Taking a stroll around York

by Keith Newton, Evening Gazette

WE all have our favourite places to visit. They may have particular connections or invoke private memories, or we may just like to go there.

We just like to visit York.

It has ties to practically every stage of British history and is a living museum that makes sure today and tomorrow revels in all of its yesterdays.

It was a great metropolis in Roman and Viking times, and grew again under the Normans.

Characters connected with it are as diverse as the Roman Emperor Constantine and the Gunpowder Plot’s Guy Fawkes.

It is home to the Minster, National Railway Museum, Jorvik Viking Centre, Yorkshire Museum, Clifford’s Tower, York Castle Museum, Yorkshire Wheel, a great racecourse and much more.

You can go specifically to see these or simply to wander its old, narrow streets, and enjoy.

We have just made our first return to York for many, many months and settled for a sight-seeing stroll in the sunshine.

It was a delightful day out, lasting more than four hours.

We began with a walk alongside the River Ouse though the flood defences and watermarks on the walls warn you that this is not always possible. Then it was into the tourist heart of the city.

Our route took us down crowded Stonegate, where we met a purple man with purple paint, brushes and bike, to the Minster - the largest medieval Gothic cathedral north of the Alps.

First though, we tuned left down Petergate to Bootham Bar, one of the entry points into the city through the ancient walls. Several big chunks of these still stand and in the past we have climbed up to walk along them.

This time, though, it was back to the Minster where café society had spread across the pavements offering the best view.

The great religious edifice is rarely naked these days and, while part of the towering front was discretely hidden by the imposing beauty of a spreading tree, the ubiquitous scaffolding and green shrouding clothed plenty of the rest.

Appropriately, the statue of Constantine by the entry door is also green.

He was declared Roman Emperor here by his troops and eventually claimed his crown after some bloody battles.

Inside the Minster, you can experience spectacular views from up above and discover more amazing Roman connections down below.

Alongside this great church is another, the attractive but easily ignored St Michael le Belfrey.

Guy Fawkes was baptised here and his family home - now the Guy Fawkes Inn - is directly opposite.

Back on Petergate, the route eventually leads to that famous narrow little street called the Shambles.

Whenever you get there, you will be convinced the rest of the world has come at the same time.

The crowds seem to suck you along to Coppergate and the expanding queue to get into the popular Jorvik Viking Centre. Café society has taken over the space near it too and the Vikings are still here, this time minting you your very own Viking coins.

Clifford’s Tower - all that remains of York’s Norman castle - and the York Castle Museum lie behind the shops that surround Jorvik while the city’s two rivers flow on either side.

When the Vikings sailed in more than 1,000 years ago they followed the now smaller Foss rather than the Ouse and moored at Coppergate where they developed their settlement.

Have a close look at both rivers at this point. They merge just a little to the east and the Foss is surprisingly swift and wide in parts.

Our route back took us past Bettys and for once we did not go inside. We still needed to eat, however, and the shops (especially the womens departments) could not be ignored.

We finally wended our way back through the crowded Museum Gardens past the Yorkshire Museum and remains of St Mary’s Abbey, watched perhaps by travellers on the Yorkshire Wheel across the Ouse in the grounds of the National Railway Museum.

You can travel by bus or train to York and, if you go by car, down the A19.

You can pay the parking charges or use the extensive park and ride network.

There is an entry charge for most attractions though admission to the National Railway Museum is except for certain special events.

Useful websites to check out include:

www.york-tourism.co.uk or www.visityork.org - city tourism guides

www.nrm.org.uk - for details on the National Railway Museum and Yorkshire Wheel

www.jorvik-viking-centre.co.uk - the city’s Viking museum

www.yorkminster.org - information on the largest gothic cathedral in Northern Europe

www.yorkcastlemuseum.org.uk - York Castle Museum

www.cliffordstower.com