You don’t always have to travel to exotic faraway places to see interesting and beautiful sights.
You may be surprised to learn that until I was in my mid 30s I had not been outside the UK. But that doesn’t mean that I didn’t love travelling. Trips to see the wonderful mountains in Wales and the Lake District. Drives through the bleak but beautiful Yorksire Moors. Day trips to the Lincolnshire and Yorkshire seaside. Bird watching trips to the Norfolk Coast. These holidays and outings were always the highlights of my year.
And I have always loved exploring the countryside and nature around my home. It is so easy to overlook what is right on your doorstep.
Therefore I thought I would do something different, and post some photos from around my local area. None of these are from tourist attractions, they are just from local footpaths, parks, woods and fields close to where I live, just outside York.
Never stop exploring – there is beauty to be found everywhere if you bother to look!
York City Centre
Of course York is well known as a tourist destination, and has many world class tourist attractions (York Minster, National Railway Museum, Castle Museum, Yorkshire Museum, Jorvik Viking Centre, York Dungeon).
But you can also see interesting and beautiful things just by strolling around.
If you would like to stay in York there is a huge variety of accommodation available – see this page at booking.com.
For a useful guide see A Walking Guide to York’s City Walls or Insight Guides Great Breaks York.
York Outskirts
There are many paths and country lanes around the outskirts of York where you can experience some peace and nature. I particularly love many of our beautiful trees.
Pocklington Canal
Much of Pocklington Canal is designated an SSSI for its wildlife.
Accessed at Canal Head, a few miles from York and just outside Pocklington town, it is a great place to go for a stroll and a picnic. We have seen kingfishers here, and in the summer there are lots of dragonflies and damselflies.