A day in York


We decided to go a little further this holiday and visit York. Anne had been there as a schoolgirl but I had never seen it. I had put a bit of research in before the holiday downloading an MP3 tour from the internet and planning where to park and setting routes on the SatNavs.We left Healaugh about 8.30 with the SatNav set to short. This took us a lovely meandering route through lovely villages. We got into York about 10.00 and parked at Marygate Car Park. We had something to eat in the car.

100_5326
100_5327

We then moved off using my handheld GPS (an Etrex 20 using Talky Toaster OSM based maps). This was just to get us to the castle. We came through a lovely park (Museum Park) down to the River Ouse, looking for a toilet. The GPS said there should be one here but I couldn’t find it. On reaching the River Ouse. I was amazed at the size of it and we are well inland.

100_5328
100_5329

So we took a diversion following signs for toilets but never found them. We headed up Museum Street and eventually went into the Royal Theatre where we got nice clean toilets.

100_5331
100_5332

We went back to our route heading down Lendal, Coney Street, Clifford Street and Tower Street to the front of the Castle Museum.

100_5334

Here we went onto following our MP3 tour (download). We had put the file onto my MP3 player for Anne and onto my Blackberry for myself.The tour starts at the front of the Castle Museum and then goes to Clifford’s Tower just across from it. We went up the steps but didn’t go in.

100_5335
100_5336
100_5339
We branched round by Fenwick to the Jorvik, Viking Centre but didn’t go in. There was a monster queue and dear knows what it would cost.

100_5340 100_5341

We went on to All Saints a lovely church on what is called the Pavement. We went into the church where my camera's batteries died. Oh dear. I left Anne and went to look for batteries - the shop directly across had them, 12 alkaline batteries for £4, so I could take pictures again. This church was so quiet and so old.

100_5342 100_5344
100_5345 100_5346 100_5350
100_5352
The tour then took us down High Ousegate and Low Ousgate onto Ouse Bridge where we stopped for some pictures and to listen to the tour.

100_5353

It was then a retrace up Low and High Ousegate along the Pavement and right onto Fossgate and stopped at Merchant's Hall.

100_5357
100_5358
100_5359

From here we retraced our steps up Fossgate and onto the Shambles. This was so old and wonderful. The houses are higgle piggle with upper floors projecting out over the street.

100_5361 100_5362
100_5363
100_5364
We branched to the left to have a look at a market.

100_5365

From here it was through King's Square onto Low Petergate and through a wee alleyway to Holy Trinity church, another very old church. We had a look around and then sat in a seat outside and had our picnic lunch. The sun was shining and we were out of the wind. It was peaceful and lovely.

100_5367 100_5368
100_5371 100_5373
100_5374
100_5375

Anne made a wee friend with the help of her crisps. I ate mine!

100_5376
100_5377
100_5379

The churchyard was left by the other entrance onto Goodramgate where we turned left and followed it till we reached Monkbar the largest remaining city gate on the wall. It was inhabited till the 1960s, now a museum. We went up the steps onto the city walls. What an impressive, historic place. We must come back and do the walk round the city walls. We went into a lot of charity shops on the way up Goodramgate.

100_5384 100_5385
100_5389
100_5390 100_5391 100_5393 100_5394
The tour then took us back down Goodramgate and then turned right onto College Street. This led out to the back of the Minster. What an amazing, amazing building. It just takes your breath away. This is where the tour ends. We walked round to the front and went into York Minster.

100_5397
100_5400
This was just so special. We paid the £10 each for entry. It is well worth it and the ticket is valid for a year. Not so useful when you live in the North of Scotland. We joined a guided tour. It was excellent. The organ was being tuned and it was so hard to hear the guide. Then two of the staff started collecting chairs with a trolley that made a horrendous racket. We got the history of the Minster (which I can't now remember). We also heard about the restoration.

100_5401 100_5402 100_5403 100_5405 100_5407
100_5408
The North East wall and the huge window there was sealed off for restoration. These are restored glass frames from the great window.

100_5411 100_5412
This is not the Great North East Window but a printout done by Hewlett Packard. They scanned the whole window and then built a printer to print it out on one continuous canvas. That's an achievement in itself!

100_5414
During our tour things were suspended for a couple of minutes for prayer. Everyone in the Minster was asked to be quiet for it. And all the people on our tour and around us were absolutely silent. It is amazing that this was so. And the prayer was offered in Christ's name. Despite the waning of Christian belief and the disregard for God's Word there is still a place being given to our Saviour. It struck me as we came here that there were churches in every village. Also here in York there are churches all around. Our country was built on belief in Christ and obedience to God's Word. Now our politicians have decided to wave their puny fists at God and introduce what they call "gay marriage". God made it clear only men and women get married. The Bible refers to "gays" as sodomites and describes them as an abomination. But this rejection of God has been building over my lifetime. The death penalty was abolished when I was a boy. Abortion was introduced when I was in secondary school. It seems so strange to save the guilty and destroy the innocent! There has been over 7 million children murdered before being born in the UK since then. Makes the holocaust seem tame! Sometimes the worst thing God can do to us is give us what we want. But He will not stay quiet forever. It's when He breaks out we have to fear!We have to be amazed at grace.Anne and I had a wee tour ourselves round the Minster and I took photos.But isn't it amazing that this great building was built to the glory of God.

100_5415
100_5416 100_5417 100_5418100_5419 100_5420 100_5422
After this Anne and I headed back to the car. We went down Duncombe Place, Museum Street and through Museum Gardens, through Marygate and back to the Car Park. We were tired but what a smashing day. We had something to eat in the car.

100_5425
100_5426

That was a walk of 4.23 miles. It was a fantastic day. We headed back by a route that used quite a bit of the A1 which was faster. It took a while to get out of York onto the Leeds road due to roadworks. We got petrol just outside York. We got into Reeth about 5.30 so we went to the Buck Hotel for our tea - burgers and chips.