York. May 19

Today we returned to York Minster to have a look at the Under Croft, which turned out to be a mini museum under the Minster. There were cut aways showing where a previous Roman building had stood, and lots of old artefacts from a range of eras after the Romans. We didn’t expect there to be such an extensive museum under the old minster, and were very pleased we came back to see it.

After finishing at the museum, we decided it was definitely snack time, so returned to our old friend, the Fudge Kitchen and ate it in the sun in the main square. 

For lunch we found a little building with a Moroccan food street vendor, and had a lovely lunch in the unexpected sun.

We walked back through the town and walked along the ramparts between two gates, the last being the one that lead out to our hotel. We didn’t expect this part of the town to be so beautiful, the wall had incredible views of the minster, and the grass growing up along the walls made for a beautiful view. Ash was also very concerned about falling off into this grass, as being very high up (it wasn’t) it should have had railings.

View from our daily walk into town

Ash poking the Minster

Loving York 

What if i fall!?

But it's so scary mum!

Our gate, the Micklegate Bar

Once we got back to our part of town, we got ourselves some tickets to see Pitch Perfect 2 (it was cheap Tuesday!!), and were glad we did because when we got out, everything was truly soaked from the rain that had previously been holding off for us. It had eased by then, so we walked back into town for dinner and then headed home afterwards to pack for our next move!

Love A&E

York. May 18

Day one in York was so cold. We braved the weather to explore the streets although there was on and off rain, which made exploring the shambles and medieval streets a little difficult. We found the shambles first, a medieval street that used to be the butchers street, with the second level of the buildings often jutting out over the street. They also had hooks from the outside below the second level to hang the meat and then shelves outside the first level window to sit the meat on. It was pretty cool to see streets like this maintained in their original form but with new shops inside selling things like jewellery and fudge.

The Shambles

Escaping the rain we went into the York Minster, an incredible gothic cathedral that was built initially on a roman fortress as a Norman style cathedral then as the current gothic style. It was huge and so impressive. It had the biggest expanse of stained glass window in the world, which was pretty amazing considering most of the stain glass windows found in churches were destroyed during the reformation in the 16th century by Thomas Cromwell and his regime. The window was also taken down during WWII to save them from being damaged, however it left the windows in poor condition, and they are currently being repaired, so we couldn't actually see them!

The Minster, we both agreed, was more impressive than Westminster Abbey, even though it is not as well regarded. We were lucky enough to catch a guided tour of the building with a man who had the quietest voice in existence. We both had to basically stand directly in front of him, pushing through all the other people to make sure we had a prime spot to hear him. He was very knowledgable though and had this iPad he kept whipping out for close up pictures and images to help his explanations. The Minster was also much more accessible than any others we'd been to and you could take photos anywhere. The preservation of it too was impeccable. They have been working to restore the giant stained glass window for 8 years and expect it to be completed next year. Also, there are stone masons who work in the Minster yard carving stone to replace the facade with. Their skill is amazing and very cool that this workmanship and technique is still continued even now.

V wet. V cold.

Much wind

York Minster

Sadly our Minster visit was cut short and we dashed off after the tour was finished, intending to return tomorrow as we still hadn't been to the undercroft, a kind of museum under the Minster.

We had to go find the meeting point for our free walking tour of York, which began just outside the walls. We've been really enjoying jumping on a walking tour in some of the cities we go to, it's pretty handy to get a feel for the city and where everything is and also the guides are always so knowledgable and interesting, often providing fun stories and facts along the way. Our guide and tour was no exception this time. The guide changed at the last minute to this cute old man who pointed out all the finer details about different sights and points of interest. We went around the walls, walking and seeing parts of the wall often missed by tourists. He explained the history of the Romans, then the Vikings (the name York came from the Viking name Jorvik) and then the progression to York today. Mainly the York walls are very cool. So cool. And amazing that they still remain pretty intact. Although our guide did point out how the Victorians attempted to restore them but did an awful job and kind of just redid them without maintaining the historical state (as he put it- it looked like they went down to the beach and got some pebbles and paved them in). He also led us through the city and again to the shambles and main areas within the walls.

City walls (the bottom half is Roman)

Minster from the ramparts

One of the city gates

Old tudor monk school, often used in films now

Minster facade

So we started the tour human and ended the tour as ice blocks, and to return to human form we went to a coffee shop for cake and tea. Yurrrrrrmmmmmm.

We also went to Wagamama for dinner and Ash had ramen and Elise had chicken katsu curry.

That was basically all for today.

Much love, A&E.

Lakes District to York. May 17

Today we travelled from Windermere to York. We had a relaxed morning, so we decided to try a café for breakfast. We were so pleased we did. Elise ordered a Welsh Rarebit with poached eggs, which is basically the tastiest, fanciest, cheese on toast you will ever eat. Ash ordered an egg and bacon roll, which was also super tasty. After our extended breakfast we went back to our B&B to collect our bags, and hiked them up the hill to the station.

After surviving the packed trains and transfers, we finally found ourselves in York! Having had quite a tiring travel day, we decided to stay in our hotel just outside the walls, eating ice-cream and watching ‘The William and Kate Story’ which we’re sure was very true to life.

Love A&E

Lakes District. May 16

Today we got up and headed downstairs for a cooked breakfast in our B&B’s dining room. We made the most of it and ate as much as we possibly could!

We then walked up to the station and caught a bus up the lake to Grasmere, watching the lake, forest and cottage gardens through the window. In Grasmere we walked through a small cemetery, finding the gravesite of poet William Wordsworth. Outside the cemetery is a little gingerbread shop, which sells a particular type of gingerbread created by a lady who lived there a long time ago. It’s pretty yum.

Grasmere

Red breasted robin

Grasmere

Grasmere

Grasmere gingerbread

Poet William Wordsworth's gravestone

Grasmere 

#model

Grasmere

 

Elise studying the bus routes of the Lakes District

After a walk around the town, we caught the bus back down to the top end of the lake to a town called Ambleside. The town is a bigger and quite touristy, but we found the ‘most photographed building in the Lakes’, which was a tiny little two floor, two room stone building on a bridge over the brook. We were trapped in by a tour group, but found of that it had many uses, such as an apple store (the fruit, not the computers), a weaver’s house and a house for a family of 6!

Ambleside

Tiny home of 6

Elise v impressed

YES

While waiting for another bus, we went to a local tearoom and shared a pot of tea and two slices of cake, and thus felt very English. We then took the bus to a little place called Elterwater where we took the walking path through picturesque paddocks, following a river. We took our walk further, approximately 6 miles, and weaved our way through country lanes and paddocks full of gambolling lambs all the way back to Ambleside’s port town Waterhead. On the way we also saw an owl and Elise tried desperately to get close enough for a photo, but was super happy to just have it in front of her anyway. 

Elterwater

Ash bringing down walls

On route

OWL THOUGH ( P.S. Go to sleep, you're nocturnal)

On the way to Ambleside 

Getting the shots

Painting or 4real?

Don't lose yo hat 

Much amaze. Such wonder

Wildflowers, stop being so idyllic

Yessssss, graveyards, our fave

We found ourselves a fish and chips shop and decided it was too icy to take down to the port, so we sat inside and ate our fish and chips. (Yes, Ash ate fish and gave it an 8/10 for tastiness. Elise was very pleased). From Waterhead we took the ferry back to Bowness which is a lovely way to see the area from a different angle. We then walked back to our B&B to pack again for tomorrow’s move to York!

Waterhead 

Ash is on a boat

Shaz, it's the castle you told us to see (we didn't go) 

That glare though

Love A&E