The City Walls

Got to be done , great views of city and minster and its free

Lovely way to circumnavigate the city. See the landmarks and plan your next thing to visit. The walls are uneven so watch your step. Some parts do not have safety railings so keep away from the edges. Dogs aren't allowed.

Gut erhaltene Stadtmauer, auf der man sich bei einem Rundgang die Stadt von oben anschauen kann. Nette Sadt mit schönen Geschäften. Auf jeden Fall einen Tagesausflug wert, wenn man in der Gegend Urlaub macht.

Very nice, spent a day here in summer time and it was a day well spent:-)

"The best way to see York for nowt" The Walls are a great introduction to the City of York, you can get on and off at the many gates (or Bars as York calls them) and get great views of the Minster and this ancient city. Wonderful.

A great way to see he city from a quieter perspective. There are loads of little cafes around York, however one of the quaintest and most comfortable is in the gatehouse on Walmgate Bar (one of the four main gatehouses). There are comfy leather Chesterfields and loads of books to browse. Chess is poular and the coffee is good too.
The whole circuit of the walls takes about 2 hours and is not to be missed when in York.

Always a great walk around YOrk
Stepped in History, this is one of the essential landmarks in England, never mind North Yorkshire.

After we did a guided tour through the city we decided to climb up the city walls and get our own view over York.

It was really impressive and you can choose where to go next.
Plus, we got to know other students who did a trip to York, so we had our date for the evening.

But the best thing is that it's for free, you don't have to pay a lot of money like we did for our guided tour.

Good way to tour round the city and it costs nothing!!.Away from the crowds and above the traffic it gives a great new perspective on the city, and sometimes a bit of a short cut to avoid the shopping areas! perfect if your looking for a free activity for part of the day.

I have walked around the city walls many times as i have lived here most of my life. Its a great way to shows visitors around York when they visit and take in my sites. Its easy to pop on and off the walls to visit attractions get something to eat and drink. Its a shame its not completely intact but it is a great example of a walled city.

The City Walls are brilliant, a great way to see the city! Sadly you cant walk around all of them! But its still a good few hours walk especially if the weather is nice. Its also a great way to see alot of the historical places that York has to offer. I would recommend it to anyone.

Walking around the city walls is one of the best ways to see the city. You can get on and off the walls in several places to eat or shop. To walk the whole loop is about 2 miles and takes a few hours at a leisurely pace. The best experience I had on the walls was going for a walk with my husband on Christmas Eve. It was cold but all the walking kept us warm. And since it was Christmas Eve it wasn’t busy with tourists. We finished off the afternoon with a hot cocoa at a local cafe.

Oh gosh a walk on the walls in York is something I don’t do enough! I think the last time was when I was nearly 42 weeks pregnant and I figured that a brisk walk round the walls might make the little blighter come out (didn’t work, but what a lovely walk)!

It’s a fantastic and unique way to see the city, you can 'hop on’ the walls (as it were) at many points in town and equally you can hop off to find a little spot to get some refreshments on the way because to walk the entire wall.. well it’s quite far so a spot of lunch may be required half way through.

If you’re like me, you love being a bit nosy about other people’s backyards, and from the York City Walls you can be as nosy as you like without anyone shouting “oi” and waving you away.
There are four or five places to climb onto the walls (mostly at the bars - big gates - of which four remian) and you can walk as little or as much as you like.
There are plenty of places to stop and sit, or to lean and look at the view.
My favourite stretch is to climb onto the wall at Bootham Bar and walk clockwise to Monk Bar. That way you pass the Minister and see it from a great angle.

I find it increadable that so much of these walls are still intact. I remember on my first visit to York I was not really looking farward to it, I didn’t know much about it and agreed to go as part of a touring holiday. Then the car came arround a corner and I seen the walls. I was sold on the place imidietly.
A walk around the walls on a spring or summer evening is a lovely expeariance, where else can you walk around a city in such a way?
The walls themselves are, of course, very historical. Dating back to Roman times, they have undergone various restourations. Three main gateways to the city are still there,
these are know as gates. Micklegate Bar is the main entrance to the city and has a rather gruesum past. It was the place where traitors heads were displayed as a visual warning to those who may wish to betry their country. There is also a small musuem inside this bar.
Very impressive.

a great way to spend a warm afternoon. As other people have said the walls are not complete, there are gaps but it is great fun circling the City. There are four main Bars (gatehouses) still intact, Walmgate, Bootham, Micklegate - the gate through which the King traditionally entered the City and Monkbar which is 4 stories high and is home to the Richard III museum - worth a visit. Best bits are wandering behind the Treasurers House and the other large homes, York City Art Gallery is beside Bootham Bar and worth a diversion.

We did this on a lovely sunny day and the walls were fairly quite overall even with the gorgeous weather as it was early evening, maybe everyone had gone off for dinner?.
The walls are an amazing way to see parts of York but my favourite part of the walls has to be where you walk up with the view of the Minster in front of you, that is simply beautiful and we were lucky enough to do that at a perfect time to get some beautiful photos totally unobstructed.
The walls themselves are obviosuly well maintained and there are seating areas along them but they can i imagine be slippery in wet or icy conditions so do take care.
The steps are not too taxing and the walk can be taken at whatever pace you like so a nice pleasant way to take in that history.

Challenge yourself to walking all the way round the walls, or just hop on and hop off again. The walls are open from dawn ‘til dusk and encircle the city centre. Views from the walls vary from fantastic vistas of the Minster to peoples back gardens and what they’re having for tea! Take your camera and be prepared to read the info signs added at various points – you might learn something.

Steps and walkways get slippy in the rain and when it’s icy.

Some of the bars (not of the drinking kind) around the walls are open as museums explaining things such as where people’s heads on poles were displayed.

Couldn’t mention the walls without the old rumour about shooting Scotsmen with bow and arrow, but I wouldn’t recommend testing the legality of this one!

A really fantastic way to see York! Walking all the way round the city walls won’t take you long (it’s only a mini city) but you’ll get to see all of the great sights, like the River Ouse, Museum Gardens, York Minster and it’s grounds, River Foss, Cliffords Tower and all of the famous entry ways to this ancient city!

From there you can choose where to go next!

The walls aren’t continuous all the way round the city but are for the most part!

There are many places ot get on and off the walls if you want to take a break. The walls are quite high without railings at some points so take care if you are nervous at heights.

I do like a good wonder along the walls in York. York is so full of history its a wonderful place just browse round and explore and the walls are just one of the delights. I’ve been dragged around the walls on school trips as a child but now i’m all grown up I’m happy to drag my own family along. Can get busy at peak times but a great way to see York and best of all its free.