Hidden York in plain sight
Sneak through York by snickelway.
York’s main streets are only part of the city. Follow a self-guided trail into narrow passages, covered lanes and hidden yards that are easy to miss when you take the obvious route.
A word made for York
What is a snickelway?
A snickelway is a narrow walking route that leads from one place to another, particularly in York. The term brings together the ideas of a snicket, a ginnel and an alleyway.
These passages are more than shortcuts. They reveal older routes through the city, unexpected courtyards, unusual street names and views that disappear when you stay on the widest streets.
The word was coined by York author Mark W. Jones for his 1983 book A Walk Around the Snickelways of York. The term has since become part of the way York describes its network of small passages. Read more from the York BID Snickelway Rejuvenation Project.
Look between the landmarks
How the York Snickelways trail works.
This is a discovery trail rather than a guided group tour. Use the app to find the next waypoint, then look up from the screen and explore the passage in front of you.
Open the York collection
Choose the Snickelways experience in Uncommon Place and use the map to see the available discoveries.
Find the hidden way through
Follow the city-centre waypoints towards passages and yards that can disappear into the surrounding streetscape.
Collect what you discover
Reach each waypoint, notice the place around you and add the discovery to your collection.
Explore at your own pace
Pause for food, shops or another part of York, then continue when it suits your day.
Before you set out
Expect a route built from small spaces.
Snickelways can be narrow, covered or easy to overlook. Surfaces and widths vary, and an old city can change quickly between a broad shopping street and a confined passage.
Check the live trail before starting and use wider surrounding streets whenever a passage does not suit your access needs. Do not assume that every snickelway is step-free or suitable for a wide mobility aid or pushchair.
Find hidden York
Put the snickelways on your map.
Download Uncommon Place, open Explore York and choose the Snickelways trail.