A spring weekend in the Historic City of York, England

SUMMARY

Dates: Friday April 26th and Saturday April 27th

Guide: Brenda Whisker

Walking Grade: 1 Goat – this is a walk to bring women together to explore this beautiful northern yorkshire town together.

Base: The Bar Convent Living Heritage Centre in the heart of York. England’s oldest living convent still home to a community of catholic sisters. It was one of the earliest educational establishments for young women in the country. It now offers modern accommodation and a cosy cafe for breakfast and lunches.

Arrival : Please arrive by 3pm on Friday to check in,settle in have a briefing with your guide and a short walk before the welcome dinner

Departure:Plan travel to leave after 14.00 as there is a morning walk on the last day.

There is a train station in York and the nearest airport is Leeds/Bradford approx 1 hour by train to York  or Manchester approx 2 hours by train.

Get in touch if you need help with your travel

Price: £500 per person for the holiday to include:

• Ensuite solo occupancy room
• Bed & Breakfast
• Welcome dinner on the first night
• Guided walks from Friday to Sunday afternoon.

Not included: return travel to York, evening meals after the first night, drinks and anything not mentioned in the itinerary.

If you bring a friend or partner and share a room there is a discount of  £100 pp so £400 for the weekend

PLEASE BOOK EARLY TO RESERVE A SPACE

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DETAILS

We add York to our programme of cities to visit for many reasons. Such a great place for a weekend to connect and explore with other women.

It is easy to get to with a train station connecting trains across England and with the airports of Leeds/Bradford and Manchester.

It became well known when the TV series Gentlemen Jack showcased the city as the place much visited by Anne Lister as it was the centre of Yorkshire Society at that time. In 1804 Anne studied at the Manor House School in York and it was where she had her first intense relationship with fellow student Eliza Raines. In the series Gentleman Jack we also saw Ann marry Anne at the chapel in York which we will visit.

There are many other famous women of York documented in a book “ Women of York’ by Claire Shaw. Judi Dench came from York and her parents worked at York Theatre Royal. We will explore the lives of some local influential women as we walk the historic streets.

The city walls are a great walk as these walls are beautifully preserved and are the longest medieval town walls in England at 3.4km long. As you walk you get lovely views of the city.

York has The Shambles named the most picturesque street in Britain with its enchanting cobbled streets.

There are plenty of cafes, restaurants and cosy english pubs. Betty’s Tea Room has been serving tea since 1936 and well worth a visit.

There are museums, medieval buildings, a minster and much more to explore on our walking weekend of York.

ITINERARY

It’s no wonder that York featured in Anne Lister’s life; it was the political and cultural centre of northern life and had been since Roman times. There is so much to explore:

Friday  – Arrival day: for those arriving early, a leg stretch after travel. A short walk along the river to Millenium bridge and back along a short stretch of the city walls to Bar Covent. A group meet up and briefing about the weekend before heading out for dinner at one of York’s fine restaurants.

Saturday  – A day experiencing Anne Lister’s York. Heading into the centre we will explore the cobbled ‘snickleways’ and learn about 17/18^th century York. We will see where Anne and her friends lived, worshipped, and shopped. We will visit both York Minster and Holy Trinity church in Goodramgate where Anne Lister and Ann Walker blessed their union.

Sunday  – We walk around the magnificent city walls. Starting right by the Bar Convent at Micklegate Bar, where Henry Percy (Hotspur) and Richard Plantagenant’s heads once hung from the gates, we will take in the whole city centre. We will get insights into Roman, Viking and Medieval York, and take in some fine local cafes a bit off the tourists trail too.

If the weather is fine we could take a walk along the river to visit Clifton Ings, a wildlife conservation area.