Category: Columns

1. Acomb Afternoon Townswomen’s Guild  Ladies, are you looking for a way to socialise and make new friends? You might want to join Acomb Afternoon Townswomen’s Guild! The group has monthly meetings and enjoy listening to speakers, supporting local good causes, going out to lunches and going on outings. For more information, call Jo on […]

Fly Me to the Zoom By Anne McLaren Sian and Charlie move in together at the start of the U.K. coronavirus lockdown and soon get engaged.The wedding company Fly me to the Zoom, promise a virtual marriage, a virtual vicar and bridal couple icing-models in their own plastic box.To Sian, Instagram is everything. She regularly […]

For details of private readings phone: 01423 339770Email: jcp@magepublishing.co.uk ARIES March 21 – April 19 Quite a bright and cheerful month! Nice feelings of satisfaction when you review recently made decisions and realise that they have been the right ones, quiet feelings of confidence and satisfaction when you check bank balances, and some easy-going feelings of […]

Distance: 8 Miles – Time: 4 Hours This almost entirely flat walk heads south from York Millennium Bridge, skirting Fulford to take tracks and a quiet lane to Naburn. From there, it crosses the River Ouse which is then followed, apart from a short stretch, all the way back to the starting point. The route […]

The Squirrel’s Trail at York Museum Gardens Follow this ten-point trail around the beautiful Museum Gardens and learn fascinating facts about the artefacts, trees and buildings that you come across. Fun fact The trail was devised by students Alex Burton, Rachel Long, Ash Walker and Jodie Whitley from Archbishop Holgate’s School as part of a […]

By Tony Chalcraft As I write in the last days of July, four or so weeks before you’re likely to be reading this, the first signs of blight are evident on the leaves of a few of the potato plants. Potato blight, or more accurately late blight (Latin name Phytophthora infestans), is a fungal disease […]

Go the extra smile OCLEAN X Pro Elite | £74 from www.oclean.com This is by far the quietest and fastest electric toothbrush we’ve ever got our hands-on. The motor brushes at the speed of sound (42,000 rpm) and reduces noise to below 45dB. The X Pro Elite also analyses the way you brush your teeth […]

Is your car insurance valid? While car insurance is generally cheaper than it was before the pandemic, it’s still common knowledge that many people ‘tweak’ details on their insurance policies to make them more cost-effective. But did you know doing so could actually invalidate your whole car insurance policy? UK car part retailer, CarParts4Less, has […]

This month, our resident sports writer and York City F. C. fan, Simon Pattinson, has enjoyed the pre-season success. It’s been an intriguing start to life in the new LNER Community Stadium for York City. As I write this, the Minstermen have had a brilliant pre-season: unbeaten and building up nicely. But the one overwhelming […]

This is our second instalment from York Wordsmiths… the group meet for tea and cake, and more recently over Zoom, to set writing tasks and critique each others’ work. Each month we’ll be sharing a short story or poem by one of their writers. Thursday Morning By Moira Davis  It was just another Thursday morning […]

8 miles – 3¾ hours This walk explores the undulating countryside west of Wetherby. Apart from one steep climb, gradients are modest. Most of the route is well surfaced, but the tracks at direction points 5 and 6 can be muddy. There are a couple of places where care is needed in following the directions […]

Horoscopes by James Christie. For details of private readings phone 01423 339770. Email: jcp@magepublishing.co.uk ARIES March 21 – April 19 You make carefully thought out decisions this month which will affect your future for a number of years to come. No impulsiveness here: You’re acting on a combination of common sense, logical necessity, and clearly defined […]

Each month we sample some of the finest products that Yorkshire has to offer. This month we’ve travelled from the Howardian Hills to Bedale. The Castle Howard Gin£39.99 from www.castlehoward.co.uk.Castle Howard has teamed up with Sloemotion Distillery to create a classic gin flavoured with locally foraged botanicals.The juniper led, dry spirit features aromatic extracts of […]

This mini suburban adventure is perfect for energetic little ones. Pass calm water, take on the dirt bike track and tackle a climbing boulder.  This is a lovely route for kids that are using balance bikes. There will need to be careful roadside supervision while you travel from Rawcliffe Lake to Rawcliffe Park.  Start at […]

Basil may be one of the most commonly used herbs in the kitchen but, compared with the Scarborough Fair quartet of parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme, it’s not the easiest to grow. The reason for this, of course, is that basil needs warmth not just to thrive but to survive. As it’s not winter, hardy basil has […]