A taste of culture and heritage in York

Ever had a day off work and thought, “I know, I’ll go somewhere I’ve never been before”? I have these thoughts all the time (I think it’s the traveller in me), so it was fairly easy to decide on York as the next destination in my ‘Daytrippin’ series. It also helped that I have a friend there who was more than willing to be my tour guide for the day. Big up yerself Jen!

But what to do in York? In a day? Like with many major cities in the UK, York has a lot to offer in terms of tourism, culture, heritage and sight-seeing; it’s also pretty good for food, shopping and of course, my vice – alcohol (I was swimming in a dreamy romance of cocktails and prosecco by the time I left. But that’s by-the-by).

It’s often difficult to prioritise the things you want to see when your time is restricted, however, if you plan correctly, you can pack a lot into a single day.

York is a devastatingly beautiful city. Similar in heritage to Chester, with its city walls and relic ruins dating back to Roman times; and akin to Lincoln with its towering Cathedral that dwarfs the city; I felt though that the history and heritage of York was on a much grander scale to its counterparts. Although the centre itself is quite small, it was the layout and the way the narrow, cobbled streets criss-crossed over one another and the olde-worldy feel that captured my attention and helped me fall in love with the place.

The river Ouse runs through the city, and the famous dungeons and York’s many museums attract hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. Devastated by the floods of winter 2015, the York of May 2016 seemed to be regaining composure and getting back on its feet – the catastrophe certainly hadn’t affected tourism; and if it had, this certainly wasn’t the impression I gained on my brief visit; the city was swarming with visitors (but that may have been down to the unusually pleasant weather for the time of year).

Overwhelmed by the vast amount of things to do and see in York, I have broken my ‘must-do’ list down into 10 comprehensible and manageable sights that are easy to take in in a single day – but be warned, this is not for those who are lackadaisical about time-keeping. Stopwatches at the ready…and…GO…!

Brew & Brownie – start your day with a coffee and breakfast at this vintage, hipster-styled cafe-cum-coffee house on Museum Street. All products are locally sourced; the lattes are perfectly made, the brownies, cakes and pastries are mouth-wateringly moreish, the avacado on toast is TO DIE FOR and the savoury scones taste best when warm and shared with friends.
Walk the City Walls – the 3.4km walk around the longest medieval town walls in England will take you approximately two hours (less if you can stealthily evade the people in front of you and the people coming towards you; it takes skill considering how narrow the wall walkways are). What better way to burn off that breakfast than with guaranteed fantastic views of the city? You can even indulge in a bit of historical education at certain strategically placed pit-stops along the way.
York Minster – it’s not wholly necessary to pay the fee and enter this magnificent Gothic cathedral, one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe, as you can marvel at its grandeur and splendour from the exterior. However, should you choose to part with your hard-earned cash following your epic city walk, you won’t be disappointed as the interior is just as, if not more incredible than the outside facade.
York Castle Museum and the Museum Gardens – just a short distance from one another but occupying quite a bit of space in the centre of York, both these places are well worth a visit. Again, as with the Minster, if you’re short on time it’s not essential to peruse the artefacts in the museum, but the Museum Gardens are definitely something you should take the time to walk around – impressive ruins adorn a grassy area, with heritage and history right under your feet.
Row, row, row your boat on the river Ouse – need I say more? Take in the stunning scenery from the water with a trip along the Ouse. Boat hire is available from York Marina and boat trips can also be booked through yorkboat.co.uk
The Fudge Kitchen – I don’t care if you’re not a sweet-toothed human, I don’t even care if you hate fudge, no visit to York is complete without peeping your head into the Fudge Kitchen on Low Petergate in the city centre. If you’ve worked up an appetite after your river-cruise but the taste doesn’t satisfy you, the aromas certainly will! I opted for a slab of the salted caramel fudge (to eat later of course) while wasting more than enough time breathing in the sweet, flavoursome delights – simply divine.
Hebden Tea Company – speaking of aromas; get your nostrils around the sensational scents springing from the Hebden Tea Company situated on York’s Shambles. With free samples of tea available on the shop front, you won’t be able to resist popping in to enquire about a bag of tea to take home for Mum.
The Shambles and Shambles Market – after purchasing and tasting your tea and fudge, why not explore more of the Shambles; a general term used to describe the maze of twisting, narrow lanes in York with overhanging timber-framed buildings that date back as far as the 14th century. Theses streets and the lane at the heart of the cluster, the one actually called the Shambles are what make York so endearingly charming and are perhaps the best preserved medieval streets in the world.
Rowntree Park – spend late afternoon in the beautifully picturesque Rowntree Park, a public space created in memory of employees of Rowntree’s (think Fruit Gums and Fruit Pastilles) who died in World War I. Opened in 1921 by Joseph Rowntree, the park has been awarded a Green Flag for national standards and boasts a cute reading cafe where customers can read newspapers and books for free and find out about local and community organisations and meet-ups.
Kennedy’s Bar and Restaurant – if all the sight-seeing and cultural intake has worn you out, round off your day in York with a bit of roof-terrace drinking and dining in the stylish and modern Kennedy’s on Little Stonegate. The terrace is the perfect little sun-trap should you be lucky to visit while the weather is nice, and makes for an idyllic end to a fun-packed day in one of Yorkshire’s most captivating cities.