Experience Jorvik: The Old York

Situated at the confluence of the River Ouse and the River Foss this medieval city has much to offer the tourist. The River Ouse in the middle of the city offers boat tours, you can shop to your heart’s content, and museums are plentiful and interesting. York Minster and Jorvik Museum, Clifford’s Tower and the Railway Museum have to be the top sights in York and you really shouldn’t go away without seeing these at a minimum.

Take time to stroll through the snickelways of York and stop off for a bite to eat and one of the many excellent restaurants and cafes in town. Stop off for a meal or a few pints at one of the local pubs in the evening.

You can see quite a bit in one day since the city centre is so compact. If you want to see some of the lesser-known places in York you will have to dig a bit deeper and stay a bit longer. It is a busy place, especially in the summertime, and the queues can be atrocious.

York Minster should be high on your list of places to visit—if only for the stained glass. There are too many notables about the Minster to even list here. Guidebooks are available either at the Minster or at the Tourist Office.

Don’t forget about all of the wonderful things to see on the outskirts of York: Fountains Abbey, Castle Howard, the North York Moors National Park, the Yorkshire Dales, the coastal town of Whitby with its abbey ruins and Scarborough with it castle and sandy bays, Yorkshire Air Museum at Elvington, Eden Camp, and I could go on and on. There are endless possibilities for a fantastic holiday in the York area.

Quick Tips:

Shops and attractions usually don’t open before 9 or 10am. Why not take a walk around the city walls early in the morning before all of the other tourists are out and about? It gives you a different view of the city than just walking around the city centre. It will give you a chance to see a bit of the city without hoards of people in your sight.

Buy a ticket for one of the Hop-on Hop-off bus tours (there is one included free with the York Pass available at the Tourist Office or online—see my entry for this). Your ticket is good for 24 hours to take you all the around the city.

Visit Clifford’s Tower or the Minster Tower for a unique view of the city.

Stop off at the Tourist Office for a selection of guide books, a York Pass and general advice on things to see and do. You will find the staff to be friendly and very knowledgeable about York and the surrounding area.

Take advantage of the surrounding areas such as the Dales, Moors, and/or coastal towns if you can. Rent a car or take a guided tour—ask at the tourist office.

Best Way To Get Around:

York has a compact city centre and most sights are within walking distance of each other. If you happen to be staying at a B&B further out, taxis are always convenient or can find a bus line going your way. Bicycles are another convenient way to get around (rent one with your York Pass!).

Getting Here:

Parking and traffic can sometimes be difficult and expensive. Instead, why not use Park and Ride? There are five locations around the city ring roads. Park for free and pay £1.80 for your bus fare.

You can arrive by train from London in just over two hours.

Driving from London takes several hours as it is >200 miles and at can take 4+ hours due to slow-going roads.

There are no airports at York. When I fly I use one of three airports: Humberside, Manchester or Leeds/Bradford. Humberside (HUY), located south of Hull (and over the tolled Humber Bridge) is around 50 miles from York. Leeds/Bradford (LBA) is the closest at 30 miles. Manchester (MAN), just 81 miles away, is your best option for larger, more direct flights as there are many major airlines flying here.

My husband and I stayed at the Moat House York for four nights while we were seeking temporary accommodation as part of our relocation from Germany back to England. Since city centre hotels are expensive, we jumped on a "bargain" we spotted on the Moat House website. A double room with a shower and breakfast included was £65 (~$115) a night. It is in a wonderful location, right in the centre of York on the river.

Parking is included for guests at the hotel, which is wonderful, because parking in York can be an absolute nightmare. Hope you rented a small car, though, because the spaces are extremely tight and nearly impossible to get in and out of. You must stop at reception for a card key each time you would like to take your car out of the garage.

Our room was in a nice position overlooking the river and we could even see part of York Minster. The River Ouse was flooding at the time so it was interesting to be able to see the River. We had a non-smoking double bedroom with a tiny bathroom that contained a shower only. There was nothing really remarkable about the room. It had a neutral blue décor with white walls, a room you wouldn’t want to spend any time in.

