York City Walls

A free attraction in York which we were happy to take advantage of. We walked the wall route clockwise starting at Bootham Bar. They say these are the most complete city walls in England, personally I’m dubious of this claim as the ones in Chester seem more complete to me, albeit the Chester walls are shorter (2 miles not 3 as in York) whereas the York walls have a couple of significant gaps in them. Nonetheless this was a pleasant walk if you are moderately fit as there are several sets of steps to navigate. There are some sections without inner railings but the drop isn’t a sheer drop, but a grassed slope. If you are lucky, the Tudor ‘Red Tower’ might be open, as was the case on the Saturday we did the walk. Don’t miss the section of Roman wall near the multiangular tower.

A stroll on the city walls is a must do nearing sunset. What a beautiful scenic view on architecture that was built in 71Ad. At height, you get a beautiful overview of the city area. I was blessed with sunshine in December and enjoyed this thoroughly.

Do not miss York's Walls. You can walk most of the way around the city, and in the Autumn the leaves of nearby trees look stunning. You need a head for heights, because most of the walls are not protected by railings on the inside edge, with a 3 meter drop to grass or thorns, but nobody seemed worried. The best views are from the highest point of the walls near the railway station, looking towards York Minster. The unexpected bonus is Baile Hill, a FREE mound beside the wall, which I preferred to its more famous cousin, £9-to-enter and no-views Clifford's Tower.

You don’t need to pay to go on the city walls, just walk around the main part of York and find some stairs going up onto the walls which can be found usually at the end of main roads. The York City Walls are a beautiful walk around the city, sometimes the wall is thinner on areas and can only allow single person file, whereas it is larger in other areas. Safe for children, not certain of the ability for those in wheelchairs or prams to use the city walls as I am not sure there was any ramps up onto the walls.

Great walk accessed by steep steps, I was 😍 vilaged to walk one year during sunset which bathed the walls in gold. The walk is free but closed at dusk or in bad weather for safety reasons. The Walk is not complete, some sections demolished, most saved by a Bishop who fought for it not to be demolished.

York is impressive, but it also boasts the most complete city wall in the UK. Easy to navigate and gives a different perspective of the city, the wall walk is definitely worth doing.

Visited York on many occasions but only now got around to touring the walls. A pleasant walk around the historic edge of the city also provided numerous unique views and perspectives on the history contained within. If you are in the city don't wait as long as I did to discover these sights for yourself.

The York City Walls (also known as the "Bar Walls") are the most complete and longest medieval town walls in England, running for a circuit of approximately 2 miles (3.4 km) around the historic centre of the city. The elevated walkway is free to access and offers unique views of York Minster and other landmarks. Key Information for Visitors Opening Times: The walls are generally open daily from around 8:00 am to dusk, except on Christmas Day, in very high winds, or in icy/slippery weather conditions when they may be closed for safety. Access: Access to the walkway is via steps at various points, including the main 'bars' (fortified gateways). The walk is not suitable for wheelchairs, pushchairs/prams, or dogs (except assistance dogs). Route and Duration: A full circuit can be walked in about two hours at a leisurely pace, but many choose to walk only sections. The route is clearly signposted, with a brass stud trail marking the path where the walls are not continuous at ground level. Main 'Bars' (Gateways): The four principal gatehouses are Bootham Bar, Monk Bar, Walmgate Bar, and Micklegate Bar. Walmgate Bar is the only one in England to retain its barbican (an outer gateway). Points of Interest: The walk offers views of major attractions such as the Multangular Tower (Roman ruins in the Museum Gardens), Clifford's Tower, and York Minster.