Lendal Bridge and Tower - seen from the York bus

So after dissing the York bus only a few days ago, I went for a ride on one. An open topped York bus. On the freezing cold last day of January with the snow blizzard that was about to hit York already making itself felt in the air.

I now know what it is like to have the beginnings of frost bite in my nose end. Why don't they make hats for noses? You can get hats, gloves, ear muffs, even thermal underwear to insulate your nethers, but noses are just left exposed to the elements. Anyone good at knitting? There is clearly a gap in the market.

Apart from the bitter cold, being on the York bus was really very good. There was even a commentary to listen to, through some provided earphones. I found it a bit irritating at first, because the commentator was talking to me as if I was an imbecile, but then I realised I had tuned into the little kids' channel. I hadn't realised there were channels. After playing around with the dial for a bit, and amusing myself by listening to various different languages, I settled into the English one (for grown ups this time), and began to enjoy it.

After about fifteen minutes though I'd had enough of being in the open top, and moved downstairs for the remainder of the journey. Maybe I'm just getting nesh* in my old age.

The view here is of the River Ouse, and the bus is going over Lendal Bridge onto Museum Street. The tower is Lendal Tower, built in the 1300s, originally defensive and also a toll point along the river. An iron chain was once stretched from this tower to Barker Tower on the opposite bank, to stop river traffic. A little ferry used to operate just here from at least the 1400s, to get people from one side of the river to another. But the ferryman was put out of business in 1863 when this bridge was built.

*Nesh was a favourite word of my grandfather, who hailed originally from Sheffield. Being described as nesh means you're a wimp - in the sense of overly sensitive to the cold!

Boats on the Ouse

Following on from Wednesday's post, this was taken a little further up the river when I was on my way home. In the background, down the river, you can Ouse Bridge, which features in Wednesday's photo. I guess these boats, moored by some of the new(ish) riverside appartments, must be privately owned. Handy if it floods!

House Hunting 2009

This year, I'm going to be house hunting.

Having risen to ridiculously high peaks, the house prices in the UK are now dropping again, and will need to drop some more before I can afford to buy. So I'm watching, and waiting, and in the meantime, am very often tempted by houseboats and caravans ...!

I pass this particular boat on my way in to town. It was for sale a little while ago, but presumably has a new owner now. No, not me, but I was sorely tempted!

P.S. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

York at Night - River Ouse

Here's one I prepared earlier.

I took this shot when I was visiting York last year, before moving here. Whenever I came here - as I did quite often to visit my mother - I always felt quite elated on seeing this view from Skeldergate Bridge, with a really happy yaaay I''m in York feeling.

I'd love to have a riverfront flat here - it's a dream I have. No garden for the kids though - although we could always get a boat, I suppose :-)

Terry Avenue in Autumn

I cycle down Terry Avenue when I go into town. Rowntree Park is on the left, behind the railings. The River Ouse in on the right, behind the hedge. When I was living away, this ride is one of the things I used to think back to and miss loads. When I lived here before though, in the early 90s, I lived in the village of Heslington and cycled in to town down the other side of the river. Which is just as nice as this one.

Breakfast by the River

I'm getting in to a routine of being at the library first thing. I chain my bike to railings not far from the above scene (yes, I know, for anyone who knows York, I've left myself quite a walk, but I'm still a bit of a wuss on my bike in traffic and prefer to stick to off road cycle paths where I can). I'm always sorely tempted to stop and have a 2nd breakfast here. Probably just as well that finances don't currently permit!

When this scene previously appeared on the blog, it was completely under water (20 Aug 2008). It also flooded again - and to a worse degree - more recently. But things seem to have dried out now, thank goodness.

Summer Flooding

Today I rode over the Millenium Bridge on my bike, ready to cycle down the river into town, on the opposite side from Terry Avenue. But then I came to an abrupt halt! Cycle path submerged, as are quite a few parts of York prone to flooding at the moment. There's an article in the York Press tonight about homes under threat of flooding too.