April 23, 2014 9.31 am This story is over 119 months old

Lincoln charity restore forgotten sundial

Saving the sundial: An overgrown contemporary sundial on Lincoln’s Water Rail Way has been restored by a local charity.
The team at the Lincoln branch of the Sustrans charity recovered the sundial from being lost in the weeds.

Walkers and bikers along Lincoln’s popular Water Rail Way route will once again be able to enjoy a contemporary sundial that had become overgrown and forgotten.

The 33-mile nature trial plays host to a number of memorable artists’ sculptures and the Lincoln branch of Sustrans have been doing their bit to preserve it.

The giant sundial was installed in 1997 by artist Piers Nicholson and can be found just a few hundred yards from the entrance to the route on Waterside South.

Before and after: The team of volunteers restored the sundial that was previously lost in the foliage.

Before and after: The team of volunteers restored the sundial that was previously lost in the foliage.

The charity said the section of the Water Rail Way route had become ‘unrecognisable’.

Project officer, Ian Keetley, said: “The ground markings were buried under four inches of undergrowth and silt deposited by the neighbouring Sincil Dike and River Witham.

“Following a day’s worth of cutting, strimming and digging alongside local maintenance officers the Sundial can now proudly re-join the series of spectacular artworks that line the Water Rail Way; which forms part of the National Cycle Network Route 1 and runs from Lincoln to Boston.

“Further along the route people will also be able to enjoy the newly resurfaced section near Washingborough.”

More volunteers are needed locally to support Sustrans across Lincolnshire. If you are interested in getting involved you can contact Ian Keetley on [email protected] or call 0115 853 29 48.