What I miss about England

Seasons  of mists and mellow fruitfulness!

Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;

Conspiring with him how to load and bless

With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run;

To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,

And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;

To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,

And still more, later flowers for the bees, Until they think warm days will never cease,

For Summer has o'er-brimm'd their clammy cells

John Keats, 1795 - 1821

I have been living in Australia now for some thirty-five years. I rarely go back to England other than by watching British television programmes, such as The Bill, Rick Stein's cooking shows, Griff Rhys-Jones adventures around Britain such as his walking Mountain tours and more recently his Britain's Rivers series. Rhys-Jones series has been especially good because they encapsulate all the best things about Britain presented by a slightly eccentric but adventurous and talented pom in Rhys-Jones.

On my last visit to England in 2001 I stayed in Yorkshire my home state or county as it were and went on as many walks around the counties villages as I could. Sampling as many tea shops, antique fairs and auction houses as I could. Some of these places are well literally irreplaceable. Take the original capital of England, York for instance with its long, winding and narrow streets with intriguing names such as Walmgate, Coppergate, Stonegate and Skeldergate. The historic buildings in York are something that should be seen by everyone at some time. The York Minster church is breath-taking in its size as well as being a treasure trove of English History. Not the far from the Minster is a street called The Shambles which is very narrow containing lots of interesting shops you just wont find any where else. When I was last there I stayed in York for three month's. I used to buy my lunch in a cafe inside an old church building off Skeldergate. The building dated to 850 AD. Around the wall of the building were various memorial stones representing famous people. I really revelled in the reverential atmosphere and felt highly honoured to be eating there. Another place I spent lots of time browsing was Ken Spelman antiquarian Bookshop. A Bookshop I used to visit with my dad some forty years ago.

Other historic places in York include Micklegate. Micklegate’s three medieval churches are St John's, Holy Trinity and St Martin-cum-Gregory. St John's, first mentioned in 1235 underwent much restoration in the 1500s. The church fell redundant in 1934 and is now the York Arts Centre. St Martin-Cum-Gregory was first mentioned in the Doomsday Book and later in 1175. Much of the building is fourteenth and fifteenth century, but the brick tower dates from 1844. The church is no longer used for services. Holy Trinity Church was originally part of a Benedictine Priory founded in 1089 by Ralph Pagnell as a cell of Marmoutier. A fire in 1137 damaged much of the building and was rebuilt. Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the church became parochial. Parts of the priory other than the church remained standing until their demolition in 1856.

Whilst in the area I visited Harrogate another beautiful town with lots of Georgian buildings and interesting antique and bookshops. Most of all I think I enjoyed travelling along these English country lanes and hedgerows seeing the green fields the many different trees I remembered as a boy Oak, Ash and Sycamore. The best way to travel other than by an open top 1960's MG coup`e is by bicycle the roads are relatively flat from York and surrounding towns all the way to the coastal town of Bridlington barring a couple of hills.

Another place I went on the last trip was to visit the Blue John Mine in Buxton Derbyshire. The region is incredibly beautiful and worth a visit. Click on the words Blue John Mine for details.

Oh and of course one of the things I miss is to visit Marks & Spencer. Why I dont know why because as we all know it is not quite the shop it was in the 1960's & 1970's but there is something incredible wholesome incredible British about browsing through M & S.

Thats all for now !

There are a number of good hotel in York Including the famous Historic York Hotel. Other popular places to Stay are Bed & Breakfast Guest Houses which line many of the streets joust outside in walking distance of the historic City Wall. To get the best value on accommodation it is best to do well ahead.  Which through the convenience of credit cards and the Internet you can now do online.

If you Google a search for Best Hotels or Bed & breakfast you can scroll down to one of your liking.  Last time i was their I turned up with no booking and ended up staying at the busy YHA Hostel also within walking distance of the City Centre.  The City seems to be always busy with tourist years round who are rightly fascinated with the historiy and heritage of this incredible city.