Mick was working in York last Friday so I decided to tag along, he said he'd be able to drop me off on his way and then pick me up again when he finished. I got to York just in time for the shops opening and it was lovely and quiet, I've never seen the Shambles so empty. The buildings in this historic street are from the fifteenth century and though you don't get a very good idea from this photo, they lean into the middle of the street and their roofs almost touch. It was historically a street of butchers shops and houses. Records from 1872 state there were twenty six butchers on this street. The Shambles is believed to have been the inspiration for Diagon Alley in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series so it's no wonder that a Harry Potter themed shop has sprung up there, The Shop That Must Not Be Named stocks all manner of Harry Potter merchandise and must be number one on the list for any fan visiting York.
I had a little mooch around the Shambles Market. It isn't a large market but there's a variety of different stalls.
One of the things I love about York is that there's so many independent shops along with all the high street stores. Fossgate dates back to Roman times and was home to York's fishmarket. Traders brought their wares from the east coast to sell, a tradition which lasted right up to the Victorian era. Fossgate today is full of independent businesses, cafes, bars and shops.
This guy was tempting me to go in to the Teddy Bear Shop on Stonegate. I managed to resist but Eleanor's still got soft toys I've bought from here in the past.
If I hadn't been on my own I could have been persuaded to go in to this charming little pub for a swift half. Mind you, it's said to be haunted so perhaps not. The Punch Bowl has been a pub for over four centuries.
York Minster, such an imposing building. It can be seen towering over the surrounding shopping streets. It's many years since I've been inside the Minster, there's an admission charge these days which starts from £10, I consider that to be quite hefty. I remember visiting when I was a child and seeing someone brought down from the tower on a stretcher to a waiting ambulance as they'd suffered a heart attack at the top. It's funny the things you remember, and it made me wary of climbing all those stairs. Then back in 1984 I remember the photos on the front of the Yorkshire Post showing the Minster on fire after it had been struck by lightning. It caused £2.25m worth of damage.
You can't go to York without visiting Betty's Tea Rooms. You can see how popular Betty's is, just look at everyone waiting for a table. I bypassed the queue and went in to the shop instead where I chose some tasty treats to take home with me.
Two chocolate and passion fruit bombs, two caramel slices and a chocolate and orange rascal.
Two ganache mice, a sheep cupcake and a marzipan pig, how cute is he?
Don't worry, they weren't all for us, one of the bombs was shared three ways, it was so rich, it was delicious though.
I also came home with a couple of bargains which I picked up in the M&S sale as well as some make up, some cards I'll be needing for upcoming birthdays, some yarn I picked up from a wonderful wool shop on Colliergate and some fancy shampoo and conditioner that Eleanor uses. I also couldn't resist this sign.
If he doesn't lick you to death, he'll get you with his waggy tail.
Mick picked me up again at about 2pm. I'd had such a lovely day that I didn't want it to end so we picked Eleanor up from home and went out to Bella Italia for Pizza before she had to go to work.
Mick tells me he'll be going back to see the same customer in York again soon so I may just have a repeat of this shopping trip then.
What a lovely day! I have not been to York in many years, it is a shame it is so far away. Glad you enjoyed your shopping trip and that you managed to get some useful, lovely and much needed things. x
ReplyDeleteWe're lucky to live so close to York, there's so much to see and do there that I never tire of visiting, I much prefer it to Leeds which is my nearest large city.
DeleteYork is a beautiful place we visited the minster late in the afternoon, whist in the basement the choir was practicing, it was wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI can imagine how wonderful that would be, I bet it was very atmospheric with the beautiful voices being carried around the Minster.
DeleteWow that tea room looks popular, not sure i would have queued either, much better idea to get some treats and enjoy them at home, I hope they tasted as good as they look.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you had a great day and picked up some bargains too :-)
Betty's is very popular, they have tea rooms in Harrogate, York, Ilkley, Northallerton and even at the RHS gardens at Harlow Carr, it's quite pricey but their food is delicious. I had a lovely day, I'm looking forward to a repeat.
DeleteI love York. I've always wanted to go to the tea shop, But the queues were always horendous. One day, one day!
ReplyDeleteYou have to get there early if you want to go in Bettys without having to queue, it's so popular. I love York too, I never tire of visiting as there's so much to do and see.