By the end of our stay we were really disappointed with the hotel. The whole room seemed sort of temporary. The bed was really a Murphy bed that folded up into the wall, for whatever reason. The shower door would not stay closed, so it leaked water all over the floor. There were all kinds of little things like a burnt-out light bulb that was not replaced to soap not being replenished in the bathroom each day--mere annoyances.

We ordered room service one night, and it was a complete disaster. First, we got part of our order, and then, on the next trip, they brought our cutlery and finally on the third trip we got the drinks we ordered. When I didn’t get my chips with my sandwich I asked if they were coming and the guy who delivered said, "I don’t know anything about it; I am just helping them out down there." Very poor service.

The hotel offers amenities such as a bar and restaurant as well as a Bodyclub workout room. Pets are allowed at the hotel’s discretion and the hotel hosts conferences in 12 conference rooms. There was a conference checking in to the hotel when we arrived and it was a good 20-minute wait with two people working before we got to the counter.

Overall, I would not stay in this hotel again unless I stayed in one of the upgraded Crown Executive rooms (a suite?). With the Moat House being a national chain and three- or four-star, I had higher hopes for this place and was thoroughly disappointed. Next time I need to stay in York, I will try somewhere else.

Located on Coppergate Walk near the Jorvik Viking Museum, this shop offers something different than the traditional British High Street shopping. I don’t remember where I heard about this shop, but I knew I wanted to find it when I visited York.

The shop is full of many Japanese items such as origami, tableware, lucky cats, kimonos, and books on many different subjects. You can even buy some of your basic sushi ingredients as well as instant Japanese soups such as Miso soup.

Before I moved from Germany I learned how to make sushi but wanted a basic sushi book for reference. One of the shopkeepers helped me find a suitable sushi book for my needs. I eventually chose the book, "Easy Sushi". She answered questions I had about where to find ingredients and other miscellaneous things I wanted to know. She even offered a suggestion for a great Japanese restaurant in York. I left the store completely satisfied and hope to return there to browse next time I am in the neighbourhood. (They have a wonderful selection of tableware, and I am in need of pretty sushi plates and a teapot.)

The Japanese Shop also has a very comprehensive website at The Japanese Shop with an array of Japanese products for your buying pleasure. The shop offers a free "Japanese style" gift wrapping service (in-store and for delivery) and they will even ship your gift directly to the recipient and send you the receipt. Delivery is available worldwide.

I definitely recommend you stop in to browse while you are in York. It is a very interesting shop, and the shopkeepers are there you make you feel welcome. If you happen to find yourself in Chester or Harrogate, there are locations in those cities as well.

Fairfax House is one of Britain’s finest townhouses. Saved from near collapse in 1984, this 18th Century house has been restored to its former glory. With the addition of Noel Terry’s English Georgian furniture and clocks, it makes Fairfax House a wonderful place to visit.

Faith and I were heading to Clifford’s Tower when we stumbled upon Fairfax House located between the Jorvik Centre and Clifford’s Tower and between Castlegate and the shopping area of Coppergate Centre (Entrance from the front or the back). Admission is normally £4.50 for adults, but free with our York Pass.

Each room is staffed with a knowledgeable person willing to share intimate knowledge of the house, its history and contents. I couldn’t stump any of the guides, they answered every question I asked thoroughly and with additional information thrown in for good measure.

Fairfax House, built in the 1740s, was acquired in 1759 by Charles Gregory, Viscount of Fairfax, as a gift for his daughter Anne. The house began its slow decay over the years of successive owners. In the early 1980s, it was acquired by the York Civic Trust for restoration with a grant from the National Heritage Memorial Fund. Noel Terry (Terry’s chocolate orange fame) passed away around this time and his million pound collection of Georgian furniture provided a perfect marriage to the house, the furniture looks like it belongs.

