York - Day Off - Mon 25 June

We slept in until 9:30am, which is not a bad record considering that it continued to pour and pour with rain all through the night. The little tent stood firm and still, a credit to the 'Pro-bike' crew who made the tent. It remained dry and actually warm. We had lunch lined up with friends from a town to the south, but due to the now hazardous flood warnings and roads cut by floods in Yorkshire, we agreed it was best to defer lunch.

Julie and I stayed in the tent for another hour or so wondering what to do, feeling disappointed that on the only day we had to see \york, it was teeming with rain. So at 11am or so we said 'blow this', got dressed and walked the 1k to town, getting totally saturated as a result. We checked out the TIC and then the Library, both warm dry places, and had a great 'Sunday roast' with Yorkshire pudding at a local 'pub', all for just a few pound, a great deal. That also warmed us up. After some quality internet time at the Library, we walked the streets ofYork, dodging rain under shop awnings etc. It was not the best but it was enough. At 5:15pm we went to Evensong at the great York Minster. This was not only dry, it was a most wonderful experience. The choir sang unaccompanied the verses of Psalm 119 from 72 to 104. It was just Heavenly for these two Pilgrims. We felt it was the best way to appreciate and value York Minster, as a worship and spiritual experience. The high vaulted ceilings, and centuries old beautiful stained glass windows the likes of which we have never seen came alive in our faith and hearts as the scriptures were read of Jesus seeking the lost, the choir singing and the congregation reciting the Apostles Creed and the truths of our faith. This was worth the whole day, and we really didn't need any other experience of York.

As we walked home we checked out the thousand year remains of William the Conqueror's original castle, and walked along the river Ouse which bisects York, and which any hour was expected to break its banks. If it did, our home for the night would be floating!

We went to bed wondering, but not worried. Many of the caravans had deserted during the day. The rain kept falling, but we expected to be there in the morning, but praying that tomorrow would be fine for our trip to Darlington. We are truly tired of the wet weather. It has rained on us in various degrees every day for a fortnight.

We actually had a cold night in the tent. The ground was too sodden, and I guess it was the intense cold coming up under the tent, but we remained dry inside. It was another good day though, and we went to bed with a happy heart, grateful to God for all his many mercies to us.