A walk & a playlist for York's Historic Walls
It's August, the sun is out and the sky is blue. Do you fancy a stroll where you can to go very, very slowly, constantly stopping for tourists taking selfies and walking on the wrong side? If that's a big 'Yes', then let me recommend a York Roman Walls walk.
Don’t worry, most other times (especially first thing in the morning), you have yourself a great 4-kilometre walk (York has more miles of intact wall than any other city in England) on something known locally by many names including; York City Walls, the Bar Walls, and the Roman Walls.
A walk along all or part of the City Walls will also give you amazing views of the city and it's got some great cafés along the way — our favourite is the Perky Peacock.
You can complete the entire circuit in around two hours; visiting its five main bars or gateways, one Victorian gateway, one postern (a small gateway), and 45 towers.
If you are thinking it would make a nice dog walk please think again as no dogs are allowed. Also I would not recommend taking a pram as there are lots of steep steps and it involves having a baby — which is both expensive and time-consuming.
City Walls Playlist
'Another Brick in the Wall', obviously
Anything by The Stones
'Don’t Fence Me In'
'Eye of the Tiger' — it's my favourite Rocky training montage sequence
'The Wanderer' (because I roam around, around, around)
To find out more and plan your walk just visit www.yorkwalls.org.uk
If you fancy a walls walk, want to check out York and need a place to stay, then just visit our website www.houseofyork.org and book:
- one of our homes for up to six people
- two of our homes for up to 12 people
- or all three together for up to 18 people
Rather conveniently, all our houses are next door to each other!
If you are coming to York and need a place to stay then check out our 3 holiday homes at www.houseofyork.org
Want to read more for your next visit to York?
Then download a free copy of our book York Local Knowledge Must-do Top Tens & the vouchers to get them for less where you will discover the historic UK city of York like a local with tips, top tens, and guidance on where to find the best discounts and vouchers, so you can experience it all without breaking the bank!
You can download it for free from the Apple iBooks Store here
You can download it for free from the Google Play Books Store here
This isn’t your average guidebook—it’s a laugh-out-loud, down-to-earth companion, packed with top-ten lists covering everything from essential attractions and hidden gems to entertainment, dining spots, walks, tours, festivals, and shopping, all enriched with a local’s insider knowledge.
With insights, amusing anecdotes, and a sprinkling of puns and dad jokes, Alistair’s love letter to York will help you see the city in a whole new way. Grab a copy and start planning the York adventure you didn’t know you were missing!
With over 240 pages, this guide is ideal for families and groups of friends planning a trip to York and includes:
Up-to-date information on everything in the ever-changing city of York—this is the 2025 edition.
Top ten lists of York’s best tourist attractions, entertainment spots, food and drink, walks, tours, festivals, and independent shops.
Beautiful photography accompanying every recommendation.
Answers to visitors’ top questions, from “Where’s the best place for ice cream?” to “Where can I find a great takeaway curry?”
Recommendations on where locals go for up-to-date information about York.
The best places to stay, from five-star hotels to holiday homes and houseboats.
Details on where to find discounts and vouchers for York restaurants, attractions, and experiences.
Want to hear a great podcast about York?
A fab podcast for tourists and locals looking to find out more about York History, must do York Top 10's and money saving tips to do it all for less.
Just search your podcast app for York Must Do Top 10s or click on this link for the show on apple podcast here
Book one of our Holiday Homes for your next trip to York
Are you looking for a great place to stay for your next trip to York. All 3 of our holiday homes are next door to each other which means you can hire them individually for up to 6 people or together for up to 12 (107 & 109 together) or even 18 people (Spencer House & 107 & 109 together).
To check availability and book just visit www.houseofyork.org
We pride ourselves on being couples and family friendly and we try to take any of the stress out of your stay so you can focus on enjoying yourselves and magnificent York.