Merchant Adventurers York

 Wednesday 3rd June 2026.                 Merchant Adventures 

What a day full of surprises, little did some of the Lads know what to expect when they arrived in the city of York. It was a group of six that gathered on the concourse of the railway station in the city, Derek and Dave travelling from Wakefield, whilst John, Colin, Brian and Mark had made their way via Leeds, all meeting up at a few minutes after 11am.

Various opportunities were on their minds, should they visit one of the many Museums here in the city or just take a riverside walk, it wasn’t too long before the choice was obvious etc, upon leaving the station they were met with rain, it had been forecast, so had it, on the previous two days but without any significant downfalls. So a walk was on the cards! however the decision was made to visit the Merchants Hall situated somewhere in the city centre.

After a few moments of discussion with a suitable person the lads now found themselves on a bus and heading along the city streets wondering where to get off etc. Some seven minutes later and they were off the bus and walking along Merchant Gate only a few yards from their intended destination. Soon inside this ancient building they began to inspect its magnificent structure that of huge Oak beams and flooring that had stood the test of time, this Hall had been constructed in the middle of the thirteen century to accommodate local merchants selling their goods etc. There was a vast array of artefacts on display for us lads to both see and read about, wooden chairs and benches, storage chests and silverware from those bygone days, so impressed were we all at the character of this building and the many people that would have used it throughout the many years to follow etc.

The Lads spending much more than an hour browsing it’s delightful existence, before setting off to find a suitable cafe for lunch, a couple establishments were suggested only to find they could not accommodate 6 of us, we did eventually get seated in the Oasis Cafe and what a very pleasant experience for us all, great choice of food and a good atmosphere to boot! This cafe is only a few hundred yards away from the railway station, so within striking distance if a rain shower comes along.

Now with the time approaching 2:25 pm the lads began their short journey back to the station in order to take their respective trains homeward bound.

Upon reflection today’s adventure was a great choice, full of intriguing stories of bygone times.

Cheers Everyone.