these walls

Imma take y'all on a wall walk today.

I enter the city walls at Bootham Bar.

It's nice and leafy at this part of the walls.

The walk is about two miles, and circles the medieval city.


Blue skies; Yorkshire morning.


Intro (The Writing's On The Wall).


The Wallflowers.


In the shadow of the walls.


Nice view of le Minster.


Treasurer's House and le Minster.


Approaching Monk Bar.


Bright sun.


At this point you will hear a tinny recording
of cheesy medieval music coming from the bar.
And you'll jump out of your skin when you see
a life-sized wax Richard III staring at you.


It is the Richard III Museum.
Here Richard fanatics will attempt to convince you that he
has been maligned over the years and that he didn't
murder his nephews the princes in the tower.
Do not believe them.


Exiting at Monk Bar.


Right next to the walls, Monk Bar Chocolatiers.


Back upstairs; Monk Bar from the other side.


Father & Daughter.


This purple spot appeared in like half my pictures.
I know it's probably a glare from the sun,
but I'd like to think it was a ghost.


Daffodils through the arrow holes.


Picnic tables.


Hard to find a place where there are no walls.


Here the walls break and you walk along the Foss River
through an ugly industrial park for a while.


Blue bridge over the neglected Foss.


Going in the right direction.


The Red Tower, where you get back on the walls.


I love the white roses on all the entrance gates.


At this point, you just look into a bunch of people's back yards.


Modern in the shade of ancient.


Approaching Walmgate Bar.


Walmgate Bar.


Wonderwall.


There's a coffee shop inside this one.


But I did not stop.


But I've seen it done before/
I gotta step outside these walls.


Faded.


Fishergate Tower & Travelodge.


The walls break again at Fishergate Tower.


Cross the Foss.


Then you will see Clifford's Tower.


This is what remains of the medieval York Castle.
From here you head towards the other river.


The geese and their babies are running rampant there.


You may be aware that I am terrified of birds.


This is because they are basically dinosaurs.


But these babies were cute.


But seriously, DINOSAUR.


Then you go up onto Skeldergate Bridge.


Bridge decorations: White Rose.


Star.


And a bit o' French flair for good measure.


Crossing the Ouse.


You know you're on the right track for the wall walk when you
see these little tower symbols on the pavement
[translation: sidewalk].


Getting back on the walls again at Baile Hill.


So pretty.


Ghost on stairs.


I'm 'round the bend.


All in all it's just another brick in the wall.


Rooftops of York.


Cat below.


Approaching Micklegate Bar.


This is the southern entrance to the city.


It is also where traitors' heads were displayed and left to rot.
Most notably Richard, Duke of York, who died
at the Battle of Wakefield on 30 December 1460
[my birthday, minus the 1460 part].
He was the daddy of Edward IV and Richard III.


Going through Micklegate Bar.


Within these walls.


Why do I read the writing on the wall?


View of le Minster from afar.


Getting closer.


Destruction.


And you end up back at the river.
There are a few wall remnants across it, but not very substantial.


I'm stepping outside these walls/
I've seen it done before/ And I'm walking on/
I'll walk it off/ I'm moving on [to Glasgow].


At the end of the walls is a coffee shop for Sophie.


The Perky Peacock, lolz.
xx