England Part Four: York

Part Four of the England travel series covers our stay in the charming town of York. Rooted deep in history and full of charm, York was a perfect two night stay in the middle of our trip.

In AD 71 York was a Roman capital, in the 9th century the Vikings took it over as a trading town, but the lasting aesthetics and ambiance of the city are completely medieval. You can still walk atop the medieval walls, which is a fantastic way to tour the city by foot. Scroll to the bottom of the post for more details about where we stayed and all that we saw in York. Enjoy!

Walking the medieval walls that still surround the city of York

This guy was walking the wall on his lunch break, he just fit the scene so perfectly

View towards York Minster from the wall, some lovely English gardens as well

My husband ready for battle at the Richard III museum, definitely York over Tudor

Our delicious adorable lunch spot, The Star Inn The City

The Little Shambles, a preserved medieval street that feels like it will topple over any second

Welcoming the new Princess! 

The hubs and I after touring Clifford's Tower, the weather was gorgeous that day

Where We Ate
The Star Inn The City - Lendal Engine House Museum Street, York YO1 7DR, United Kingdom
Golden Lion York - 9 Church Street, York YO1 8BG, United Kingdom
Bari Ristorante - 15 Shambles, York, North Yorkshire YO1 7LZ, United Kingdom
Monk Bar Chocolatiers - 7 Shambles, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 7LZ, United Kingdom
Jorvik Viking Center - Coopergate, York, YO1 9WT, United Kingdom

Where We Stayed
Hotel 53 - 53 Piccadilly, York, North Yorkshire YO1 9PL, United Kingdom

What We Did
Walked the City Walls - Mickelgate, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 6JX, United Kingdom
The Original Ghost Walk of York - The King's Arms Pub, Ouse Bridge (the famous pub that floods)
Clifford's Tower - Tower Street, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 9SA, United Kingdom
Richard III Museum at Monk Bar - 6 Goodramgate, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 7LQ, United Kingdom
York Minster - Deangate, York, YO1 7HH, United Kingdom

General Advice
The best advice I can give is to start walking the wall at keep hopping on and off. It is the best way to tour the city and is so unique! We had more fun walking the walls then anything else we did in York.
The Original Ghost Walk of York was fantastic. Spooky and historical with the occasional laugh. Very well done, it made for a great evening of learning more about the city.
You must eat at The Star Inn The City, it was so delicious and completely adorable.
Skip paying for the Richard III and Henry VIII experiences. I'm a War of the Roses/York vs. Tudor history buff and I thought both of these were poorly done. The best part was trying on the medieval armor and helmets!
Jorvik Center is cool for kids, not so much for adults. I'd pass on this museum unless you are traveling as a family.

England Part Three: Keswick and Hadrian's Wall

Part Three in the England Travel Series features what I believe to be the best part of our 10 Day Trip. When looking at a map, you may think, why would I drive all the way to Northern England? I hope the photos below help explain why.

My husband and I drove from Oxford to Keswick on the fourth day of our trip. We were entranced the minute we began to see the rolling mountains surrounding the Lake District. This part of England, just bordering Scotland, is stunning. Charming villages are nestled in valleys by the lake where clouds and fog roll over the mountain tops in the evening. It felt like a storybook was coming to life.

We stayed at The Royal Oak in Keswick, and friends, I cannot recommend this charming inn enough! The food was spectacular, the staff endearing, and the rooms idyllic. We spent hours in the downstairs pub drinking ales with locals and adorable dogs (who are also allowed in the pub, as long as they are on good behavior).

As an Interior Designer I personally had such an appreciation for the design of The Royal Oak. The scheme of cozy plaid carpets with warm wood tones and pops of color just made this place feel like home.

The next morning we went on an incredible hike of the Catbells. The hike was more intense then I thought it would be, but absolutely worth it once you get to those stunning views at the top.

Next we headed east and stopped off at Hadrian's Wall on our way to York. It was so cold and windy at Hadrian's Wall we didn't stay very long, but I would still recommend it.

More details and tips listed at the bottom of the post, enjoy!

The Royal Oak signage

The Royal Oak exterior

Lounge area inside The Royal Oak

The Cheese Plate was incredible!

