The Original Ghost Walk of York

Carmel Smickersgill, Tours & Activities Editor

Book now

The Original Ghost Walk of York

17 September 2023-30 June 2024

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

ghost walk
Book now

York’s history is rich in tragedy, violence and gothic tales of grim lives. It was once proclaimed as the capital of Britannia Inferior by the Romans before becoming a Viking stronghold in the 9th Century. Since then, the city has been home to many a spooky character, who you can get to know a little better on the Original Ghost Walk of York.

Let yourself be guided through the dark streets by an expert guide, but be warned, this is no ordinary tourist fuelled gimmick of a ghostly encounter. The guides are keen for visitors to have a genuinely mysterious experience. Ghost sightings aren’t an uncommon occurrence in York, so when you’re with the experts who know exactly where to look, you may just end up leaving the tour unable to explain some of the things you’ve witnessed.

You can be sure you’re in knowledgeable hands as the guides for the original ghost walks are passionate about local history. Many of them have Blue Badge guide status and one even has a degree in Yorkshire History. Having run for decades, the Original Ghost Walks have gained significant media attention and previously featured on TV shows. They’ve also had some big names in attendance including Morgan Freeman and Noel Fielding.

From pub cellars to grand cathedrals and the colossal yet silent city walls, there are plenty of mysterious locations in York whose stones, bricks and beams hold horrors from the city’s past. There’s something distinctly Yorkshire about the types of ghosts you can find in this city, each tale has a degree of poetic grit to it which will have you empathising with the souls who may not have left our earthly realm.

The Original Ghost Walk start at 8pm every evening, from outside one of York’s oldest drinking establishments The Kings Arms. There are a couple of exceptions to the every evening rule where the guides take a few days off around Christmas and new year (rightly so). You can find out exactly which dates these are via their website. Aside from these you can turn up any day and join the walk without booking.

Where to go near The Original Ghost Walk of York

Manchester
Gallery
Black Redstart Gallery

Black Redstart Gallery is located in the Northern Quarter and runs a busy programme of exhibitions from emerging and established artists.

RJC Dance Xmas Show
Leeds
RJC Dance

RJC Dance, based in Chapeltown, Leeds, champions youth and education, leading inclusive Black dance in the North through national partnerships.

texture logo
Manchester
Gallery
texture mcr

Possibly one of the city’s most mysterious art galleries, texture is a small and perfectly-formed independent space in Ardwick.

The Beacon at Cliffe Castle Park
Bradford
Park
Cliffe Castle Park

Cliffe Castle Park hosts the Beacon, a stunning performance space that will be touring the district throughout Bradford UK City of Culture 2025.

Hern Food
Leeds
Restaurant
Hern

This produce-driven bistro in Chapel Allerton, Leeds, prides itself on cooking with the only finest ingredients and his headed up by Cordon Bleu-trained chef Rab Adams.

Indie Makers
Leeds
Shop
Indie Makers

Indie Makers, located in Leads’ corn exchange, trades in art and gifts from independent makers across the UK.

Plant Point
Leeds
Shop
Plant Point

Plant Point is designed to help you bring the jungle into your urban or suburban space. The home of beautiful plants in Leeds.

Leeds
Restaurant
Eat Your Greens

Eat Your Greens is a vibrant, organic restaurant bringing a hint of European flair to the city’s plant-based dining scene.

Sela opened in 2004 with an idea to provide quality imported beers from around the world, fun cocktails to compliment the beer selections and a stage for the region’s finest and most talented musicians to play on.Over ten years later, we’re still all about the beer, cocktails, live music and pizza!We carry over a selection of over thirty different beers spanning the globe from Pickering with The Great Yorkshire Brewery’s Yorkshire Blackout, to New York with a selection from Brooklyn Brewery, and Belgium with longtime Sela favourite, Vedett.Our cocktails change regularly too. Our best-sellers are joined by fun, new offerings and our pizza menu is regarded as one of the best the city of Leeds has to offer.As for the live music, Sela has had not only the great and the good from the region. Local funksters, The New Mastersounds are regular visitors and we stage the amazing Mojah Reggae Band for their weekly Wednesday residency.  Our other long running programming incl
Leeds
Restaurant
Sela Bar & Pizzeria

Sela Bar is a cosy Leeds basement spot with live music, great drinks, and a cool, laid-back, atmospheric vibe.

What's on: Activity

Manchester Town Hall
TourManchester
The Magical Mystery Bike Tour

Hop on your bike for this guided cycling tour, exploring fascinating corners of Manchester you may never have seen before.

From £25.00
St Peter's Square
TourManchester
The Peterloo Massacre Tour

Visit key locations associated with a moment that helped shape the future of the nation, tracing the footsteps of those who stood for change.

From £20.00

Culture Guides

Star Nhà Ease
Cinema in the North

July's cinema highlights include spotlights on international cinema, a new cult classic, plus a visit from one of our favourite directors.

Blondshell by Hannah Bon.
Music in the North

From Lyra Pramuk’s sacred synths to the sugar rush of YAANG, our latest music picks bring ritual, rebellion and ridiculous levels of fun.

Exhibitions in the North

Monumental sculptures, charcoal confessions and a show of two paintings only - all this and more in this month's exhibition picks.

Theatre in Manchester
Theatre in the North

Summer signals theatre festivals, world premieres and open-air spectacle - from MIF25 to comedy, outdoor circus and beyond, here’s what we’re looking forward to.