Arriving to a historic town of Beverley in East Yorkshire, England on a very wet and misty Tuesday morning, I cannot help but feel that my excitement for the day ahead has been somewhat dampened…

… and yet, surprisingly, a small history trail leaflet picked up in the local tourist information office, changes the mood under my umbrella and the journey of discovery begins…

Dubbed by the locals as ‘Little York’, Beverley is a Medieval history buff’s dream in England's Yorkshire county.

^{This 15th century gate marks one of the entrances (and the only one surviving from those days) into the old town of Beverley.}

There are lots of ways to discover the town and its rich heritage, but one of the more entertaining ways you can do so (yes, even on a day when you cannot see your path for the rain), is by taking Beverley Town Trail of Medieval Guilds and Crafts.

There are four trails you can take and it’s hard to decide which one is better – using artistic clues dotted all around the town, they highlight 39 guilds and trades that thrived during the Middle Ages in this bustling town.

The whole experience feels like a treasure hunt with clues hiding in plain sight.

Some of the artwork is right under your feet…

^{This Perch picture marks the place of a fish market.}

The artwork in the trails is not displayed terribly conspicuously – if you are not looking for it, you won’t know you are walking past it.

This clue looks like a lost glove somewhere on a bench, but it actually marks the location where glovers used to practise their trade.

Some of the artwork is really high up. This is the place where leather coats used to be made.

Spotting the artwork can by tricky but is really fun and it’s so easy to get hooked on trying to locate every detail that you can be in danger of forgetting the weather…

^{It might take you a while to spot this little clue, especially on a wet day.}

This medicinal plant, marking the location of a Medieval pharmacy, was not an easy find either…

The great thing about walking these trails is that a first-time visitor gets an excellent idea of town’s history and main attractions without having to take excursions, read websites or books (although I am not saying you shouldn't).

For example, while on the trail, it’s inevitable that you will lift up your eyes and enjoy the amazing architecture of Beverley Minster or even pop inside.

The Medieval trail is, of course, not the only fun thing to do in this charming historical town.

If you get easily tired while walking, Beverley has an array of cafes, tea rooms, restaurants and pubs where you can take the weight off your feet and enjoy whatever you happen to fancy.

Shopping is quoted as one of the most common activities here for visitors and locals alike – the town is full of small independent shops as well as the usual high street brands.

So whatever is your thing, just make sure you are wearing comfortable shoes to walk those cobble streets, otherwise you’ll have to pay a visit to a cordwainer (go find him first…) and make your own pair!

You can take prints of these and make your own shoes…!

But first, go find where ‘cordwainer’ used to work.

On a final note…

The Beverley Town Trail of Medieval Guilds and Crafts was, apparently, a community effort many years in the making.

Over 700 children from the area were involved in developing ideas for the trail, maybe that’s why the trail seems to be a really fun way to discover the town for those visiting with children.

Travel England, enjoy your life!

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