Delicious breads with local rapeseed oil and butter

Pub at The Royal Oak

View from our room

Cozy room

Adorable sheep tea pot cover in the room

Goodies for a good night's rest - eye masks and ear plugs

Starting our hike by the lake

Sheep along the Catbells hike

Catbells Views, half way up

It felt a bit like Game of Thrones on this hike

Enjoying the views!

Hadrian's Wall

My husband overlooking Scotland from Hadrian's Wall

Where We Ate
The Royal Oak - Main St, Keswick, Cumbria CA12 5HZ, United Kingdom

Where We Stayed
The Royal Oak - Main St, Keswick, Cumbria CA12 5HZ, United Kingdom

What We Did
Hiked the Catbells - Hawse End Centre, Portinscale, Cumbria, CA12 5UE, United Kingdom
Hiked Hadrian's Wall - Military Road, Bardon Mill, Northumberland, NE47 7AN, United Kingdom

General Advice
Before heading to the Catbells stop by the Tourist Information Center (a block from The Royal Oak) and get directions. You will easily get lost trying to find the Hawse End car park to start your hike!
Take some snacks and water with you on this hike, it took us four hours round trip. Take a blanket and have a mountaintop picnic to rest before heading back down.
For Hadrian's Wall, start at the Once Brewed Tourist Center. Head north across the main road, up the hill, and through the kissing gate on the right. You will cross a pasture and then be at the base of Hadrian's Wall. Be prepared if it is a windy day, the wind gusts are treacherous up those stone steps and it is a very steep climb.

England Part Two: Glastonbury, Stonehenge, & Oxford

Part Two in this England Travel Series is all about the road trip! We hit the (wrong side) of the road for a day filled with mystical sites steeped in history and intrigue. This day was one of my favorites from the trip!

Our first stop were the ruins of Glastonbury Abbey, where in 1191 the monks dug to find the remains of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere. It is incredibly surreal and hard to grasp that are you standing on a site that is truly magical.

Glastonbury Abbey

The Site of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere's Tombs

Glastonbury Abbey as seen from the neighboring grove

Glastonbury Abbey

One shot to give you a sense of scale, this structure was massive!

After the Abbey, we climbed The Tor for spectacular views of Somerset and Wales. Glastonbury Tor is filled with mystery and is one of the most spiritual sites in the country. Both Pagans and the Druids used this place for initiations and ceremonies. However, the only structure that remains is a tower from a 15th century church of St. Michael.

A top down view (not of my own taking) to give you a sense of scale for The Tor, photo credit: Knowledgepicture.com

Climbing to the top of The Tor, you can see a hint of the tower in the distance.

The only remaining structure at the top of The Tor

Panoramic View from the top of The Tor

Compass at the top of The Tor

Our next stop was Stonehenge. Circling the stones was truly a once in a lifetime experience. This is an absolute must when visiting England!

Stonehenge

We stopped off in Oxford for the night and rented a room at the University, Keble College to be exact. The room was really lovely with a king size bed, en suite bathroom, and nice linens with complimentary toiletries. Breakfast is included in your stay. While the food was less than exciting, it was pretty cool to eat with the students in a Hogwarts style dining room.

The Courtyard of our Dorm Room at Keble College, Oxford

The Dining Hall at Keble College

Where We Ate
Waitrose (grab and go for a picnic) - Abbey Street, Bath BA1 1LY, United Kingdom
King's Arms Oxford - 40 Holywell Street, Oxford OX1 3SP, United Kingdom
Keble College Dining Hall - Oxford OX1 3PG, United Kingdom

Where We Stayed
Keble College - Oxford OX1 3PG, United Kingdom

What We Did
Glastonbury Abbey - Magdalene Street, Glastonbury, Somerset, BA6 9EL, United Kingdom
The Tor (10 minute walk from the Abbey) - Glastonbury, Somerset, BA6, United Kingdom
Stonehenge - Amesbury, Wiltshire SP4 7DE, United Kingdom

General Advice
Driving and seeing the English countryside was incredible. Driving on the wrong side of the car and wrong side of the road is actually easier than you think! Be bold and do it, it will be an unforgettable experience.
The drive from Bath to Glastonbury, and Glastonbury to Stonehenge were only an hour each, which made for a very easy driving day.
You can bring a picnic and eat on the grounds of Glastonbury Abbey. They have picnic tables if you don't have a blanket to sit on.
The Tor is a very steep climb and can be extremely windy. Do not try to drive to the Tor, parking is difficult. Leave your car parked at the Abbey and do the 10 minute walk over to the base of the hill.
Save yourself a lot of time and prebook your Stonehenge tickets. They give you a 30 minute window to arrive, grab the audio tour as well, it's worth it.

