Visiting UK on business - Leeds - what to do?

[Mac in Indy]

I'm from Indianapolis Indiana in the States and I've been a lurker on this forum for a couple of years. I stumbled into the site from a posting that someone made on one of the forums here in the States. It's been interesting to visit occasionally and see how the craft is done on the other side of the Atlantic.

Well now my business is taking me to England from the 6th to the 15th (engineering tests at Optare Bus) and I was hoping my fellow woodworkers could tell me a few things of interest in the Leeds area. I'll have my evenings and weekends to poke around like the tourist I am. I of course would like some woodworking related things on that list first and foremost so fire away and give some good places to go and some good places to eat. I'm NOT a big city person so I think I'll pass on going to London. I like woodworking, photography, history and racing (hey I live about 1/2 mile from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway of course I like racing!).

David McDonnel "Mac"

 

[jaymar]

One place you really should visit is York, only a little more than 20 miles from
Leeds , easily reached by car,bus or train. Templenewsam house is well worth a look, about 4 miles from the city center. In the center the Royal Armouries Museum has a great collection of arms and armour from all over the world.

 

[Pecker]

Hi and welcome to the forum I' ve only been to Leeds once for about an hour and don't live nearby, so I cant comment, but just wanted to make sure you were welcomed onboard!

kind regards
woody

 

[andycktm]

Hi "Mac",
Pontefract has a historic castle (13 miles from leeds)
http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/CultureAndL ... efault.htm

also a museum and race course (horses )


ps I wish i was going to Indianapolis on the 1st march
http://www.supercrossonline.com/showList

 

[eggflan]

Hi and welcome , The shopping is good in Leeds (so the wife tells me )
Try the university for live bands and cheap ale :wink:
If your that close then take a hire car and drive up to the Yorkshire Dales National Park (about 30-40 miles )
As for visiting York City ,, This comes highly recomended , i used to live just outside this fantastic city and i recomend anyone who has not visited it before to make a point of doing so , take a walk around the wall visit an amazing cathederal and take the cruise down the river You will not be dissapointed

 

[Digit]

And if history is your thing don't miss the Jorvik Viking centre in York city.

Roy.

 

[Losos]

Welcome to the forum Mac.

I'm not from those parts but have visited both Leeds & York on a few occassions. I would also urge you to take a trip to York it's not far from Leeds and IMO it has more that you are looking for.

 

[Escudo]

Glad to have you aboard Mac.

I would agree York is a good place to visit. I would add the National Railway Museum to the list.

http://www.nrm.org.uk/home/home.asp

If you like that sort of thing there is also the tram/trolley bus museum at Crich in Derbyshire not that far away.

http://www.tramway.co.uk/

For woodworking I spent an hour or so kicking my heels round the tool shop and timber yard at John Boddys in broughbridge when I was last in that general area. Worth a look if your nearby and not that far away.

http://www.john-boddy-timber.ltd.uk/aboutus.htm

If you like racing then a day at the horses would be quite an experience. There are quite a few tracks in that area.

Hope this is useful.

Tony.

 

[RoyS]

Mac - I also am not from the Leeds area, but my wife is so I have got to know Yorkshire over the years. York is a 'must' for a visitor to the UK, for the places given in the earlier posts. Bradford is nearer to Leeds and, altho' not the most beautiful city, is home to the National Media Museum, which includes photography

http://www.nationalmediamuseum.org.uk/

A favourite place of ours is Salts Mill at Saltaire, near Bradford, a great (huge and fantastic) building and home to a collection of David Hockney works.

http://www.saltsmill.org.uk/

Also, Yorkshire is one of the most beautiful areas in the UK; it may not be the best weather of the year, but if you have transport the Yorkshire Dales are well worth a visit. I would recommend Grassington and Burnsall villages and the countryside around,

I almost forgot - if you are in York, Betty's Tea Rooms are a Yorkshire institution and there is a branch in York. Not a place for a late night out, but memorable!

Whatever you do - have a great time!

Best wishes - Roy

 

[dirtydeeds]

if history is of interest to you go to york, its been inhabited for well over 1000 years

go to the cathedral, its built on top of roman fort and theres a roman drain down there that still works

the place has the most complete city walls in the country

go on a ghost walk there are two or three ghost walks every evening

go on the snicklways walk, the stories are blood curdling, hanging drawing and quartering

go to the kings arms, its the pub that floods (its been on american tv more than once)

the jorvik viking centre is well worth a visit

just round the corner from the jorvick is the shambles, its the most amazing street of half timbered overhung medieval housing youll ever see

 

[dirtydeeds]

ps

dont forget your camera, you will never forgive yourself

 

[Escudo]

I say Roy, Did you have one of those giant yorkshire puddings filled with chips, sage stuffing and onion gravy? I am sure I had one at Bettys, I may be wrong. It was somewhere in York and that name rings a bell.

It was a cholesterol nightmare, but I liked it!

Tony.

 

[dirtydeeds]

bettys is the tea room at the bottom of stonegate with pastries cakes and other collestorol lovlies. its worth a visit

its a hundred times better than cafe nero just down the street all the cakes are home made and the coffee and tea are better as well

 

[Digit]

My wife's family comes from Yorkshire and I reckon I've eaten just about everything they can dish up, and I still can't stand Yorkshire pudding!

Roy.

 

[Pip]

York must be first on your list, the Jorvik museum, Shambles National Railway Museum and many other attractions, shouldn't be too much waiting at this time of year, though you may need more than one day there a camera is a must. For woodworking try John Boddy's, (link to their site is above), they have demonstrations most Saturdays, on your way back to Leeds try a visit to Harewood House, play it up, do the whole tourist thing, you'll get a good welcome,
good luck
pip

 

[NKE]

Maybe it’s rather tenuously related to real woodworking, but I will be at the Royal Northern College of music in Manchester (which is not too far from Leeds) exhibiting the violins violas and cellos that I build at a music festival there from the 10th through till the 13th together with about a dozen other violin makers. The exhibition is in the main foyer of the music school and open to anyone to wander around, and if you are into classical music there is a continuous series of master classes, lectures and concerts all based around the chamber music of Mozart.
I’d also recommend York like others have…….. a really nice place to wander about in.

Neil.

 

[Russell]

The Birstall woodturning club has a demo on the 9th of January at 7.00pm the meet in Batley about 8 - 10 miles from leeds centre you would be welcome to come along as a guest

 

[Gary]

I struggled with places to recomend in Leeds itself, it appear the forum does too. :lol:

 

[Losos]

Sorry I forgot to mention John Boddies (See link above) for woodworking but I thought their free demos were usually on a Sat. morning. You might be surprised at the prices we pay for tools on this side of the pond :lol:

 

[Pip]

Sorry I forgot to mention John Boddies (See link above) for woodworking but I thought their free demos were usually on a Sat. morning. You might be surprised at the prices we pay for tools on this side of the pond :lol:

Sorry!!!, Saturdays it is
pip