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Top 6 Things To See & Do In York
With Spring/Summer just around the corner, I’m sure we’re all planning some wonderful trips! The UK is full of beautiful towns and cities just waiting for people to experience, one of those being York. But where do you start?
Well, here’s a little list of things you can do whilst visiting the beautiful city of York!
1. The York Ghost Merchants
Starting off with a rising TikTok favourite,The York Ghost Merchants - makers and sellers of the finest York ghosts. Messrs Bloodworth and McArthur opened up shop on Shambles street in 2019 with the intention of selling original York Ghosts.
Image Source: Darlington & Stockton Times
The city is widely considered to be one of the most haunted in the world, occasionally nicknamed The City of One Thousand Ghosts, so setting up a shop selling spooky creations is definitely not a bad idea!
The ghosts are small sculptures made of a material considered a trade secret by Bloodworth and McArthur. The material can feature several colours and most of the ghosts sculptures contain psychedelic patterns. There are also special edition creations that have become collector’s items.
And if that isn’t enough to sell you, the building currently occupied by the York Ghost Merchants dates to 1780. Here, around 1,000 ghosts can be found at one time, surrounded by ghostly images hidden in the furniture and plasterwork. There are other fun features around the shop such as a miniature train that is sometimes used to deliver ghosts to their new living companions.
2. The Bloody Tour of York
Speaking of ghosts, if you’re looking to take a tour of the city, we suggest taking The Bloody Tour of York.This award winning tourism experience is an alternative way to learn the history of York; fromtales of witches, kings/queens, and murderers, this tour really is a unique way to get to know the city learning an aray of things you never would on a traditional tour.
Image Source: The Bloody Tour of York
Some of the pass by destinations include: York Minster - one of Britain's largest Gothic Cathedrals, Jorvik Viking Centre - arriving in AD 866, the Vikings left their mark on the city and the Roman Column - discover the origins of the city beginning with the Romans.
Tickets start from £13 so if you’re interested in hearing some gruesome tales of this mediaeval city, get yourself booked in!
3. Shambles of York
The Shambles of York dates back to the 14th century,now one of the most famous streets in the UK, you can definitely make a day of walking through these, sometimes crooked and leaning, aged buildings.
Image Source: Hayden Pollard - Unsplash
Back then it was the place butchers set up shop. It was once called the “Great Flesh Shambles” because of the shelves of meat the butchers would display. The main street through the Shambles has a slight declining curve, which was conducive to dumping the blood from butchered animals.
Of course today the street is a much cleaner and happier place, lined with shops, pubs, and restaurants. Many of these buildings date back hundreds of years making it, still, a very eye-catching street…definitely Instagrammable!
4. York Maze
If you’re planning a day out for the whole family, you might want to consider visiting the York Maze!
With over 20 rides, attractions and shows, York Maze is an amazing family day out and was named one of the top Travellers Choices on TripAdvisor 2021. Famous for being the largest maize maze in Britain, and one of the largest mazes in the world - enough to cover 8 Wembley football pitches!
Not only that but the York Maze boasts a range of family fun attractions from a giant inflatable obstacle course, tower slides, climbing wall, illusion house and much more.
The site is currently closed but is set to reopen between 16th July - 5th September 2022.
5. York Minster Astronomical Clock
If you’re both a historian and a fan of astronomy, chances are you’ll want to visit the York Minster Astronomical Clock. Hidden in the north transept of York Minster is a grand clock depicting the motion of the Sun and Stars around a map of the city of York at the center, with the Minster highlighted in gold leaf.
The clock was designed and created byR. Atkinson as a memorial to commemorate the airmen from Yorkshire, Durham, and Northumberland who fought for the Royal Air Force during World War II, as well as many other soldiers from armies around the world who fought alongside them.
The zodiac side depicts the motion of the Sun around the Earth and gives the time for sunrise and sunset in York. It also shows the Sun’s precise location in the sky at any given moment, as well as which sign of the zodiac the Sun is passing through. The Astral side of the clock focuses on the stars, showing the movements of stars that dance across the northern hemisphere’s nighttime sky.
6. York Chocolate Story
This one’s for the chocolate lovers! York’s Chocolate Story is an entertaining and informative guided tour through the history of York’s most famous chocolate-making families and their finest creations.
Did you know that York is the UK’s home of chocolate? While other northern centres made their wealth from wool, cotton and steel, York went its own sweet way and built a city from chocolate. Yum!
At York’s Chocolate Story you can take the fully guided tour, which is three floors of interactive exploration, taking you on a journey through the city where chocolate made history. You can discover the stories behind the greatest names in chocolate, unwrapping the secrets of chocolate making and possibly even learn the art of the chocolatier for yourself!
Follow Visit York’s chocolate trail and discover how chocolate shaped the city and some chocolate-themed cafes, chocolate shops and historical sights along the way.
As you can tell, York is full of exciting experiences! Whether you’re looking for something spooky, quirky or classic…York has something for you.
Thank you for reading and if you’d like a little York themed treat, why not visit our shop? We have a range of designs based around the UK’s most wonderful cities including York, Newcastle, Durham & London!
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