York

York—as in the original, not the familiar New World “New” version.

I had chosen to fly into Edinburgh (where the cycling tour will end), and take the train to York (where it will begin). Opting to rent a bike from Wilderness Scotland was the right call for this trip. Apart from the complicated logistics of hauling the bike (and its bag), there is a good chance we'll be riding in the rain. Your bike? You clean and service it. Their bike? They handle it all. (Sold.)

The train was packed with rugby fans returning from an important match. So much for those stunning views of the coast, I thought, as I stood outside the one coach with unreserved seats. I got lucky, though; some gentlemen pointed me at a seat that had emptied after the first hour, and graciously kept an eye on my luggage till we disembarked.

With many daylight hours left on a northern spring day, I set out to see what I might of the city.

I crossed the Lendal Bridge over the River Ouse, and headed for the Minster.

I passed the well-preserved birthplace of Guy Fawkes, still rather notorious more than 400 years after he paid the price of his treason.

I strolled through the Shambles, with buildings dating back to the 1400s.

I watched traffic flow under the Micklegate Bar—including an Uber Prius—some 800 years after it was built.

But there is much more history here, dating back to pre-Roman times and the founding of the city nearly 2,000 years ago. [Yes, you read that right.]

The well-chosen site of the York Museum is dense with history, from the ruins of a medieval hospital ...

... to a tower built by the Romans around 300 A.D.

In the shadow of that Multiangular Tower, conservationists were offering close encounters with birds of prey.

And then of course, there are the city walls. The Romans built a wall. The Vikings buried it. [It's a complicated business, this wall thing.]

The medieval wall was visible from my hotel room. I explored a stretch, but there wasn't enough time to complete a full circuit.

Much more to see here ... next time?