Day 9 - York, Chatsworth House, and Buxton

A bright yellow orb along with a very blue sky awoke me this morning! I instantly warmed up. Because of the special services at York Minster yesterday, we had to delay our tour until this morning. With the sun, I was finally able to get some great shots of the minster and continued to be astounded by the size from the outside. After buying our tickets (including ascending the main tower), we roamed the minster on our own. I thought I had seen big churches before, but wow, this took the cake! One of the first stained glass panels I saw indicated it was installed in 1310, refurbished in 1789, and again in 1950. There are tombs, memorials, artifacts, and stained glass everywhere. The rose window (south side high above the floor) was amazing. Northeast of the main sanctuary is the Chapter House. This is a smaller room that has many stained glass panels and an intricate floor; however, the most impressive thing is the ceiling. The room was completed in 1286 and it has changed very little. This was a very spiritual place.

By 10:00, it was time for us to climb the main tower. There are 200+ steps in an old spiral turret that lead to the top. Keep in mind these were built for shorter, slimmer folks! Fortunately I'm not claustrophobic, but it was a tight fit in some spaces. After climbing for about 5-8 minutes, we reached the top. I was disappointed that they have encased the entire viewing platform in chain link. I suppose they didn't want things to be thrown off the tower. The view from up above the minster was spectacular! I'm so glad the sun had come out and the low gray clouds had moved off.

After descending the tower (MUCH faster) I took another 30 minutes to wander around the minster. I was able to photograph in the choir area where Evensong was held the previous night. The woodwork and stonework are unbelievably detailed and delicate. After visiting the gift shop, we had to be on our way. York Minster has been one of the best things on my trip so far. I'm forever grateful to have visited it.

Our next stop was Chatsworth House located at the entrance to the Peak District. This house is owned by the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, having been in their family since 1549. We didn't take the house tour, but we did walk around the gardens which cover 105 acres! It was a great, but busy day to visit as it was a national holiday in the UK. We saw really neat landscapes, walked through a maze, and viewed a wonderful water feature. We even snacked on crisps (potato chips) and Coke (which is quite different here).

Our hotel is in Buxton tonight and after dinner, we walked around the main gardens. We drive into the heart of the Peak District tomorrow and visit Bakewell where we'll try to have afternoon tea with Bakewell pudding.

Cheers from the UK!