It was the hottest day of the year – but where was York’s hottest spot?

Temperatures across York soared on Wednesday (July 1). Those weather forecasters reckoned it could be the warmest day for a decade, so we left the comfort of the Mix air conditioned office suite (!) to try to find the hottest spot in town.

Travelling the length and breadth of, er, central York with our suite of sensitive meteorological gauges (and not just a £2 Barnitts thermometer) we clocked temperatures ranging from 30˚C (86˚F) upwards.

But where was the most sweltering place to be in the city? Here’s what we found…

York Minster

Those medieval stone masons knew how to keep cool. It was almost bearable in York Minster, and the temperature only hit 30˚C (86˚F).

St Helen’s Square

Back out in the direct sunlight, here our thermometer still barely crawled past a frankly chilly 30˚C (86˚F).

Parliament Street

Shoppers were sweltering in the unshaded expanses of York’s widest street, where the mercury hit 31˚C (87.8˚F).

Duncombe Place

It may have been relatively cool inside the Minster, but outside the sun was cracking the flags at a hearty 32.5˚C (90.5˚F).

Marygate

Anyone toiling in the Art Gallery’s new gardens just off Marygate would be feeling the heat. Here it was 33˚C (91.4˚F).

Exhibition Square

If only the fountain had been working, we could all have cooled off. Temperatures here hit 34˚C (93.2˚F).

Museum Gardens

Finally it was to the York sunbather’s location of choice, Museum Gardens. And this was true scorcher territory as our thermometer registered 36˚C (96.8˚F).

The gardens were officially York’s hottest spot on the hottest day of the year. Unless you know better…