H&N Magazine recently spent the day in York and it involved breakfast at The Star Inn the City, a leisurely cruise on the River Ouse with City Cruises, shopping at The Yorkshire Soap Co. an hour spent watching live street performers on King’s Square, and lunch at Shambles Food Court.
The sun was beaming down on York when our writer Rachel McAlley took a day trip to the historical city, and she couldn’t have asked for better weather.
Words by Rachel McAlley
I set off early in the morning to make the most out of a day in York with my daughter. Obviously the day involved delicious food and plenty of shopping, but the highlight of the trip was spending an hour on a river cruise with City Cruises.
We boarded the cruise at Lendal Bridge Landing at 10.10am and our sail time was scheduled for 10.40am. The City Cruises boat we were on was called River Prince of York, and what a beauty it was.
The River Prince of York is owned and run by City Cruises anchored by Hornblower, and has three levels where guests can sit and admire the views of York. We initially opted to sit on the very top open deck, which gave us a great view going upstream to the northern outskirts of the city. It was wonderful to see the city from a completely different perspective.
Once the boat turned to head back downstream towards Millennium Bridge we moved downstairs into the main bar area inside and enjoyed the scenery from river level height. Not only were these the perfect seats to watch other boats passing by, but we could wave to their crew and guests onboard. We spotted an ice cream van on a barge, the fire brigade tending to a flood, and the underside of many old buildings.
A Morning on the River Ouse
The skipper of the River Prince of York was knowledgeable about all things York related. We learned many fascinating facts about York’s history, the floods that annually take place, the gardens and museums, and the general history of the Romans and Vikings in York. Furthermore, the weather was outstanding, the river was calm for the entire trip, and we even got a little sun tan from sitting on the top deck!
If you are looking to take a trip in York I would suggest that you add a morning or afternoon on the River Ouse with City Cruises. Moreover it’s both educational and enjoyable, plus the skipper was great comedy value as we laughed throughout the trip.
The bar was fully stocked with soft drinks, hot drinks, beers and spirits with lots of snacks to choose from. The scenery was wonderful, and for anyone interested, there was a toilet on board!
Finally, prices start at £6.75 for kids (under 4s go free) to £40 for a family (2 adults 3 children). There are various other prices for adults and seniors. Check online before you travel for up-to-date pricing and departure times. Visit City Experiences to book and find out more.
