PING Arch

[col]

I wanted to ask if you know about the christmas shop Arch?Its in york centre somewhere,but i dont know where,as the place is still just a maze of streets to me,iv only been a couple of times.Ill be downloading a map,but if there is an easy way to find it on sunday,that would be great,if you can give me directions from the train station,i once tried to find a shop with a web map,and failed miserably,it was pure luck we came across it.As my wife and another couple are going sunday,and my friend wants to visit this shop,i do too

 

[Arch]

I wanted to ask if you know about the christmas shop Arch?Its in york centre somewhere,but i dont know where,as the place is still just a maze of streets to me,iv only been a couple of times.Ill be downloading a map,but if there is an easy way to find it on sunday,that would be great,if you can give me directions from the train station,i once tried to find a shop with a web map,and failed miserably,it was pure luck we came across it.As my wife and another couple are going sunday,and my friend wants to visit this shop,i do too

Yeah, I know where it is! It's on Low Petergate. Best way to find it is:

Come out of the front of the station, turn left (this is towards town) Follow the road by staying on the pavement on the station side - it bends to the right under the city wall, then left to go over the river. You're heading towards the Minster. You can't miss that. OK, once over the river, keep walking, until you get to a crossroads with traffic lights (Minster still ahead of you). Cross, then carry on. The next corner you get to is right in front of the Minster - you're at a sort of four way junction - but one junction is bollarded so no cars can go down it (it goes off at angle to the right). On the left corner, is the Deancourt Hotel, and on the right is the war memorial in a little garden. There is road that runs across at this corner, this is Petergate. You want the bit to the right, Low Petergate (as you are facing the front of the Minster). So turn right, cross (carefully, there are taxis and bikes and horsedrawn carriages and all sorts whizzing about) and go down the road - it goes between a smaller church and an estate agents. Don't go down the bollarded off road right next to the Minster.

Once you're on Low Petergate, keep walking. You'll pass the church on the corner, then a Japanese print shop, then a shop called Real Earth or something like that. then there's a pedestrian crossroad bit, keep going on down. The Christmas Shop is a few shops down on the right. I think if you get to the Oxfam book shop, you've gone too far.

If you don't want to have to go straight there from the station, all you need to do is get yourself to th West Front of the Minster (that's the bit with two towers and a big arched door and a large pavement area in front), where the Hotel is, and follow the instructions from there. It's hard to lose the Minster, it's pretty visible.

If you get stuck, find a native (not always easy!) and ask for Petergate, and walk along it until you find the shop!

If you want a cafe/pub recommendation, let me know.. I should be checking back here in an hour or so, but then I'm off line at the weekends..

 

[col]

Thanks very much,iv printed off what you said,and a recommendation of those would be nice too,as i think we are there for the day,so will need to partake in refreshments

 

[Arch]

Ok, assuming you get hold of a street map (should be one available from tourist info at the station) to find out where all these streets are:

Well, THE thing to do, of course is to go to Bettys, on St Helens Square. But there's generally a queue, especially at this time of year, Christmas shoppers and so on. There is a less well known branch, Little Bettys, in Stonegate round the corner, there is often a queue there as well, but maybe less so.
Otherwise, a teashop I've used with visitors (and which I think is open on Sundays, but am not certain) is Bullivants on Blake Street (it's opposite MacDonalds.) Otherwise, there are loads of others, and all the usual coffee chains etc.

Pubs... Well, there are so many. Anything by the York Brewery is good - The Three Legged Mare in High Petergate, The Last Drop in Kings Square (I think that's what it's called) or my favourite of the three, The Yorkshire Terrier in Stonegate (Does food at weekends I think) There is a good table in the window upstairs, if you like people watching.... For the best ranges of real beer, the Maltings, just off Lendal Bridge on the other side of the river from the Minster (also does food at lunchtimes, be warned the chilli is very hot!) or The Blue Bell in Fossgate (does food some lunchtimes I think, but not sure), which is tiny and very original. For good food, and a real 'local' feel, the Royal Oak in Goodramgate. It's my local.

(These are all to my taste of course, which is 'real ale, food sometimes, not too much in the way of loud music or fruitmachines or yoofs')

Many tourists go to the Kings Arms on the riverside, and I haven't been down to the river lately, but if we have much more rain, that one will be under water... If the river is up, the Ouse Bridge is a good place to stand and see the full effect...

 

[col]

Thanks again Arch,im sure we will sample some of those places,