Medieval City Walls, York UK
• 5-star hike
• 3 mile loop
• Easy | Gain 90m (290 ft)
• York, UK | North Yorkshire
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Mickelgate Bar, one of seven preserved gatehouses.
The City of York is a showcase of two millennia of British history, with every era leaving its mark. From its Roman origins in AD 77 to the Viking invaders of the 9th century, and the riches and squalor of the Middle Ages. Every period has contributed to the York's rich historical tapestry, which is evident throughout this northern town.
One of the best ways to capture the essence of York is on a tour of its defensive walls; the most complete example of medieval city walls that still stand in England today. The first walls were built by the Romans and survived until the invasion of the Vikings, who reinforced the walls with earthen banks and timber palisades. During medieval times the city walls were extended and reconstructed in the stonework that remain visible today.
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5★ York City Walls
GPX File · AllTrails · Directions GPX? |
£ Paid parking. Expand map for options. |
Start your self-guided tour of the walls at any of the gatehouses, locally known as 'bars'. Steps lead you up to a stone-paved walkway that extends along the entire length of the walls. Periodically, you'll need to descend to street level to navigate around other gatehouses and occasional gaps in the walls, such as at river crossings, where the defensive walls were replaced by chains that stretched across the water. There's also a gap in the walls on the western side of the city where challenging marshland terrain made defensive walls unnecessary. Brass markers in the pavement today guide walkers to the next section of the structure.
The northern and eastern sections of the walls between Micklegate Bar, Bootham Bar, and Monk Bar offer the most scenic views. For those who prefer a shorter walk, focusing on this area is ideal. From here it's a short distance to York Minster, the celebrated Anglican cathedral that is the city's crowning jewel.

York Minster, visible on the Bootham Bar to Monk Bar section.
Our map also highlights the city's other main attractions, including medieval streets, the keep of the former York Castle, several museums, celebrations of the local chocolate industry, and even a Disney-style dark ride through a reconstruction of the streets of Yorvik, the name given to the city by the Vikings. Our favorite museums in York are the National Rail Museum and the Yorkshire Museum. While the recently opened Clifford's Tower is worth a visit, we do not recommend the nearby Castle Museum.
For visitors arriving by train, the city walls conveniently run directly past the railway station. If you're visting by car, York has a total of six park and ride locations around the city, and our directions linked above lead to the southern Askham Bar location. Our map also includes the locations of the principal parking lots close to town, though to see them you'll need to expand the map and add the parking layer in the sidebar.
Views of the city walls.
We heartily recommend York if you're planning a vacation to the UK, and would place it above other towns such as Bath, Cambridge and Chester. Located half way between London and Edinburgh on the main high speed rail line also makes it convenient to destination.
Furthermore, it's a great starting point for many great hikes in Northern England; follow us as publish trail reviews for many of them and add them to our growing UK and Yorkshire trail maps, linked below.

Skeldergate Bridge over the River Ouse.
Pavement marker. | Turret near Baile Hill.

The last surviving defensive gatehouse barbican.

York is two hours from London and en route to Edinburgh.
Tangents:
• External Links: Visit York, Park & Ride Locations
• AllTrails Public: York City Walls
• Facebook Group: Comment, Follow Us

UK Hiking Trails
A growing map of trail reviews, particularly in the North of England.
A growing map of trail reviews, particularly in the North of England.