Walking, Wandering, Wonky Walls and More Walking

Day Twenty-eight – York

What a massive day! Our first full day in York and an opportunity to make a serious dent in the Yorkshire Passes we bought late yesterday. These cover a pile of attractions both within the city and outside and seemed the only combined pass on our trip worth the cost vs what you got. If today is anything to go by we'll more than get our money back...

We started out late(ish), leaving our new digs at about 10:30am. At the end of our street is the medieval city wall which runs round a large portion of the old city. We climbed the nearest set of stairs and started off on a walk all the way round to the river. We still can't quite believe we've got such a great location. The wall-walk is a great way to see both the inside and outside of York and was a good "introduction" to the city.

Halfway along our walk we got to Micklegate Bar and the museum inside. It's only a few rooms but came complete with plenty of replica helmets to try on and a very knowledgeable guide who also teaches various forms of medieval and renaissance fencing. Anna also got to dress up in 17^th costume and looked lovely.

Further round the walls and we reached the river where we had to cross over the bridge, ending our wall-walk. We did a little shopping and then wandered into the end of Stonegate. Like The Shambles (wait for it!), the Stonegate is a VERY old and well preserved street. There are buildings dating from the 15^th century onwards, all very well maintained and restored. We spent a good hour wandering along, poking in alleys and buying the odd thing. We also took time out to visit the Haunted House, which contains a very entertaining self-guided audio tour through a 700 year old house which is so wonky and out of shape you'd be hard pushed to find a single straight wall. Towards the end we went into a Olde Sweete Shoppe and spent Farre Too Muche Moneye.

Further along we came out by York Minster and turned into The Shambles just round the corner. It is every bit as amazing as it looks in the pictures and well worth the walk. In places the shops almost touch up above and everything is so very old it is hard to believe. Anna initially wanted to see it becuase it looks like Harry Potter and she wasn't disappointed but didn't really understand it is all original. Before we left we stopped for afternoon tea in a great little Italian place (amazing cappucinos!) that may well get a visit this week for a meal I'd say.

Not far from The Shambles and we reached the Merchant Adventurer's Guild, initially formed in 1357 and still going strong. The guild was formed by a group of like-minded Christian merchants and the building has been in their hands ever since. The building itself is amazing, being an impressive structure even by modern standards and it must have been quite something when first built. It has been added to and expanded a number of times since, each new section adding something else to the character. The audio tour was particularly good.

By the time we had finished there it was getting towards 3:00pm and really turning cold. All this week has been cool and even the locals are commenting on it. At least today wasn't wet even if it was very grey. Jenni and the kids popped into a doll house shop for a few minutes and I snapped a few photos of buildings in the street. It feels kind of weird taking pictures of "ordinary" shops but when virtually everyting is older than (white) Australia it is hard not to.

On the way home we fitted in one more stop – Clifford's Tower – the motte part of the original York motte and bailey castle. It sits on a very steep mound (as a proper motte should) and by the time you've climbed to the tower you get an excellent view from one of the highest points in York. The walk round the top is good fun and you can look down into the interior as well as outside. There's some pretty decent carving inside the covered chapel over the gate but elsewhere the weather has eroded almost everything of the detail unfortunately.

Back home around 4:00pm and everyone is quiet. Feet are sore(ish) and everyone is a bit knackered but the day has been brilliant fun and we've seen and done SO much.

If we continue like this for the week we'll be absolutely shattered ;-)

Oops, I nearly forgot. So where are we now map-wise???

Cheers,

Millsy