Wednesday 5 September 2012

A Rainy York

We tried to get out as much as possible last week to make the most of Mick taking the week off work, and it also being the last week of the school holiday. I find that there's plenty of places to go when the sun is shining, but less so when the weather isn't quite so favourable.

Last Wednesday was a really rainy day, but rather than going somewhere indoors, we decided we'd go in to York and have a mooch round the shops. Daniel wasn't keen on the idea of a shopping trip so it was just Mick, Eleanor and I.

We always use the park and ride when we go to York. For one thing, the car parks are always chock a block, and another, it's so expensive to park in York. The park and ride bus drops us right in the centre of York just beside Clifford's Tower. This is almost all that remains of York Castle, which was built by William the Conqueror.


I love shopping in York because there's lots of small individual shops as well as all the larger well known stores. I always head straight for The Shambles, a narrow, cobbled street with overhanging buildings which date back to the fourteenth century.


There's a mixture of shops in The Shambles. One of my favourites is Ramshambles, a wool shop. It has a good selection of yarn and the staff are really friendly.


Half way up The Shambles, I spotted this cat climbing up the wall. It's part of York's Cat Trail, a two hour walk around York taking in cat statues on some of the historic buildings in the city.


I'll have to put the Cat Trail on our list of things to do as we've never done it yet, though we did spot another couple of cats on our travels. Can you see this white one sat on the window ledge?


A shop we always visit is Christmas Angels. It's filled with all things Christmassy as well as lots of fun pocket money toys.


I couldn't leave without buying a new ornament for the Christmas tree.


York Minster can be seen from most of the shopping areas. It's a long time since I have been inside, but I believe they now charge an admission fee.


Another of my favourite shops, The Teddy Bear Shop. I've bought many soft toys from here.


Some of the streets in York have wonderful quirky names.


I always remember to look in all directions, including skyward, when I'm in York. There's so much to see and I wouldn't want to miss anything.


We didn't buy an awful lot, but had a good time wandering round the shops, and it kept us out of the rain.

9 comments:

  1. Jo - you made me cry. That's where I used to live and where Violet was born. I love that little city sooooo much, and miss it, and all my wonderful friends who still live there, so much. Even though we've lived in Solihull for 3 years now, York still feels like my home. I just pray for the day that Violet's dad comes home from work and tells me that we're moving back.
    I'm so pleased you love visiting there. Perhaps one day, when we move back, I can show you all my favourite haunts/shops.
    Perhaps you son would have preferred going at night when all the ghost walks are on. They're great.
    Parking always has been terribly expensive there, you do right by P&R.
    xx

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  2. Visited there in 1990-it was wonderful! Really hoping to go back someday.

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  3. I visited York many, many years ago - in the days when I was a student! I have a vague recollection of the cobbled street but do remember that it was a beautiful place to visit.
    June

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  4. It's a long time since I've been to York, and it's somewhere I've always wanted to go to again. Flighty xx

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  5. It looks like we missed a lot when we went through the Shambles. I was looking for a church where my ancestors had been christened and at the end of the shambles, there was a monument where the church had stood. I need to be more observant. I oh so want to return to York again and spend more time there.

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  6. I must visit York one day. I would love to the Cat trail, though I suspect T would groan very loudly at the thought! Mind you he does like cats so you never know!
    I have just been looking at another blog of a friend of mine who visited York when she was over from the US a few months ago and she has an almost identical photo of the Minister with the shop with the number 10 on it!http://justthepix.blogspot.co.uk/
    Lisa x
    Here is a link

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  7. The pictures are amazing!!

    Love the blog, just started following.

    Jan @Door251

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  8. I'd love to go to York - but it's just a little too far for a quick trip!

    Pomona x

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  9. Thank you for all your comments.

    Jill - I didn't mean to make you cry. I can imagine that York is a lovely place to live so you must miss it so much. We're lucky, we don't live too far away so visit quite often.

    Jan - It really is a gorgeous city. I'm pleased that you've experienced it first hand and hope you get to make that return trip.

    June - You should make another trip, it's a lovely city with so much to do there.

    Flighty - I don't think one trip is enough with York, there's so much to see and do that you always find something new.

    Ruth - I haven't seen that monument, I shall look out for it the next time I go. I hope you get to make another visit.

    Lisa - T may not like the cat trail, but you'd find something that he did enjoy in York. There really is something for everyone. The photo on your friend's blog is very similar, we must have stood in nearly the same spot to take it.

    Jan - Thank you for visiting and also for your very kind comment.

    Pomona - There's lots more to see and do around the area, you should make a holiday of it.

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