Not to be missed:

• The ceiling in the dining room. It took over 1,000 hours to restore since it was in a dreadful state upon acquisition.
• The very elegant Red Saloon was used for dancing and entertaining during the Fairfax’s time in the house. Each year the "Friends of Fairfax" group offer a Christmas exhibit here.
• Viscount Fairfax’s Bedroom formed cloakrooms during the years the house was used as a cinema and dancehall. Look for the carved door surround, dado and skirting board as they survived, as well as the four chairs that tell a story from courting to marriage.
• The Drawing Room: the escritoire with hidden drawers made around 1700. This room was used for close friends and associates—more formal entertaining was done in the saloon.
• Anne’s Bedroom: definitely exudes femininity as a contrast to the other bedroom. Look for the pretty secretaire.
• The original kitchen no longer exists. Destroyed when the house became a cinema in 1920, a recreated kitchen stands in what was the rear parlour. Replica food displayed is based on an actual meal given by Viscount Fairfax back in 1763.
• Look up! The stucco ceilings are the masterpieces of the house, especially is the plasterwork ceiling of the grand staircase.
• Take note of the artwork around the house—splendid!

I highly recommend a stop at Fairfax House, it is definitely worth the time and it is free if you have your York Pass.

York City Sightseeing bus tours are the red double-decker buses you see all over town. In fact, I have seen these same types of sightseeing buses in Cambridge, Bath, and London, too. If you go to their website, City Sightseeing, you will see they operate all over the UK and even worldwide. You purchase your ticket on the bus and it is good for 24 hours. That is a lot of sightseeing!

With your York Pass, the bus tour is free. When you pick up your York Pass, you will be given a separate voucher for the bus tour which you give to the bus driver. Normally, adults are charged £8 and children are charged £4. Though, for each fare-paying adult, one child goes free and a family card is also available for £18 that covers two adults and three children.

You can pick up the bus tour at any of the stops along the way. Most of the attractions are within walking distance, but the commentary and views from the top of the bus make it interesting. The commentary gives you snippets of information about York and point out little things along the way that you would never know otherwise. There are two routes available, one covering a few more stops and lasting an extra 10 minutes.

We hopped on the bus at Clifford’s Tower and rode it most of the way around just to listed to the commentary. Tickets are also available by email online, but there is no benefit to doing this as no discount is offered.

I would recommend taking the bus tour if you purchase a York Pass as it is included. I would think twice about it if I didn’t have a pass, because most of the city is walkable anyway.

Clifford’s Tower, operated by English Heritage, sits atop a hill in the south part of the city centre and is one of York’s most familiar landmarks. William the Conquerer erected the towers when he chose York as his military headquarters in the North. In fact, he erected two wooden keeps, Clifford’s Tower and Baille Hill, on mounds on either side of the River Foss. The keep on Baille Hill is no longer there. The name, Clifford’s Tower, came from Roger de Clifford, who was hung at the tower after the Battle of Boroughbridge in 1322.

The most famous story behind Clifford’s Tower is that of the events that surfaced here in 1190. Around 150 of the city’s Jews sought sanctuary here when faced with either being killed or forcibly baptised by an angry mob. Instead of being baptised or killed, they chose to commit mass suicide. The angry mob then burned the wooden castle to the ground (or the Jews burned down the castle and the mob killed the survivors. I have heard both stories). The keep was rebuilt in stone during the reign of Henry III when it formed part of the substantial fortification, surrounded by a moat formed by diverting the River Foss. An approximation of what used to stand here is shown on signs within the tower.

The Tower has been used for other things over the years such as York’s administrative centre and a prison. The prison, which was a large complex, was made of several buildings as well as the Castle Museum. More recently, the other prison buildings were demolished and the other buildings were opened to the public for their historical significance.

Clifford’s Tower is free using your York Pass. Normally, there is a charge of £2.80 for adults and £1.40 for children, and a family pass is £7.

Yellow daffodils in full bloom covered the mound the day we visited. The climb to the top of the tower is relatively painless for most, but it is a steep climb of 55 steps. The walkways once you are inside the tower can also be treacherous. It is definitely not handicap-accessible or for those with walking difficulties.

The view of York from the Tower is splendid. There are panoramic signs that show exactly what you are seeing in your view. You can see such things as York Minster, Fairfax House, both Rivers, and on a clear day out to the North York Moors.

Overall Clifford’s Towers is a great place to visit, even if you only go for the views. If you use your York Pass it won’t cost you a thing. A car park is available right at the foot of the tower, if you can find a space, that is. Also note that there is a gift shop inside the tower.

Minster admission £5; Undercroft, Treasury and Crypt £3.50 (combined for £7); and Tower £3. Free to take photographs as you please, even with flash. Only restriction is no photographing worshippers.

