York Nutcracker Trail ~Easy Walk

Distance Covered: 2.5 miles Time to Complete Walk 2 hours

Suitable for dog walking: Yes

York comes alive at Christmas with its xmas markets and its overall Christmassy feel with shops adorned with xmas decorations. This walk follows the festive Nutcracker trail in which you have to find 10 Nutcracker statues dotted around the historic city. This years theme is countries of the world. Great for kids who will love finding each Nutcracker!

General Safety Tips: York does get manic at Christmas take care crossing roads. 

The York Nutcracker Trail walk

Getting There

The walk starts from the train station and during Christmas this is the best way to travel to York and is £22 for a return journey from Middlesbrough.

Maps of the York Nutcracker Trail walk

The Walk

From the railway station turn left on Station Road and head over Lindal Bridge.

Once over the bridge head left into the museum gardens and the start of the Nutcracker trail and the first Nutcracker is in this area.

Exit the museum and gardens and cross over the road to Lendal which soon becomes Coney Street. Look toa side alley on your right for Nutcracker number 2.

From here head back to the Christmas tree on Stonegate and head up and then right onto Swinegate for Nutcracker number 3.

From here head to York Minster which you cant miss. Head to the right of the minster and up the street and Nutcracker 4 is on your left.

Nutcracker 5 can be found by heading up and under the York castle walls. Cross over the junction and the nutcracker can be found on your left on the pavement.

Retrace your steps to the castle wall and head left along Aldwick which is the first left turning you come to. Keep ahead and cross over the road for Nutcracker Number 6.

Follow the road to your left down The Stonebow and turn left onto Picadilly. Cross over the road to the pavement and Nutcracker number 7 can be found here.

Turn around and head along Piccadilly until you come to a path next to the river on your left. Emerging into a car park, head out of the car park towards Clifford Tower.

Head down to the right along Tower Street and down cross over the bridge. Once over the bridge head right onto Skeldergate. Nutcracker number 8 can be found on the street.

Keep ahead on Skeldergate and then turn left onto Micklegate. Follow the road you will find Nutcracker number 9 on the other side of the road.

Keep on Micklegate until you come to a junction and head left onto Queens Road. Follow the path back to the railway station and search for Nutcracker number 10 around the railway station.

York Nutcracker Trail

This year's theme, Christmas Around the World, celebrates the unique and diverse communities that make up York.

Find all 10 countries and use the clues painted on each one to work out which country is represented. Pick up a map from the Visitor Information Centre on Parliament Street to write your answers on, then submit your entry at the Visitor Information Centre or post it into Santa’s Post Box in Museum Gardens for your chance to win a £250 York Gift Card!

About the designs

To create the designs, York BID and MarcoLooks have worked alongside a local community group at Our City Hub. The Hub works with newly arrived migrants and refugees to access the resources they need to thrive in York and feel connected to their community. Inspired by their suggestions, each Nutcracker design is painted in the colour of its country’s flag and celebrates some of its most well-known landmarks.

We’d like to say a huge thank you to Bianca Vartic (Cultural Integration and Partnerships Manager) and the Our City Hub project team, volunteers, and community groups for their involvement. To find out more about their activities in the York area, please visit Our City Hub on Facebook or Instagram.