The north's "most compelling city". That is how the Rough Guide To England describes York. We couldn't agree more.

The praise is all the more welcome coming from a guide which generally dismisses the English as a nation of "overweight, alcopop-swilling, sex-and-celebrity-obsessed TV addicts".

York, the guide says, is a cultural metropolis that throughout history has stood at "the heart of the country's religious and political life."

Very nice. We're just glad the authors didn't have time to take in the Micklegate Run.

Updated: 09:05 Tuesday, April 25, 2006