A day out in York …

We started the day with breakfast in the dining room at Laurel Manor Farm with a French couple and a British woman. Our conversation with the French couple was the first of many we assume we will have over the coming weeks – struggling to find words common to both languages and to be able to explain things in different ways in the hope that the other party will work out what you are talking about. Rather difficult when the first topic of conversation is Marmite and Vegemite!

It is the second bank holiday we have encountered (the first being the day we arrived). We set off to York which is about 15 miles south of Helperby (where the farm is). After being confused by the cycling friendly signs (they really aren’t meant as directions for people driving cars), we found a public carpark that was available because it was a holiday. Normally it is reserved for the workers. It was very near the Minster and the start of a section of the York Walls. These walls are the most intact in the UK so they tell me. We climbed the stairs and walked along the wall, around the corner to Monks Bar. Here they had a Richard III Museum, which revisits the murder of the two Princes in the tower, and whether Richard was indeed guilty of killing them or at least having them killed. I think it was Henry VII and poor Richard was framed. Leigh believes it was Richard all along. He seems to be with the majority according to visitor votes, but it is definitely not a clear majority.



A walk through the streets of York and a look at the Minster which is very impressive. It is also very expensive and they wont let you take photos so we opted for an outside view only. Instead we had morning coffee at Starbucks and watched Mr Yellow, a street performer, who didn’t do very much at all!



Back to the car to put some more money in the meter and we decided to catch the York version of the red sightseeing bus. Following the outer path of the city walls we alighted towards the middle of town to go to the Viking Centre. There was a queue. It was rather a long queue. We pondered but decided we could find better things to do to amuse our selves to we took some pics of Clifford’s Tower and the Merchant’s Guild Hall and got back on the next bus. This time we got off at the railway station and visited the model railway. It is rather well done, and there are buttons to push to make things happen – Punch and Judy, signs on top of buildings to revolve, waterwheels, start trains etc. Picked up a couple of authentic scenery bits for our railway (when we get around to it again) from the shop and also another model shop over the other side of York. The propietor thanked us for our custom and begged us to let their cricket team win at some point in the near future :)



Onto the National Railway Museum for a late lunch and a wander around the Royal Trains of the past. The youngest belonging to Queen Elizabeth II that was retired in 1977 when new carriages were introduced. Others belonged to Queen Victoria and then her son, Edward VI (or was it VII). Amazing how much opulence they can manage to put in one carriage, both inside and out.

Caught the bumpy road train back to the car – just for a different experience (ask Leigh’s bum about it :) and headed home, just a little touristed out.

We went into Boroughbridge again for dinner, this time trying one of the local Indian restaurants which was rather nice. Service leaves a little to be desired but what is new.