I hope to see some later today. I’ve left it a bit late to mention, as I’ve only just found out about it myself, but Ebor Morris are as I write walking round the walls and dancing at various points en route. And drinking beer at various points too, judging by this fabulous sketch (PDF) on their website.

There’s more info on that map, and on their events page, and also on the Press website, which contains a comment that made me smile, from member Tony Fenech:

“The traditional thing to do is get up at the crack of dawn and go out into the hills. We tried that once and didn’t like it”

If you miss it today, their events page also says they’ll be performing in King’s Square on Monday evenings beginning later this month.

If you can’t get to any of that, here’s a couple of snippets of how it sounded last springtime. Have a listen, it’s very cheering.

Apologies for the poor quality, but these were recorded on my phone.

Springtime is also of course about everything greening up and burgeoning and blossoming. As previously mentioned, I found to my distress that the beautiful trees near the walls by the Minster have been removed. A couple of weeks ago I cycled through Clifton Park in search of proper unmolested trees, remembered trees. Still there.

Copper beech, Clifton Park, 18 April 2014

And on the road back, horse chestnut trees. Hurrah for their green loveliness.

Horse chestnut tree, Clifton Park, 18 April 2014

Inside the walls we’re chopping down trees at a depressing rate, but beyond the walls are many beautiful green places, looking their best just now. See links below, and get out there and enjoy them, if you’re not already.

This time of year I always think of Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the d’Urbervilles, its descriptions of the natural world and its lushness at this time of the year, as spring moves towards the summer solstice. Many years ago I knew it so well I could have quoted large chunks of it, memorised for my A’level exams. Now, thankfully, I have Google, and the Project Gutenberg e-text:

“A particularly fine spring came round, and the stir of germination was almost audible in the buds; it moved her, as it moved the wild animals, and made her passionate to go.”

“On a thyme-scented, bird-hatching morning in May”

“Either the change in the quality of the air from heavy to light, or the sense of being amid new scenes where there were no invidious eyes upon her, sent up her spirits wonderfully. Her hopes mingled with the sunshine in an ideal photosphere which surrounded her as she bounded along against the soft south wind. She heard a pleasant voice in every breeze, and in every bird’s note seemed to lurk a joy.”

“The irresistible, universal, automatic tendency to find sweet pleasure somewhere, which pervades all life, from the meanest to the highest”

So, as the leaves green up and there’s dancing in the streets, I hope you all find joy and pleasure somewhere.

It’s best found in green places, and here’s a handy list, compiled by Mick Phythian:

Index to websites on York’s green places

See also: the Friends of Rawcliffe Meadows website

And a few photos from this time last year, on this site: Unfurling leaves and blossoming branches

The post Morris dancing and green places beckoning: York in May appeared first on York Stories.

So good to see the return of green leaves and light evenings. The light at this time of the year makes me feel a bit giddy. Everyone should be singing and dancing about. Most of us probably won’t don bells or dance around a maypole, but it’s rather grand to see other people doing it.

I did research whether anything like this was taking place in or around York during the bank holiday weekend, I couldn’t find anything nearby, and this was probably just as well, as nearest and dearest don’t share my enthusiasm for watching men in white wearing bells and banging sticks together.

I went for a walk this evening to take pictures of King’s Square, and chose evening as I thought it would be fairly empty. The light was fading as I walked up St Andrewgate and I realised I should have got out a bit earlier, and started feeling a bit grumpy. But then as I walked I could hear an accordion, and familiar morris dancing type sounds, which I didn’t think could be real morris dancing, in King’s Square, in the evening.

But it was. Very few people watching, those watching looking a bit bemused. One man recording it on his phone. And them, leaping about, performing choreographed manoeuvres with sticks. Under a newly-leafed tree. Thank you Morris men — marvellous.

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The trees on the Wigginton Road side of the old Rowntrees site, near Crichton Avenue bridge, are stunning, a beautiful mixture. I often admire them when we’re sitting in traffic, and thought I’d admire them close up. Above, copper beech. Soft new leaves, just unfurled to greet the spring.

Another of the Wigginton Road trees, a maple, apparently Acer platanoides (purple variety). Perhaps bringing some spring cheer to people sitting in the traffic queues.

Branching off from the official cycle track across Bootham Stray is this wonderful green tunnel, which skirts one side of New Earswick and ends up at the Link Road bridge junction, and must be where the trains used to run before the Market Weighton line was closed. (This one can be enlarged, should you wish.)

And in the heart of New Earswick, on Chestnut Grove, trees full of blossom.

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Early March 2010, a walk from Coneysthorpe, Castle Howard area. Predominantly brown. This year it still looks predominantly brown in late March. Here’s hoping for green soon.

Here’s some. A walk from Millington to Great Givendale, early March 2007. Beautiful contoured land, beautiful green …

It all wakes up properly in April. A planting of spring bulbs, at the top of Castle Howard Station Road, 17 April 2011

The church at Crayke, April 2011

Handsome 18th century church at Brandsby, April 2011

And a path through the zingy yellow –

Somewhere up near Garrowby Hill, May 2010

And dreaming of this kind of thing: perfect green and a path through the trees. Sledmere, May 2006

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