From car/coach park TR and cross road at Pelican Crossing.  Cross Lord Mayors Walk using Pelican Crossing and TL along Lord Mayors Walk,  with City Walls on right. Continue to reach Monkgate Bar. 

CITY WALLS - The first wall was a simple earth and wood stockade built by the Romans to surround their early fort.  The Ninth Legion added stone walls in the 2^nd Century.  The present wall dates from the 13^th Century and stands on an earth rampart built by the Anglo-Danish Kings of York and later enlarged by the Normans.  The walls have been extensively restored in the last two centuries.

Enter walled city through RH pedestrian archway and immediately turn back on yourself to climb narrow steep stairway onto City Walls.  At top TL and walk along the walls.  At the end of this section descend to street level, TR and TR again through Bootham Bar into High Petergate. 

BOOTHAM BAR - This is the oldest entrance to York being one of the gates to the Roman Fort.  There has been an entrance here for over 2000 years.

In approximately 50 metres, immediately before the Hole in the Wall Public House, TL through narrow roofed passage to reach Precentors Court.  TR towards York Minster.

YORK MINSTER - York Minster is the mother church of the   Northern Province of the Church of England.  It is the largest Gothic Church in England.  Although the site of a much earlier church, parts of the present Minster date from the late 11^th Century.   Nowhere else in England can so much medieval glass be seen.

At Minster TL through metal gate into Deans Park.  Keep to LH pathway around edge of park passing Minster Library.  Leave Deans Park through metal gates and TR along cobbled road.  After passing through next metal gate TL into Chapter House Street. 

Q 1      As you turn into Chapter House Street, there is a plaque on your left.  Which Roman ‘Via’ does the street follow?

At end TR into Ogleforth.  At cross roads TR into Goodramgate and at ‘Cross Keys’ Public House BL to continue along Goodramgate.   Shortly before Goodramgate bends to the right note ‘Our Lady Row’ on right.  This is the oldest row of houses in York. 

At cross roads, TR into Low Petergate.  At next cross roads TL into Stonegate.  Immediately before reaching ‘Old Starre Inne’ (sign overhead), TL into roofed alleyway – Coffee Yard.  Pass Barley Hall and emerge into Swinegate.  In 50m TR at first road into Back Swinegate and at next corner TR into Little Stonegate.  At end TL back into Stonegate.  Pass American Express Office on right and at end of Stonegate TL into Davygate (Betty’s Café on right).  Keep forward to cross St Sampsons Square (the original site of York’s Market) and enter Parliament Street.  Keep to LH side of Parliament Street and TL at first entrance, into Jubbergate, to enter Newgate Market.  Keep to LH side, going forward at next junction and keeping black and white timbered building on your right to enter Newgate. 

After passing edge of market keep forward and TR into the Shambles.  Go down the Shambles and after last shop on left and before church TL into roofed passage (La Crux Passage) to reach Whip-ma-whop-ma-gate (This is the shortest street in York - See plaque on church to right as you turn).  TR and cross Pavement into Fossgate.  Keep to LH side and in 100 metres TL into roofed Strakers Passage (shortly before reaching Merchants Hall on right).  At end TR and keep forward.  Where road bends to left, at end of building, BR to corner of small Car Park and descend steps to reach River Foss.  At river TL and continue between multi-storey car park on left and river on right.  Climb steps to cross river by footbridge and then TL along cantilevered walkway above river to end of building.  Descend steps to river level and at end of multi-storey car park TR and then TL to reach main road.  At main road TR and in 50m TR at Red Tower.

Go round tower and climb steps onto City Walls.  At end of this section of wall, descend to street level at Walmgate Bar.  Cross road and then continue along City Walls to end of section at Fishergate Bar. 

Q 2      As you descend the steps at Fishergate Bar, what is the name of the Public House to your right?

At bottom of steps TL through archway and TR along Paragon Street with City Walls on your right.  At T-Junction cross road at Pelican crossing and TR.  At end of last building on left, TL down steps to River Foss.  Keep forward with river on right passing lock and then flood barrier to reach footbridge over River Foss shortly before the River Foss joins the River Ouse.  Go over footbridge and TR along footpath with St George’s Field car park on right and River Ouse on left. 

Go through archway under next bridge and continue along riverside to reach next bridge.  Climb steps and at top TR.  At road junction, cross and keep straight ahead into High Ousegate.  TR down path immediately before church on right, cross next road and go down Coppergate Walk passing Jorvik Viking Centre.

JORVIK VIKING CENTRE - This is an exact reconstruction of life in Viking York based on the results of five years of painstaking archaeological excavation.  The sights, sounds and smells of a bustling Viking community are recreated as you journey back a thousand years in a special ‘time car’).

Keep forward and leave the Coppergate Centre with ‘Fenwicks’ store on your left.  At end of passageway, head across car park towards Clifford’s Tower. 

CLIFFORDS TOWER - Built on an artificial mound erected by        William the Conqueror.  150 Jews took their own lives during anti-jewish riots in the 12^th Century rather than surrender to the mob.

CASTLE MUSEUM - This is England’s largest and most popular folk museum.  It contains authentically reproduced streets of the Victorian and Edwardian ages together with period displays.

If you wish to visit the National Railway Museum turn left at this bridge and follow signs. Then retrace your steps to rejoin the route.  

NATIONAL RAILWAY MUSEUM - One of the largest railway collections in Britain with over two hundred years of railway history on display.

Go through barriers, climb steps to bridge, cross river and descend to riverside path.  Keep forward with river to your right.  Note flood barriers in front of houses. At end of houses, just before archway TL left Signposted – ‘Marygate, Museum Gardens’.  Go through flood barrier and forward on RH pavement.  At sign, TR through archway, to enter Museum Gardens.  Keep forward on path.  Where path divides, BL climbing to reach York Observatory on your right.

Q.3      What is the first number in the latitude for York Observatory?

Note the ruins of St Mary’s Abbey (home of the York Mystery Plays) behind you and the Yorkshire Museum to your left.

YORKSHIRE MUSEUM - Some of the rarest archaeological treasures in the whole of Europe are housed here.  Of especial interest is the Middleham Jewel, an exquisite 15^th Century gold pendant adorned with a magnificent sapphire and found in 1985 near Middleham Castle.

TL at first path and then TR (S.P. York Art Gallery, York Minster), follow metal railings as the swing R and go through arch in wall and descend steps. The wall to the right is the last remaining portion of the Roman Wall around Eboracum.