York Walks /2

Skeldergate Bridge to Millennium Bridge

Photographed on 16 March 2004

Skeldergate bridge   Skeldergate Bridge

The lucky people in the apartments here have a fine view of the rather attractive Skeldergate Bridge (above). (I don't know why the colour of the paint appears to be totally different in these two photos. Strange trick of the light, I guess. Or bad photography.)

I didn't know this stretch of riverside had a name – apparently it's called Terry Avenue. I've just discovered that some years back Terry's had a factory here.

Old brick buildings, more industrial, I can remember vaguely from when I used to live near here twenty or so years ago. I don't remember individual buildings, just the atmosphere of the place – quiet and run-down, and perfect for a walk on summer evenings. Or maybe I'm just romanticising it, and maybe it was a dump. In any case, it's now new build apartments.

Newer buildings by York's riverside   Inscription from former bakery building

The corner of the building just visible on the right of the picture (above left) is shown in close up on the photo above right. I've never noticed this before – you see more of these kinds of details when you're wandering about with a camera. It isn't a bakery now, of course, but it's nice to see a reminder of the former character of this riverside.

This area's industrial past is recorded on an old photograph showing the buildings that used to occupy this section of riverside in 1910. Riverside towards Skeldergate bridge, from the Imagine York collection – (© City of York Council)

 

Rowntree Park, Terry Avenue  

And further up the riverside road is Rowntree Park, scene of many a happy gathering for peace festivals and musical events over the years. I was looking for a bandstand I'm sure was in the park once – and wondered if this was the spot. I remember visiting it once at night, with some friends, while under the influence of intoxicants. But I shouldn't tell you that. We probably got in through a gap in the fence. (I can assure everyone that no vandalism took place.)

I revisited this area and took some photos inside Rowntree Park, in autumn. See York Walks /4: Riverside walk – Rowntree Park to Bishopthorpe.

By Rowntree Park, towards the city centre and Skeldergate Bridge   By Rowntree Park, towards the Millennium Bridge

Terry Avenue continues past the railings of Rowntree Park. On the very mild March afternoon when these photos were taken, lots of people were out walking dogs and jogging.

York's Millennium Bridge  

And then, past Rowntree Park, this newer addition to York's bridges – The Millennium Bridge – only a few years old, as its name suggests. A busy bridge, when I visited, with people of all ages walking, running or cycling over it, and a couple sitting on it, admiring the view. It was so well-used, I wondered how we'd coped without it before.

Related pages:

Across the bridge you can walk to St Oswald's Hall and along the riverside to Fulford Ings. In autumn I revisited this area and walked up this side of the river to Bishopthorpe. See York Walks /4: Riverside walk – Rowntree Park to Bishopthorpe.