York, Yorkshire, England

Starting from York Railway station this walk takes in a crossing of the river on Scarborough Bridge next to the railway line, through the Museum Gardens and the St Mary's Abbey ruins then via a passageway to Exhibition Square and King's Manor, through Bootham Bar along High Petergate into Deans Park , past the Treasurers House into Ogleforth back along Goodramgate and Minster Yard to Duncombe Place. Down Blake Street and across St Helen's Square towards the Mansion House then up Lendal past the Post Office , crossing back over the river by Lendal Bridge and crossing to the walls for a walk to Micklegate Bar, down Micklegate to George Hudson street to Station rise returning to the station through the old cholera graveyard.

Starting from the Railway Station turn left out of the station and walk past the Royal York Hotel to the first set of traffic lights, cross into the gardens and cross the gardens towards the Memorial Gardens entrance gates.  Turn left towards the railway line and walk past the Royal Mail sorting office.  At the news kiosk just before the tunnel under the rail line turn right down the path at the side of the sorting office which will take you to the river.  For those railway enthusiasts the Railway Museum can be found at the other end of the tunnel under the rail line.  If that turns out to be your first diversion allow yourself a complete morning just for the museum!

At the river go up the steps on your left to cross the river on the footbridge next to rail line, the bridge is known as Scarborough Bridge.  The line is the one to Scarborough. After crossing the river turn to the right to walk down river in front of Frederick Street to the Tower at the end of Marygate.

Have a look inside the Hospitium, there may be an exhibition on worth seeing.  Go through the arch and then follow the path to the left that runs parralell with the river until you meet another intersection on the left which will take you diagonally back to the point where you came down to the Hospitium.

At this point continue up the slope towards the Abbey ruins, once you have finished exploring the ruins which are one of the outcomes of Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries. After you have explored the ruins continue along the path that takes you to the front of the museum.

Continue across the front of the museum towards the Multangular Tower and take the path that runs off to the left.  Go through the large wooden gates and walk alongside King's Manor a part of York University..








The passageway emerges into Exhibition Square and the statue of local artist William Etty will be in front of you.  To your left is the York Art Gallery.  Cross the square in front of the statue and art gallery and on your right you will see Bootham Bar on the other side of the road.














Use the crossing near the bar and pass under the bar into High Petergate. For those in need there are public toilets available.   Petergat is named after the St. Peterto whom the Minster is dedicated.  It is a street of three public houses, a restaurant "Cafe Concerto" and numerous estate agents before broadening out into a paved area next to the Minster.
On your right are the grand but austere looking Assembly Rooms now rented out by the council as a restaurant.  Continuing along the street you will pass McDonalds on your right (or at least you will if you favour good food!)   You will come out into St. Helen's Square with the world famous Betty's with the mwartime mirror that has aircrew names scratched onto the surface.






The square is named after the St. Helen church which if you are looking at Betty's will be just behind you or to your left.  With your back to the church you will see the Mansion House in front of you and in the far right corner the main Post Office. Behind the Mansion House down a passage at the side of the Mansion House can be found the Guildhall.  Walk towards the Post Office and turn right into Lendal.












Lendal is not a particularly exciting street.  The few item s of interest are Banks music shop, a saddlers and the Judges Lodgings shown on the left.  At the top of the street is the entrance to the museum gardens on Museum Street.








As you come down the ramp from Lendal Bridge you will see a pub called The Maltings down below the  ramp on the left. At this point cross the road towards the walls and make your way onto the walls for one of the classic views of York Minster.  Continue along the walls.













A few minutes walk along the walls will bring you in sight of the Royal York Hotel on your right standing next to the Railway Station.  By the station you should have a fairly good view view of the York Wheel.








At the point that the wall turns through ninety degrees  is the York Railway Institute a working mens club with various associated sections including footbal, badminton and chess teams and a prestigious Brass Band which was formed in 1883. The wall continues onwards to Micklegate Bar.












Micklegate bar marks the western entrance to the city and dominates the view along the approach from Blossom Street.  Stop just before you go onto the bar to have a look along Micklegate before leaving the wall. Come off the wall and be sure to have a look at the imposing structure of the bar from the traffic lights just outside the bar before continuing on down Micklegate.












Micklegate is probably notorious for the Micklegate run, a challeng to have a drink in every watering hole along the street.  However it does have some interesting buildings besides the publs. Here you can see the buildings at the junction with Priory Street and the gem of a timbered building next to it which includes a fish and chip shop if you are hungry!






Just beyond the timbered building on the right hand side as you proceed down Micklegate is the Holy Trinity Church. and then a little further on from the church a small detour down Trinity Lane brings you to an interesting building known as Jacob's Well a building dating back to the 15th century.  After this short diversion continue down Micklegate.












At St. Martin's Lane we come to the second slightly longer diversion along the lane as far as the Ackhorne pub, pronounced Acorn.  This is probably one of the narrowest lanes in York and only just wide enough for a car.  On returning from the Ackhorne to Micklegate continue down the hill to the pedestrian crossing to cross the road and head into George Hudson Street.












At one time the crescent shaped building was the Co-op department store but has long since been split up into smaller units. Worthy of note is the bracket clock on the wall manufactured by York clock maker George Newey and Son.  There other Newey clocks around York and it is worth watching out for them.  By the clock turn uphill along Tanner Row and then turn into Station Rise by the Railway Offices.  Pass under the city walls and out into the Cholera graveyard where the path swings to the left and follows the line of the wall.










The Cholera burial ground was set aside specially for victims of the 1832 cholera plague, probably brought from India via Sunderland.  It has a tranquil air even as commuters rush through it to get to the station along the broad paved pathway.  Some of the stones are now crumbling and only about twenty stones remain intact and readable.  A few short steps brings you out of the trees to the busy roadside and a crossing that will take you back to your starting point at York Railway Station.

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Circular Walk 1
Circular Walk 2
Circular Walk 4
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