Visiting York is not complete without visiting the largest Gothic Cathedral in Northern Europe. The Minster is a grand building noted for its great beauty and extensive history.

The Minster is no longer free (only with York Pass). Due to the cost of upkeep and staffing, they have imposed a hefty charge of £5 for adults (children York Minster.

From Roman times through to the 1200s, several buildings stood where the Minster now stands. It wasn’t until 1220 that construction of the present-day Minster began. It took 250 years to complete and in 1472, the Minster was proclaimed completed and great ceremony was held to mark the occasion. It was after this time that English history became turbulent once again. After the Reformation in the 1500s and "with the accession of Queen Elizabeth I, the church settled in a compromise between the Catholicism-without-a-pope established as a state religion under Henry VIII and the Protestantism of those martyred or exiled under Mary. This has remained the basis of the Church of England ever since." It was during this time that the archbishops in York "set about removing every trace of the old ways from the Minster and the city. To remove the lingering belief in purgatory and prayer for the dead, tombs, brasses, coats of arms, portraits in the glass windows and the memorials of many archbishops and Deans were removed along with altars, hangings, and vestments. "

The first major restoration began in 1802. The Minster has gone through other restorations and at least two major fires since this time. Since 1880, the biggest struggle for the church is maintaining and preserving for the future. In 1967, a structural crisis was discovered showing the Minster in danger of collapse. Over £2 million was raised to counter this deficit. Since this time, another fire destroyed the roof of the South Transept and damage was done to the 16th-century rose window. Visit York Minster for a complete history and an extensive tour of the via description and pictures.

We did not get a chance to visit the Undercroft, Treasury and Crypt because the fire alarm sounded as we were finishing up in the Minster and evacuation was commencing. We decided to go back later if we had time and we didn’t.

Another interesting fact about the Minster is that it is the tallest building in York and will always remain as the city has voted to disallow any buildings taller than the Minster or anything that would block the view of the Minster. It is a joy for me to drive to the grocery store on the outskirts of York when I can see York Minster way off in the distance without any high-rise apartment buildings or anything else obscuring the view.

Monks Cross

Hours
M-F 9:30am-8pm
Sa 9am-7pm
Su 11am-5pm

Location and Getting Here:
Monks Cross is located on the NE corner of the York outer ring road, the A1237/A64. Search for buses from the city centre to Monks Cross Shopping: Bus Timetable or ring 01904 551 400 for information from the Bus Information Line.

Restaurants:
Shopping here is recommended, but there isn’t much for high-quality eating. Eating places include the following: McDonald’s, Burger King, Pizza Hut, BB Muffins, Café Revive (at Marks and Spencers) and Café Gio (at Bhs Homestore). Also located in the complex is a Marks and Spencer food store. All of these places close when the shops close. Just opposite the shopping complex you will find a Sainsbury’s Superstore grocery and ASDA superstore grocery if you want to pick up your own food.

Shops:
You will find many of the large British retailers at Monks Cross: Bhs, Boots, Next, WHSmith, TopShop, TopMan, Miss Selfridge, River Island, Evans, PC World, Laura Ashley, Clarks, HMV and more. A Marks and Spencer storejust opened in July 2005. See a complete listing at the Monks Cross website. Their website also lists current employment opportunities for Monks Cross shops.

The shopping area has plenty of parking spaces, is family-friendly and is wheelchair accessible.

Located next to the Sainsbury’s Superstore is a pleasant TKMaxx (same as TJMaxx in the US) store as well. I normally avoided many of them in the UK because they are complete disasters with sizes all in the wrong places, etc. This one is tidy and well-lighted with a great variety of clothing, shoes, home ware, kitchenware, etc.

This is a great place to spend a day shopping. With a wide variety of large shops you can easily spend an entire morning (or all day) shopping and stop for a snack in one of the cafes or fast-food restaurants. Some people find it a great place to shop because all of the shops are all in one place. Others may find that they prefer the high-street shopping in the city centre.

Clifton Moor Shopping Centre is located just two miles out of York N/NE of the city off of the A1237/A64/B1363 (Wiggington Road). If you are driving, there are roundabouts all throughout this area and it can become rather confusing. Just keep watching for Clifton Moor signs.