DeleteWhat a lovely visit to York, Jo. We went there in, I think, 1981, when we did a holiday house swap with a lovely family in Knaresborough which isn't that far away. This was prior to the fire in the Minster. Sadly, if these huge, medieval buildings (and some pre-medieval) are to be kept upright and safe, it costs money to do so, and even though £10 per person out of the family coffer is a lot for many people, when you place it against the cost of seeing a film, or the cost of a pizza, it's not that bad. Not that we go to films or buy pizzas, but it's commensurate with the cost of things today, I think. Visiting NT properties isn't cheap, either. We went to Stourhead a couple of years ago (entrance fee for the house and the garden was around £15 - £16 each). Had I not had a Media Pass, which I have for the NT, it would've meant over £30 to be shelled out before we even stepped over the threshold, and then there would be the guide book, the postcards, the tea and cakes afterwards.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you managed to use your phone for the pix. I have a camera on my ancient mobile but as I have no means of downloading them to my computer, I don't use it. I use a tiny compact Sony, my professional-style Nikon is just too heavy to cart around, what with that and my bag and whatever I need to carry - makes me feel like a pack horse!
Margaret P
Knaresborough is another lovely town which we visit fairly often. I understand what you say about admission fees to visit the Minster, they obviously have to raise funds somehow for the upkeep, however, if a family of four wanted to visit the Minster and Tower, it would cost £40. That's prohibitive to many families and means that children won't get to see this beautiful building, which is such a shame. I have my Nikon DSLR and a couple of bridge cameras, but I usually carry a little pocket camera around with me if I don't want to be carting a heavy camera with me. It will be much easier to just take the photos on my phone from now on, but I'd like a phone with a bit better camera if I'm to do that.
DeleteGetting dropped off and picked up later is the best way to go shopping in a big town, much easier than finding somewhere to park.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to go to York again - years since we last went.
I agree about parking, it's horrendous trying to find somewhere to leave the car in a large town or city centre. We often use the park and ride when we visit York together, it's much less hassle. I know many people enjoy their visits to York, it's such a lovely place.
DeleteIt's lovely to have a day to just mooch and wander, with no fixed plan. I haven't been to York in years, I don't remember it really, so it's nice to see a glimpse of it here.
ReplyDeleteIt is, days like this are few and far between for me so it made a real change. This is a very small glimpse of York, there's so much to see and do there, it's a wonderful place to visit.
DeleteSounds like a great day out. I think that £10 is a lot to be able to have a look around the Minister, such a shame that a lot of people won't see its beauty it should be FREE or donations.
ReplyDeleteThe admission fee starts at £10, it's £15 if you want to include the tower too, I think it's quite steep, especially for families to fork out. I know I wouldn't have paid £40 for my family to look round.
DeleteYork is such a pretty city I've often wished we had visited it more than once. Love the piggy cake.
ReplyDeleteIt is a pretty city, there's always something new to see, even when I've visited so many times. I had to buy that piggy cake, even though I don't like marzipan, he's just so cute.
DeleteBetty's tea rooms is a must go to place for me. Yours cakes are so tempting . So glad you had a lovely time
ReplyDeleteI know Betty's have lots of fans, well, you can tell they do by the size of the queue. They make some lovely cakes, they're like little works of art.
DeleteIt's years since we were last in York - I must suggest another trip!!
ReplyDeleteYou could make a weekend of it, there's certainly enough to do in York to fill a few days.
DeleteYork is one of my favourite places. I don't remember paying to get into the Minster. I wonder if that's new? £10 is not cheap - especially if you're a family! Wow! Is Duttons for Buttons still there? I always go in for a look around but I don't think I've ever bought any of their buttons. They're also not cheap! Ha! This makes me sound like a cheapskate! LOL
ReplyDeleteYork's one of my favourite places too. It's a long time since I've been inside the Minster but I know there was no charge then. I think it's a shame that so many people miss out on seeing places like this because they can't afford the addmission price, £40 is a lot for a family to shell out. Yes, Duttons for Buttons is still there, I had a little looksie on Friday but I didn't buy anything.
DeleteI love York, Jo, and really enjoyed visiting with you in this posting, as it's been many years since I was there, and I'm unlikely to return to England. Your phone pictures are great. Love the Shambles. P. x
ReplyDeleteThere's certain places in York that I usually make for on each visit and the Shambles is one of them. I used to love the yarn shop which was there, Ramshambles, but, sadly, the shop now stands empty. I was sad to see on this visit that the Christmas shop, Christmas Angels, has gone now too. I did discover a couple of shops which I haven't been in before though, I think I'll be showing Mick these new shops I've discovered in time for Christmas, they sell some really pretty things.
