York

We spent a brief, but fantastic weekend in York. Though we left only 24 hours after we arrived we managed to fit so much in. Our plan was to begin by visiting my favourite nature reserve Askham Bog, but upon our arrival in the car park it began to rain heavily. After sitting in the car for 10 minutes hoping that it would ease (it didn't) we decided to have a drive around town instead.

We visited all the houses that we used to live in during our university days.

Halifax Court - student halls where I lived in my first year:

Alcuin College E block - student halls where Ian lived in his first year:

Bishopthorpe Road - a house I shared with 4 friends in second year:

Siward Street - Ian lived here in his second year with some friends from Alcuin college:

Dove Street - I lived here with my friend Liz (see below) during the summer of 2000 and then with 3 of my flatmates from Bishopthorpe Road for the academic year 2000/2001:

Back then the house was the ugliest in the street - painted white and fading with a blue door. It now has a brick front like the other houses in the row and there is not only a new front door, but a new door on the cellar, suggesting that someone has converted it into rooms - I was always dismayed that the cellar contained three rooms that were not in use.

Carlton Avenue - where Ian lived in his third year:

Brunswick Street - this was a home and not just a house to me. I lived there during my Masters and my PhD and have many happy memories. It's also the only house in York that all my family and most of my friends have visited. The milkman 'milky Dave' lived next door and his milk truck is obscuring the view of the door:

Wentworth College A block - where Ian lived during our Masters course:

This is the computer science building at the University where Ian spent most of his undergraduate days:

and this is the biology department where I did my PhD:

My office was in the older grey building to the right.

By the time we had visited all these old haunts the rain had slowed to a drizzle so we returned to Askham Bog. As usual we had a walk around the boardwalk to the smaller of the two main ponds. Afterwards, rather than following my usual route of heading to Near Wood and the other pond we decided to explore Far Wood.

The bridge over the dyke and into Far Wood was in disrepair:

Far wood:

Far Wood is not THAT large, but still I have always managed to lose my sense of direction there. On the far side of the wood is Gilson's Bog that I had not previously managed to find (for some reason when trying to head west, one always veers north, but when returning and trying to head east one always veers south - and no my left leg is not longer than my right!). Luckily, Ian is a better navigator than I and he managed to get us to the Bog. Unfortunately the dyke between the two was more than "welly deep" so I had to admire the bog from the wood. I shall have to purchase some waders if I'm to reach it in the future.

Gilson's Bog:

The dyke to the North of far wood:


We saw a total of nine roe deer and a fox that we probably wouldn't have seen if we'd come earlier in the day as planned. Ian also saw a little mammal scurry and jump into a wood pile. We suspect that it was a weasel, but will never know.

We completed the evening with a walk around town and dinner at Oscars. Oscars was our favourite eatery during our time in York and again most of my friends and family have eaten with me there at one point. Unfortunately the lovely building and courtyard they used to occupy was only rented and they were unable to renew their lease. However, they moved to a building only just around the corner and the food was as fantastic as ever.

On Sunday, after checking out of our B&B we popped into town and had a stroll through museum gardens followed by a look in my favourite picture shop on Petergate. We then drove North to Easingwold and had a little wander before heading to St Johns the Evangelist Church for a christening.

Isaac William and his parents, my friends Andrew and Liz (Liz and I studied maths together at university and lived together at Dove Street) in the centre, with his godparents (I believe also Andrew and Lizzie) on the outside:

After the christening we went to Liz and Andrews house in Shipton by Beningborough for a lovely buffet and a brief catch up on news before we headed back home to Devon.