York Hidden History walks

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Coming to the ancient streets of York for the summer of 2021 – York Hidden History walks!

York: positively crawling with history!

Thanks to CEED funding from Let’s Circus, part of Arts Council England‘s #HereForCulture scheme, Dr Simon Rogerson and I have been able to run free, public tests of our four new York Hidden History walks. Now, we’re ready to launch them properly!

York Hidden History walks will explore the city’s scientific, ancient, and natural history, and are perfect for people who want a York tour that digs a little deeper. Starting in July, Simon and I will be working with Hidden Horizons to run a weekly programme of walks. Each walk lasts around 2 hours, and follows a route exploring an ‘Elemental York’ theme of Air, Fire, Earth, or Water:

York Air Walk, Mondays at 10am, starting at Micklegate Bar and finishing at York Minster.

On the York Air Walk, we’ll discover whose smoke and mirrors turned green and airy York into a railway powerhouse, which light Misses Hopwood and Harrison put their faith in, and which son of York was allowed to gas Queen Victoria. An aerial tour of the city that takes in sights, smells and sounds, the York Air Walk also tells you how to forecast the weather, photograph the Moon, and glaze the heavens.

Book your tickets for #YorkAirWalk here or here.

York Minster, viewed from the City Walls.

York Fire Walk, Mondays at 2pm, starting at the Yorkshire Museum and finishing at Jorvik.

Which cremated Roman emperor might land you in hot water? Which 19th Century brothers had a fiery relationship with York Minster? And why won’t slagging off York Art Gallery scoria any points? Find out all this and more on the York Fire Walk, an incendiary tour of the city that is sure to set off fireworks.

Book your tickets for #YorkFireWalk here or here.

Rosemary setts, Walmgate, York.

York Earth Walk, Thursdays at 10am, starting at Micklegate Bar and finishing in York Museum Gardens.

How old is York? What lies beneath the city? And can it really claim to be the home of geological time? In the York Earth Walk we’ll explore all these questions and more, as we show that, although York is an old city, its origins go deeper. MUCH deeper!

Book your tickets for #YorkEarthWalk here or here.

York Museum Gardens: a very earthy place.

York Water Walk, Thursdays at 2pm, starting at the Yorkshire Museum and finishing at the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall.

Make a splash and join our York Water Walk, as we take a riverside stroll through York’s watery history to explore how ice, rivers and the sea have shaped the city, and explain how you can use a river to bridge a river. You’ll also meet the teetotaller who discovered beer was better than water, learn why you shouldn’t hunt sea-unicorns, and find out who the patron saint of hydrophobia is.

Book your tickets for #YorkWaterWalk here or here.

The Ouse Bridge, York.

Each walk takes place within the mediaeval city walls of York, and lasts around 2 hours. The walks are aimed at adults and children over 11, but children under the age of 11 are very welcome to come along too (and don’t have to pay!). Step-free and wheelchair access is not available on the York Air Walk, and due to limited capacity on York City Walls, the York Air Walk is strictly limited to 15 people per tour. Our other three walks can follow step-free and wheelchair-accessible routes, with up to 30 people per tour.

Outside of our scheduled walks, we are very happy to offer private walks and tours of York. Please email Simon (simonrogerson80 AT gmail DOT com) to find out more about what we can offer.

Earth scientist in York, fossilist across Yorkshire. Co-director of the Yorkshire Fossil Festival and palaeontologist for hire. Can be found twittering, facebooking, and instagramming as @fossiliam.

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