City trailYork, United Kingdom

York scavenger hunt for kids and families

York is one of the best walking cities in Britain for children, because everything is close together and most of it is very old. This is a self-guided trail of eight finds, including the cat sculptures hidden high up on buildings around the city, which is the one families end up arguing about most.

Get the appSee the stops
Finds
8
Ages
4–14
Plan
With Pro
App languages
8
Where
Inside the walls
Booking
None

snap it and it counts

How the hunt works

  1. Go to the stop

    Each stop has a zone around it, so it only counts when you're really there.

  2. Snap it

    Take a photo and the app checks it shows the right thing.

  3. Collect the set

    Tick off every stop at your own pace. Stop for food whenever you like; your progress is saved.

Nobody can tick off York Minster from a café two streets away, which is exactly why children take it seriously.

Adventures

Vote the next city in

BristolWant a trail here?
This example plays the Bath trail.
What happens in this example
  1. The trails list, with a colour for each kind of trail. Filter it, or open the Bath city trail.
  2. The Bath in Honey Stone trail: 8 stops, with Pro. The first stop, the Roman Baths, says you're in the zone.
  3. The stop: a drawn map shows you're here, with a hint about what to look for.
  4. Snap it and the app checks the photo.
  5. Found! Stop 1 of 8 is done. Bath Abbey is next, and that's the end of this example.

what you'll find

The York trail

8 stops to find. Here they are.

City trailWith Pro

York Walls and Snickelways

A Minster, a medieval street and the hidden cats. Almost all of it inside the city walls.

  1. Stop 1: York MinsterThe enormous gothic cathedral. Any tower or the great west front.
  2. Stop 2: The ShamblesThe narrow medieval street where the timber-framed upper floors lean towards each other.
  3. Stop 3: Clifford's TowerThe stone keep on a grassy mound by the Castle Museum.
  4. Stop 4: A bar in the city wallsOne of the medieval stone gateways: Bootham, Monk, Walmgate or Micklegate.
  5. Stop 5: The view from the city wallsTaken while standing on the walls. Walking a stretch of them is the best half hour in York.
  6. Stop 6: One of the York catsSmall cat sculptures fixed high on buildings all over the city. There are dozens and they are genuinely hard to spot.
  7. Stop 7: A snickelwayOne of the tiny alleys between buildings, narrow enough that two people cannot easily pass.
  8. Stop 8: A timber-framed buildingDark wooden beams showing in the walls. York has more than almost anywhere.

good questions

Questions parents ask

How much does the York scavenger hunt cost?

The Scavvi app and its daily hunt are free. City trails come with Scavvi Pro, £2.99 a month or £19.99 a year, cancel any time in the App Store or Google Play. No booking is needed.

How long does it take?

York is compact, so two hours is comfortable including a stretch of the walls. The cats can take considerably longer.

Can you walk the city walls with young children?

Much of the wall walk is manageable, though there are steep steps at the gateways and drops on one side in places. Judge it on the day and your child.

How many York cats are there?

Reported counts vary and new ones appear, which is part of the fun. The trail only asks you to find one.

What ages does it suit?

Four to fourteen. The Shambles and the Minster land immediately with young children, and the cats are a proper challenge for older ones.

Playing in York?

The app and its daily hunt are free. City trails come with Scavvi Pro. Download it before you go and the trail will be waiting when you get there.

Get the app

going somewhere else?

More city trails