England Part One: Bath

The Romans came to Bath around 50 AD, drawn to its natural hot springs. Upon the springs they built spectacular Roman Baths for wellness and healing. And in the late 1600's, Queen Mary came to Bath fighting infertility, and less than a year later gave birth to a son...and a revitalization of Bath itself.

This charming little town was the first stop on our England tour. Check out the photos below to get a sense for the beauty of Bath. Traveling tips and a list of hotels, restaurants, and tourist attractions are listed at the end. Enjoy!

Roman Baths with Bath Abbey in the background

View of Bath from the top of the Abbey

Bath Abbey doors

Stunning Fan Vaulted Ceiling inside Bath Abbey

Breakfast at Patisserie Valerie

Spring Rolls at Thai Balcony

Entree at Thai Balcony

Delicious Fish Pie from The Garrick's Head

Public Gardens along the river

Roof Top Pool at Thermae Bath Spa (they don't allow photos inside but I snapped this from another rooftop)

Where We Ate
The Roman Bath Kitchen - Abbey Street, Bath BA1 1LY, United Kingdom
Patesserie Valerie - 20 High Street, City Centre, Bath BA1 5AJ, United Kingdom
The Garrick's Head - 7-8 Saint Johns Road, City Centre, Bath BA1 1ET, United Kingdom
Thai Balcony - 1 Seven Dials, Bath, Somerset BA1 1EN, United Kingdom
Turtle Bay - 11 Bridge Street, Bath, BA2 4AS, United Kingdom

Where We Stayed
Hilton - Walcot Street, Bath, Somerset, BA1 5BJ, United Kingdom

What We Did
Roman Baths - Stall St, Bath, BA1 1LZ, United Kingdom
Bath Abbey - Bath, BA1 1LT, United Kingdom
Thermae Bath Spa - Hot Bath Street, Bath, BA1 1SJ, United Kingdom

General Advice
The Roman Baths have excellent exhibits with free audio guides. Well worth the two + hours you might spend here.
Do NOT do the Bizarre Bath walk. Ignore Trip Advisor and Rick Steves. We left halfway thru, it was that bad.
Go to Turtle Bay for drinks. Two for One drinks after 10pm - crazy good deal and super fun bartenders.
Skip the 'Twilight Package' at Thermae Bath Spa and just show up on the day-of. You can get the same spa services for a better price just by skipping the mediocre meal. If you want to do anything other than the pools and steam rooms, such as a massage, book in advance. Those spots filled up quickly.
Pay to take the Tower Tour at Bath Abbey so you can climb to the top. Very cool, but quite the work out with very steep steps.

Upcoming Blog Travel Series: England

My husband and I recently took 10 glorious days off from normal life and traveled to England for vacation. We made it through a decent portion of the country by train, plane, and automobile.

I'll be sharing our trip in a series of upcoming blog posts, which will be broken down by each stop on our trip. We visited London of course, but some of my favorite memories were far from the popular tourist sites.

Keep a look out for the posts starting this week. They will be full of great photos, restaurant recommendations, and general tips on navigating your way through this beautiful country.

Cheers!

Love this London shot with a Telephone Booth & Big Ben

Separates for a Spring Work Wardrobe

Let's talk spring work wardrobe this morning. I am loving how retailers are embracing separates these days, I picked up this graphic woven black & white ensemble from Banana Republic a few weeks back.

I love these two pieces together for the office, but they also look amazing on their own. I wear the crop top with black pants for dinner and drinks, it's a very early 60s vibe. I also pair the pencil skirt with a classic white button down or sleek black turtle neck on cooler days.

The accessories shown are two of my classic pieces, a Ralph Lauren Collection bag and my 1960s vintage Cartier Tank watch. While I am typically a girl on a budget, some accessories are worth investing in. Shop a similar look below.

Rugby Stripe Lace Shell & Pencil Skirt from Banana Republic