DeleteI really like York, I think because it has so many small independent shops that are so much more interesting than most of the usual high street stores. Unfortunately York doesn't like me, it's not very disabled friendly with its beautiful cobbled streets and small doorways with steps often too narrow for a wheelchair xx
ReplyDeleteYes, the shops in York are really interesting, I suppose many are stocked for the tourist trade so they sell things we don't see in other towns and cities. I can see that it's not disabled friendly though, there's so many little snickets and as you say, cobbled streets. It must make wheelchair access a nightmare.
DeleteWhat a wonderful, relaxing day! I do enjoy leisurely strolls and shopping at my own pace. And those treats look incredible - yum!
ReplyDeleteI was all about having a small, digital camera until I got my 1st smartphone - all of a sudden, I started using the camera less and less. Eventually it was relegated to a drawer and didn't see the light of day until it was sent to the e-waste centre. I love the convenience of the phone as you always have it with you and I do find that those spur of the moment photos are truly the best kind. These days, cameras on phones are so good, I think most people would be hard pressed to tell the difference.
It was a lovely day, it really made a change just being able to suit myself. I'm always quite nervous about technology so I tend to stick with what I know, I would probably have never used the camera on my phone if my pocket camera hadn't packed up. I'm all for getting a new phone now with a better camera, it will be so convenient rather than dragging a camera round with me everywhere I go.
DeleteMmmm Bettys! Mr CK often refers to the pea purée he had there once! York is a lovely place, it must have been great to get there before the crowds.
ReplyDeleteIt was a revelation shopping in York so early, I've never seen the streets so empty, it was lovely being able to walk up the Shambles without getting elbowed. I've definitely discovered the best time of day to go.
DeleteAh, York. I remember visiting there the first time we came to UK in 1991. I still love going if we can when we come over, though I've never actually "shopped" there, just touristy stuff. Love the sign! Take care.
ReplyDeleteYork's great for shopping, there's some really lovely shops, but good for tourists too, there's so much to see and do. We enjoy sitting in one of the bars on the river on a nice day whilst we have a drink and watching all the boats go by.
DeleteNice post and pictures. It looks and sounds like you had a good day. Those cakes look delicious. That sign and your comment underneath it made me smile. xx
ReplyDeleteI had a lovely day, it made a real change. The cakes I had were delicious, Bettys may be expensive but they certainly know how to make a cake. The sign is now on the gate warning everyone who enters that they risk Archie's tongue and tail.
DeleteYork is my fav shopping place to visit. I love the mix of independent shops and high street names. It's something I think they haven't gotten right in Leeds yet. I always head to the NT trust shop to look for Christmas presents.
ReplyDeleteI agree about Leeds, they seem to just keep opening more and more designer shops whereas I'd much prefer more independent shops. I could spend hours in the NT shop, I love the things they sell.
DeleteWhat a wonderful reminder of York, I loved my weekend there and now am wanting to go back. The shambles are so atmospheric, I loved those leaning buildings. My camera lens broke recently, so I started using my phone, for video as well, the quality is really good, it surprised me. Have a new lens now, so back to the camera. xxx
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you could find plenty more things to do in York if you go for another weekend, that's the great thing about it, there's so much to see and do. I haven't quite got so far as video on my phone yet, perhaps I'll give that a go soon too.
DeleteIT looks like a wonderful and relaxing day. Just being able to putter around in stores and take your time sounds wonderful.
ReplyDeleteIt was really lovely. It's a long time since I've had a day out on my own like that, I can't wait to have another now.
DeleteI love York... I need to organise a trip there soon :)
ReplyDeleteI love York too, I know lots of people love it there.
DeleteGreat pics of your visit. The Minster does look beautiful, a friend recently visited and was outraged at the charge.
ReplyDeleteYummy cakes, I bet they were delicious
Xx
The Minster's a beautiful building, it's a shame that not so many people will get to see what it's like inside now that they're charging. The cakes were delicious.
DeleteWhat a great day you had ... and what a queue for Betty's Tea Rooms!
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
It would be very unusual to pass Bettys at lunch time and not see a queue outside, it's extremely popular.
DeleteA lovely day out. It's years since I visited York but I will be going in December. I'm really looking forward to it, although I doubt I will be going in the Minster at that price. X
ReplyDeleteThat's something to look forward to, York is a lovely place and I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
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