined to keep going despite the distance covered (including a bit extra where we got confused by building work on the university campus).

We enjoyed spending the day in the open air, the lovely rich artwork and seeing different areas of the city, including the Brayford, in the sun.

Find out more about the trail at www.knightstrail.com

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