A nice day out in York

[Pigmy Pony]

Me and Mrs. P are considering going to York next Monday, but I'm not even sure if the current rules will allow it. I'm not too bothered, my Christmas present is in the bag, and for everyone else there's always BM Bargains

[RichB]

Very nice Marco. I used to regularly visit there with work and around this time of year we'd often find an excuse to finish early and get a bit scran and a few beers somewhere. It is a nice city and I recall one time going for a late train home when I was quite well served and walking through the quiet town with the streets covered in frost. Even in mynhalf cut state I thought how pretty it looked and stopped to take a few pics...

Easy to see why the Harry Potter movies took The Shambles as inspiration for Diagon Alley. We visited universal studios a few years later and they've made a whole area to look it... snow covered rooftops the lot in the Florida heat. Quite mad.

[Marco]

Me and Mrs. P are considering going to York next Monday, but I'm not even sure if the current rules will allow it. I'm not too bothered, my Christmas present is in the bag, and for everyone else there's always BM Bargains

I'd thoroughly recommend it mate, and I'm sure that Anita would love it, too. It's a nice vibe. The House of Trembling Madness is a nice place for a quality and unpretentious lunch (if you go, try the Goulash, it's fab), and they have a great choice of beers, but Betty's, for afternoon tea, is simply a MUST!!

Marco.

[Marco]

Very nice Marco. I used to regularly visit there with work and around this time of year we'd often find an excuse to finish early and get a bit scran and a few beers somewhere. It is a nice city and I recall one time going for a late train home when I was quite well served and walking through the quiet town with the streets covered in frost. Even in mynhalf cut state I thought how pretty it looked and stopped to take a few pics...

Easy to see why the Harry Potter movies took The Shambles as inspiration for Diagon Alley. We visited universal studios a few years later and they've made a whole area to look it... snow covered rooftops the lot in the Florida heat. Quite mad.

Lol... Nice tale! York is defo on our list now of 'charming places to go', especially around Christmas. Chester, Shrewsbury, Hay-on-Wye and Ledbury also come under that category, and which for us are all within reasonable reach

Marco.

[Pigmy Pony]

I'd thoroughly recommend it mate, and I'm sure that Anita would love it, too. It's a nice vibe. The House of Trembling Madness is a nice place for a quality and unpretentious lunch (if you go, try the Goulash, it's fab), and they have a great choice of beers, but Betty's, for afternoon tea, is simply a MUST!!

Marco.

Last time we visited York was about 8 or 9 years ago, on a run out from Motorcycle Action Group's "Farmyard Party" at Helmsley. We had lunch at some place, and I had goulash, so maybe it was the same place. I'll look out for Betty's, sounds like our kind of place

Then me and my mate went up the steps to the top of York Minster - great views, but quite a workout for the legs! I'd probably struggle with it these days.

[Marco]

Last time we visited York was about 8 or 9 years ago, on a run out from Motorcycle Action Group's "Farmyard Party" at Helmsley. We had lunch at some place, and I had goulash, so maybe it was the same place. I'll look out for Betty's, sounds like our kind of place

Betty's is simply tremendous - everything a proper traditional tea room should be, and the service is superb!

Then me and my mate went up the steps to the top of York Minster - great views, but quite a workout for the legs! I'd probably struggle with it these days.

We wanted to do that, but didn't have time, as it was primarily a shopping trip (for Del) and to have a nice lunch and afternoon tea. We plan on doing York Minster next time.

The steps shouldn't be too much of a problem, as we're both reasonably fit (especially Del, as she's always running around the place, with seemingly boundless amounts of energy, lol), and we've both been up the Dom cathedral in Cologne, which has 533 steps and is 157 meters high...

She had to slip off her strappy high-heeled sandals and go in her bare feet though, to make it up [it was summer], as the steps are quite tricky, especially after copious quantities of Prosecco!

Info on Dom cathedral here: https://www.cologne-tourism.com/see-...0South%20Tower.

Marco.

[Pigmy Pony]

When we got near York this morning, we saw signs for Scarborough, and i said "Oh, I've never been there", so off we went to Scarborough. Well that's three hours of my life I won't get back. So we only got to York about 3pm. Still nice though, and quite festive as it went dark. Shame there wasn't time to eat anywhere though. Saw that "Bettys" place and the queue outside was about 20yards long, so sod that.

No such queues at Burger King. I got an "Angus Steakhouse" double burger, with fries and a big cup of Fanta. See, I'm a foodie too, but not precious about it, as you are about to be

[struth]

When we got near York this morning, we saw signs for Scarborough, and i said "Oh, I've never been there", so off we went to Scarborough. Well that's three hours of my life I won't get back. So we only got to York about 3pm. Still nice though, and quite festive as it went dark. Shame there wasn't time to eat anywhere though. Saw that "Bettys" place and the queue outside was about 20yards long, so sod that.

No such queues at Burger King. I got an "Angus Steakhouse" double burger, with fries and a big cup of Fanta. See, I'm a foodie too, but not precious about it, as you are about to be

Was that not an anus double steak burger

Named as it is made from cow anus and it arrives rapidly at yours after eating.
Actually, I quite fancy one.. Been a while

[Marco]

When we got near York this morning, we saw signs for Scarborough, and i said "Oh, I've never been there", so off we went to Scarborough. Well that's three hours of my life I won't get back. So we only got to York about 3pm. Still nice though, and quite festive as it went dark. Shame there wasn't time to eat anywhere though. Saw that "Bettys" place and the queue outside was about 20yards long, so sod that.

No such queues at Burger King. I got an "Angus Steakhouse" double burger, with fries and a big cup of Fanta. See, I'm a foodie too, but not precious about it, as you are about to be

Lol... Your mistake there was not to make a plan and stick to it! You should've left the house with the sole intention of having a day out in York, and left EARLY - that's the key to these things, as the day just flies by otherwise. I hate being limited for time, or rushed, on a nice day out

I should've mentioned something about Betty's, which is key at this time of year, in reference to the queues outside... The vast majority of that is for their shop, with people buying gifts, as they sell some really nice food and drink stuff. Usually not much of the queue is for the cafe, so if you go to the door, a member of staff will escort you to a table (presuming that there's one free), and you'll bypass all the other daftees!

Plus, should you wish to buy anything from the shop, as we did [two tins of their lovely spiced Christmas tea], when you're at your table, the staff will fetch it from the shop and you can pay for it at the table. Just one to bear in mind in future if you go back

Marco.

[Pigmy Pony]

No, I don't consider going to Scarborough to be a mistake, it could just as easily have been really good. Just wasn't. We've never been ones to plan our days/trips/holidays, preferring to "wing it". Sometimes it works out great, sometimes not. I find careful planning to be safe, and so a bit 'meh'. Give it a go sometime, you might like it

I prefer "I've been to Scarborough Christmas shopping, and it was shit", to "I read somewhere that Scarborough is shit for Christmas shopping, so I won't bother".

We can go back to York any time, it's 90 minutes away. And the Civic has the legs for those kind of runs.