Eventually got to York

We were already booked into York for two nights (a Sunday and Monday), just two week after our previous trip there was cancelled because of the floods. As our Saturday had become free, I speculivtly checked the Club web site and was surprised to find the Saturday free, so we extended the getaway to three nights.

15th to the 18th of December 2012

Day One Saturday 15th December

Pitched in the Riverside section of the site, its quieter in there, set up the satellite dish and had lunch. The weather was dry by the time we set off into town but it was very cold.  The river was very high but I have seen it higher, it was up to the top of the bank opposite the Kings as we walked along the riverside. 

I have never seen it so busy (must be the recession), after looking round the Christmas market and doing some shopping we waited until it was dark to see all the Christmas lights, then made for the pub.

The Kings was so full we just had a quick look in and made for the Postern Gate. It was far less crowded in there and there were a couple of festive beers on offer as well.

Banks & Taylor (B&T), Santa's Slayer from England

4.0% gold colour with a good head, sweet aroma, bitter creasort taste, I think I should have taken it back but it is not the first time I have tasted beer like that. My brother is convinced that the pub chain where I was drinking do not know how to keep beer.

Arkell's, Noel Ale from England

5.0% almost black colour with a good head, malty aroma, bitter fruity taste, not a bad beer but not quite festive enough for me, also I got it from the same place as the last beer and it was very drinkable.

After a couple we moved on, back over the river to The Slip, to be closet to the campsite. As I got the beers in, Dot found some seats and had already made friends with a group of young men before I got back. She found out there was a group on but they would not be on until about 9, well after the time we are usually back at the van. We stayed anyway, the singer was very good, the company was entertaining and I had too many beers, someone even bought me a one.

Day Two Sunday 16th December

I was a bit rough when we got up, so we had a big fry up for breakfast and a restfulness morning.

It was dry again and not as cold, so we set off to fine the York Windmill. Something we didn't know existed until a few week ago. It was less than a mile and a half to the windmill and we found it fairly easily, although I did think it was on the other side of the road. Luckily it was big enough to see.

You can fine out more about the windmill by clicking on the photo.

From there we walked back into the city centre, where because we had not had lunch, we grabbed a sandwich. We had food cooking in the slow cooker, to have when we got back to the van.  It was still busy in the centre but nothing like as bad as the day before.  The river however was higher than the day before and was covering where we had walked the previous day, in fact the path on both sides of the river was impassable.

Near the Shambles, we came across a man making an ice sculpture and then around the corner came across several more ice sculptures. Apparently this happens every year but we were there the same day last year and didn't see any then.

I bought a new beer from one of the beer shops on Stonegate and later, we went back to the Kings.  There was plenty of room in there this time and the fire was on but we only had a couple, as I did not feel too good.  We had to walk the longer way back as the river level was still high.

We didn't have the food from the slow cooker, we just had cheese and biscuits we left it for lunch tomorrow and had an early night.

Day Three Monday 17th December

Even though it rained all night, the river level had dropped quite a long way.   I put the van battery on charge (I still need to get a new one, it is not holding a charge at all), then we took a long walk into the centre vie the Millennium bridge and then headed out to look in the larger supermarkets on Foss Island road.

After not buying much we walked back into the centre, all of the ice sculptures had gone but it was still very busy.

Ended up in the Kings and had a good drink this time.

Day Four Tuesday 18th December

The van started fist time but we drove straight home instead of our usual visit to somewhere along the way. Will have to get a new battery before our next trip.