I did a post some time ago on Kings Square in which I included a photo of one of the buildings which has a model cat on the ridge line of the roof. Having treated myself to a long phthalic looking telephoto last week I took a close up view of the cat.
The subtitle to this piece could well have been "Ebor Morris tour the Bars and Bars of York".
Sherrif's ride performed outside Walmgate Bar and then time for a beer, but what a shame that the Rook and Gaskill didn't open at 12:00 as shown on the list of opening times on the door.
Oh dear, no drink here so we did a dance without music as a requim for a pub we have enjoyed in the past!
After refreshing ourselves in the Swan we returned to the walls to perform at the corner by Baile Hill that overlooks the Swan.
Time for another break at the Golden Ball in Bishophill.
I'm going to count to ten and when I open my eyes I am going to make this nasty brown stuff dissappear!
Interruption to the tour as the section f walls from Micklegate to Station Rise were closed. Although the notice said Monday to Friday and it was now Sunday the gate was locked. Looks like the work overran by a few days! This was an opportune time to go and do our half hour session in King's Square
King's Square brought out loads of photographers as a half hour session was performed for the York Carnival. After a short refreshment stop in the Blue Bell a few stalwarts continued the tour and headed off towards Bootham Bar to continue the last section of available wall.
More tourists taking photos in the rain as Stu gets ready to do a solo jig by York Minster.
The lad does a solo jig outside the Minster.
The hardest part of touring the city walls is getting the sticks up and down the steps. A short video clip of the survivors dancing at Robin Hood Tower can be seen on UTube http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=50-MeI0Wf1Y
The lad does another solo jig, where does he get the energy?
With much ceremony the sticks were dropped at the bottom of the stairs at Monk Bar to mark the end of the tour at the point that it had begun in the morning.
Well, another round on the bag didn't do us any harm (well not too much). The survivors relaxing at the Tap & Spile in Monkgate.
Each year around the second weekend of September, York runs a Festival of Traditional Dance on Saturday and Sunday. The festival starts with a procession from the Guildhall, crosses St. Helen's Square and then proceeds down Davygate into Parliament street, finishing in the shady area between Marks and Spencer and Barclays Bank. The photograph above shows Ebor Morris performing the "Winster Processional". Below, is the last note of the processional as Ebor Morris arrive in Parliament Street. From here the 9 groups attending this year split up to perform in St. Sampsons Square, Kings Square and Parliament Street.
Teams attending the event are Acorn, Beverly, Black Pig, Brackley, Ebor, English Miscellany, Inclognito, Jet Set, Minster Strays. Styles of dancing included Cotswold, Long Sword, Border, Northwest Clog and Clog Stepping.
Note for my good friend Chun See in Singapore, I have included another photograph with some of the rare greenery within the city walls. I hope to have some more photos of locations within the walls with trees and greenery over the next few days.
I couldn't resist including this one of a visitor filming the procession.
King's Square is a pleasant leafy square in the centre of York located close to the Shambles and is ideal if you want to park your weary bones for a short rest. There are often various vendor stalls around the edge of the square like the ice cream and lemonade stalls in the second photo. It is also a popular square with street performers. The square is the site of an old church and some of the slabs on the raised section are memorial stones where the inscription is still readable.
Watch out for the cat on the roof of the estate agent. Local architect Tom Adams has them as a signature to buildings he has worked on. There is also a cat stalking up the wall of Barnitt's hardware store next to the square in Colliergate. For more on the cats visit "Cats in YorK" website.
On Monday evening I would normally have been out with this bunch of hobbdehoys and ne'r do wells, joining in the dancing. However, because I had badly strained my calf muscle on my left leg I took my camera down instead and took several photos. To see further photos of the evening use this link.
