York walks: 2004

"All the leaves are brown, and the sky is grey, I went for a walk on a (autumn) day" – to the Museum Gardens, in search of handsome trees. In the Museum Gardens, the trees change through the year, while the buildings stay the same. On the edge of the gardens, St Olave's Church (below), glimpsed through branches fast losing their leaves.

Above right – the ethereal remains of the ruined St Mary's Abbey in the background, through the branches of a beech tree.

The Hospitium, Museum Gardens

The Hospitium – originally part of the abbey complex – is a striking and handsome building throughout the year, but particularly fine when the trees around it are changing colour. These photographs were taken in half-term week, when the gardens were full of adults enjoying the scenery and children running through the fallen leaves.

Sculpture in the gardens

Sculptures have been displayed in the gardens this year. There's an interesting egg-shaped marble sculpture by St Mary's Abbey, a seated figure by the gates to the riverside walkway, and these two figures, near the front of the museum building. I'm afraid I don't know the names of the sculptors, so can't give due credit.

It was difficult to get a good photo of the gentleman on the left, because of clutter in the background. The lamp-post, though of a similar colour, isn't actually part of the sculpture and I'm sorry that it appears to be attached to the back of his head.