York Walls Private Walking Tour
York
£60 | Rating 4.82 / 5 [107 ratings]
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Originally built in the Roman period as a defensive structure, and still encircling the old city today, York’s 4m-high, 3.4km-long city walls are the best-preserved city walls in Britain.
Open every day, they’re a unique – and free – way of seeing the city; the chance to look down from above and knit together the Roman Streets, Minster and medieval rooftops gives a real sense of the city as it would have been hundreds of years ago.
The imposing stone towers that were the original fortified entryways into York still remain at Bootham Bar, Micklegate Bar, Monk Bar and Walmgate Bar. As you walk, look out for the arrow slits, musket loops, sculptures and mason’s marks, as well as the wonderful rooftop views.
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Destination Guide >There are several access points around the perimeter, and since the route is circular, wherever you begin from, you will see exactly the same things.
Walking the whole length of the walls takes around two hours, but there are plenty of shorter stretches if you don’t want to do the whole circumference. The Friends of York Walls have a detailed breakdown of 13 short stretches, with highlights to see along the way.
Because there are so many access points to the walls, it’s easy to dip back into town for a coffee or a bit to eat. To walk the wall with a guide, enquire at the tourist office.
The walls can get busy at weekends, so you might find yourself having to wait behind slower groups ahead. They open at 8am every day, so if you’re an early bird, you’ll likely have them all to yourself.
There’s no cover on the walls, so walking them on a rainy day isn’t the best idea. If it has been raining, wear sensible shoes with a good grip – the walls are quite narrow in parts and can be slippery.
Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity
York
£60 | Rating 4.82 / 5 [107 ratings]
Tour supplied by:
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York, Yorkshire, United Kingdom (UK)[0.2 miles]
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York, Yorkshire, United Kingdom (UK)[0.4 miles]
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York, Yorkshire, United Kingdom (UK)[0.5 miles]
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York, Yorkshire, United Kingdom (UK)[0.8 miles]
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Destination guides including or relevant to this experience
Yorkshire, United Kingdom (UK)
York’s dramatic past – from Roman settlements to Viking invasions – has created one of Britain’s most beautiful historic cities, home to the world-famous York Minster and the most complete medieval walls in the country.
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York, Yorkshire, United Kingdom (UK)[0.3 miles]
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York, Yorkshire, United Kingdom (UK)[0.5 miles]
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York, Yorkshire, United Kingdom (UK)[0.5 miles]
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Round-ups that include this experience
Multiple countries
From traversing sand dunes, to walking on glaciers, through canyons, up mountains and along ancient city walls, here’s our round-up of the world’s best walks. Each walk can be tackled in a day or less with a moderate level of fitness and no technical ability.