The city near where I grew up had a street called “The Shambles”, a street with old black and white houses leaning at what seemed impossible angles. This Autumn we found ourselves in the City of York and its version of the Shambles.

The York Shambles is a narrow lane claimed to be one of the best preserved medieval streets in the world. Originally the place was thronged with butchers and their hooks can still be seen on a number of buildings lining the cobbled lane. The narrowness of the lane is emphasized further by the overarching old buildings, from which it almost seems possible to shake the hand of a person in the building opposite.

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Before stumbling on The Shambles we took in York Minster, a magnificent building with space aplenty around it. The contrast could not have been greater.

So there you are, another destination to add to your growing list.