Here is a listing of some of the shops you will find at Clifton Moor: Toys ‘R’ Us, Comet, Mothercare World, Argos, B&Q, Curry’s, Powerhouse, Boots Opticians, Allders at Home, Dunelm Mill, and many other home stores as well as Tesco and Netto grocery stores. For food and entertainment you will find Burger King, Frankie and Benny’s, Flying Legends pub, Megabowl, a Vue cinema, and McDonald’s.

This shopping area doesn’t suit the tourist as much as it does the average resident of the area. With several home improvement stores and home appliance shops, you can find about anything you need for DIY and your home.

The area isn’t well-suited to pedestrians, either. It is broken up in to a few different groups of shops and the traffic can become extremely busy, especially at rush hour which makes it very difficult to manage on foot.

If you are looking to shop, I would recommend the outlet centre, Monks Cross, or shopping in the city centre.

McArthur Glen

Everyone loves a bargain. Bargains aren’t quite as common here in the UK as they are in the U.S. I was happy to spot this McArthur Glen Outlet Centre so close to my home. There are over 115 shops in the centre with something for everyone.

You can find designer goods from many high-fashion names like Armani, Tommy Hilfiger, Polo, Thomas Pink, Jacques Vert, Karen Millen, Guess, and many more. For home and gifts there are shops such as Le Creuset, Paper Mill, Oneida and China China. I could go on and on listing shops, but I won’t. You can visit their website for a complete listing.

I have a few tips for shopping here. It is best to arrive just before opening time if you are driving. Parking can be a nightmare. People browse shoulder-to-shoulder at busy times. That is just too much for me. Sunday is a good day to go around 10:30am because most shops open at 11am. By the time you have browsed and shopped for a couple of hours, it tends to be quite busy.

Overall, this is a wonderful place to shop, but get here early to avoid nightmare parking, a chance to breathe while you are shopping and short queues at the checkout.

When planning a visit to York, you may want to consider the York Pass available from the Tourist Offices in York or from their website where multi-day passes are sold at a discounted rate. Passes are available for one, two or three days sightseeing in and around York. The Pass comes with a small guide that offers basic information about the sights you can enter for free within and outside of York as well as discounts at restaurants, cafés, and other activities.

I had a friend, Faith, visiting from the U.S. We purchased our York Pass at the Tourist Office near the Minster, just outside the city walls. Since we were leaving for Germany the next day we chose the one-day pass. It was £17 (right around $30 at the current exchange rate) for each of our passes.

The York Pass provides for some of York’s most popular attractions such as the City Sightseeing bus tour, York Brewery, York Dungeon, York Model Railway (free already, but offers sound guide free), and York Minster. If you purchase the multi-day pass, you can also see some sites outside of York, such as Castle Howard, Eden Camp, World of James Herriot, Yorkshire Air Museum and various abbeys and castles in the area.

We used our passes first for the York Minster. Due to a fire alarm going off we didn’t get to go down to the Undercroft and Crypt since they evacuated the building. We never did go back. We also used it for the bus tour, Clifford’s Tower, and Fairfax House. It is actually tough to get your money’s worth unless you have a whole day to sightsee.

The card does offer budget sightseeing if you really keep moving all day. Feel like biking? Europcar offers bikes for £5 per day from their office in the train station. Want to catch up on your email? The Gateway Internet Café-Bar offers up to an hour free internet time with your pass and Starbucks offers a two-for-one drink (and it will still be overpriced!).

The Tourist Office offers many other things besides the York Pass. Here you can find brochures for many area activities as well as a couple of shelves with many maps, books and guides for area sights. The friendly staff at the office will also make hotel bookings and give superb advice about all of York. You can post your postcards and even purchase tickets for some events and sights here, too.

Overall, I would highly recommend the York Pass if you are planning on seeing many of the sights anyways. To get your money’s worth out of it, though, you really have to keep moving all day. If you plan on being in the area for more than one day, it seems to me that the best option is to purchase the two or three-day pass. It is only 5.50 more online or 8 more in person for a two-day pass. This will allow you to see something away from the city like Castle Howard (admission here is £9.50 for adults and £6.50 for children) or Eden Camp (admission is £4.50 for adults and £3.50 for children).