View from an upstairs window in Stonegate

This is the view from an upstairs window from an establishment in Stonegate taken through the small open space between two windows where the opening movement has been severely restricted only allowing a small opening through which the photograph was taken. This has resulted in me cropping the sides of the photo to remove the edges of the window that were framing one edge of the photo where the black and white timbered building can be seen. So the task is to identify where I was standing to take the photograph.

Watkinsons Shoe Shop Goodramgate

Not the shop to visit if you are looking for cheap shoes. Higher end shoes stocked here judging by the prices.

Timbered building Goodramgate

According to the the plaque TIA 1700. Does anybody know what TIA stands for? This is a genuine question and not a quiz by the way! I presume the A will be "Anno" for year. What springs to mind (but not readily) is Terminus In Anno, finished in year but my layin is too rusty and I stand to be corrected.

Tallest Building in Goodramgate

WHen viewed from the city walls the five story building stands way above all the surrounding buildings. Superdrug have now taken on a shop in Goodramgate making it their second shop in York.

Follow The Foss - 9 - Past Huntington Church to Ring Road

The river continues in meandering curves with wooded banks and Huntington Road never too far away although you can't hear the traffic and the atmosphere is tranquil.

 

Anoter stile but only two way markers on the rail.

 

This small bridge links Huntington Church with the village. Turn to the left at the bridge to head towards the church. The footpath on the left hand bank is gained through the car park at the side of the church and is clearly marked.

 

 

 

 

In the midst of all this green this group of Asters is growing wild at the edge of woodland near the ring road. Several butterflies and bees were feeding on nectar on the flowers.

Finally the ring road comes into sight and this is where I finished for the time being. In the next few weeks I'll travel further up the River Foss towards Haxby and Strensall.

All the photographs taken on this walk can be seen in my Follow The Foss album on Facebook.

View Follow The Foss in a larger map

Follow The Foss - 8 - Yearsley Grove Through New Earswick

Because the river becomes more rural from this point I'll move away from the every 100 paces placing of photographs and put up the more interesting ones that are not just willow trees overhanging the river.

I have included this one as it is the first glimpse of autumn colours between Yearsley Grove and Haxby Road.

A handy signpost directs walkers in the correct direction as the path joins Haxby Road turn to the right and head towards New Earswick village.

Another sign of the previous navigability of the River Foss is the Lock Cottage just as you enter New Earswick village. The path no longer passes next to the lock and a small diversion around Lock Cottage is now required.

The river passes along the back of the village of New Earswick the model village set up by Joseph Rowntree for workers at The Cocoa Works.

The larger tree at the back is a Horse Chestnut tree (conker) can you make out the man with a broom sweeping up fallen leaves and conker shells.

This way marker shows the path serves several pathways, from the bottom up - Centennial Way, Ebor Way, Foss Way and MilleniumWay

View Follow The Foss in a larger map

Follow The Foss - 7 - Fossway to Yearsley Grove

Just before the river crosses under Huntington Road is a typical spiky deterrent atop a service bridge.

 

Up the steps and cross the road to pick up the path again on the other side of the bridge. Entrance to the path is set back a bit from the bridge towards Haley's Terrace and a little overgrown with Russian vine.

Approaching Yearsley Baths swimming pool  are the remains of a former lock, upstream is a small weir that runs off on the right hand side.

From this point upstream the bank is cut into two very distinct levels to take overspill when water levels get high. The path runs alongside the swimming baths and the car park for Nestle employees. Despite this being a busy area you can sometimes catch a flash of blue as a Kingfisher dives into the water. Otters and voles are can also be seen along this stretch as well.

Heavily wooded areas intersperse with more open areas that allow a view of the rear gardens of houses that run down to the rivers edge along Huntington Road. Some are even lucky enough to have a small boat moored at the end of their gardens.

 

Some magnificent willows now hang gracefully over the edge of the banks in places.

I was surprised to find this rather fine specimen of an Astilbe growing on the banks but found several more as I walked further. I wondered if it was a garden escape or whether it grows naturally in the wild.

For those that cannot afford a rowing boat there is always the option of a fibreglass canoe like the splash of red that can be seen through the trees. on the right.

For those of you that worked up a bit of a thirst, the bridge offers  a good exit point to go and find the Yearsley Grove pub. Cross the bridge and turn to the right along Huntington Road. You will find the pub about a hundred yards (metres) on the left.

View Follow The Foss in a larger map

Follow The Foss - 6 - Huntington Road

Meandering along the Foss as it wriggles along behind Huntington Road the character of the river banks becomes a little less urban and takes on a hint of the rural feeling greener with more overhanging trees. This starts with the little park area just past the bridge at Heworth Green.

 

From this point the river ducks behind the buildings on Huntington Road and moves through a series of gentle curves.

 

 

 

Having walked through a tranquil tree lined area at the back of the buildings you emerge back onto the busy Huntington Road not far from the former City Hospital now used as accomodation for students from St. John's. There is a roadside path and a fence alongside the river which is firmly held in place with concrete sides.

In the distance is a railway bridge which is now part of a cycleway and footpath. In a former incarnation this was the Derwent Valley Light Railway. In the following pictures you will see the "sculptures" atop the bridge emerging. There are many of these such "sculptures" along the cycleway. Most have been vandalised or grafittied

 

 

Again the walk takes a slightly more rural feel as the path runs behind the houses of Huntington Road. Willows seem to be more prominent along this stretch. On the right hand bank there is the King George's Park and childrens play area behind Dodsworth Avenue. Although having a slightly more rural feel you can tell that you are still in the city as there are abandoned beds and shopping trolleys in evidence.

 

In addition to the beds and shopping trolleys are also a liberal sprinkling of drink cans and bottles.

View Follow The Foss in a larger map

Follow the Foss - 5 - Along Fossbank to Heworth Green

Gone are the interesting parts like the building reclamation yard, Ossie's scrap yard, the gas and coking works with the bridge carrying a large gas pipe over the river and road. You have to look hard for some of the remains and what has replaced it is standard pastry cutter design industrial, commercial and high density housing buildings(slums of the future? only time will tell!).

Where the cars in the foreground are parked is where the reclamation yard used to stand. Ornate and interesting chimney spots were stacked around the yard. Rainfall has been a bit low this year and weed growth has become prominent in this section of the river as water levels have fallen.

Hidden  in the trees you can just make out the blue and whitesignboard of the automotive spares building of Partco. In the background is the high density housing and office buildings that have been built on the gas works site.

This picture is notable for the lack of the gas storage tank which normally dominates thesky line, presumably deflated as there is less gas demand during the summer months, or has that reached an end point and being decommisioned?

All that remains of the viaduct that carried a substantial gas main over the river and road are these two green foundation footings.  Rubbish in the water this year seems to be a particular problem. Maybe it is something to do with the low levels of water flowing in the river so it doesn't get washed out into the Ouse and become someone elses problem, or is it just a symptom of untidy city dwellers and a council strapped for cash?

 

Approaching Heworth green there is a small concrete bridge in front of the main Heworth Green road bridge another of the few remaining bits of the old gas works site.

Fossbank joins Heworth Green, Huntington Road and Monkgate at the Monk Roundabout. Cross to Huntington Road via Heworth Green.

View Follow The Foss in a larger map