Yorkshire, the Garden Spot of England

York

I had to make a trip to the Yorkshire area, specially Bingley, for a work assignment. I was there for two weeks and was able to visit some of Yorkshire. It is filled with countryside gardens, farms, cottage and animals.

My first trip outside of Bingley was to York. York is only about 30 minutes train ride from Leeds. Sitting in the middle of a canal on the River Ouse, York was founded by the Romans. Their presence is everywhere, from the Castle ruins, Richard III exhibition, and Roman walled city gates that surround the city.







The large 13th-century Gothic cathedral, York Minster, is near the center of the city and has a park next to you.

The city is quite walkable. I was going to take the walking tour, but decided to walk around myself. I started across the walled bridge gates.

York Coat-of-Arms

York Park

Castle Remains

Garden at the Shakespeare Rose Theatre

Twelfth Night  was terrific, as all live theatre is, and since I hadn't seen the play before, it was that much more enjoyable. 

I stopped and had lunch at The Ivy, sat aside and listened to opera from a street musician. Best food I had while in England.

Leeds

Leeds is one of the fastest growing cities in Yorkshire. It sits on the River Aire, the Royal Armouries, Art Gallery and city square filled with restaurants and shops.  There is a pethera of shops in what is called The Arcade (malls).

Leeds Arcade

Art Gallery

Leeds Canal

Leeds Architecture

Old and New of Leeds

Leeds is filled with 13-century building and the new glass structure of the 21st century.

Park in the Square

Manchester

Manchester is one of the largest city in northern England and build on industry. Again, built around a canal. Next to gardens and country farms, the north has rivers running through it.  The Salford Quays dockyards house the Daniel Libeskind designed War Museum and is close to the art culture center.

The Old Wellington built in 1552

Manchester Cathedral

Corn Exchange Building

World War I Memorial

Visiting Manchester-by-the-Sea in Winter? Try it!

My friend Tara recently said, "We need to embrace winter." Seriously? She is right of course, it is better to just go with what has been happening this winter in New England.  I'm still surrounded by 10 feet of snow, barely seeing out my windows, so when she said we should go to Manchester by-the-sea, a charming, quintessential New England village just north of Salem, I was sceptical.

The Rail Station

The train stops right at the town so it is a short walk to the beach or just across the tracks to the town, dotted with building from the 18th and 19th century.

The mound of snow has actually melted 

A view of the village from the sea

It is crazy to go to the beach in winter? Well, Captain Dusty's ice cream shop wasn't open, but the walkways through the park the surrounds the beach was clear. The sun glistened off the snow illuminating the ice packs on the water. Actually it was quite lovely.

After spending a yummy lunch of fish tacos and white wine, we strolled around town and visited a terrific used book shop with great prices. We both picked up a book for under $10. Manchester-by-the-Sea is the start of the Cape Ann area of the Massachusetts North Shore which includes Gloucester and Rockport.

If you just want to spend a few hours, even in winter, to enjoy the North Shore coastline, Manchester-by-the-Sea is a must stop.

Great used book shop

Sun shining through