Keeping active in York

Just because you’re away from home, that doesn’t mean you have to let your fitness regime slide. You can work out in the comfort of your apartment with plenty of room for getting active. We’ve also checked out some walking, running and cycling routes around your Roomzzz York aparthotel so you can stay active, whether you’re staying with us for the weekend or here on business. And because it’s York, it’s about more than fitness. You can be sure you’ll fit in plenty of historic sites and photo opportunities en route too.

WALK: York river walk – 2.5 miles / 4km

For a leisurely stroll that takes in sights including Rowntree Park, Millennium Bridge, York Castle and the imposing city walls, try this easy walk along the river. Leave Roomzzz and turn left along Terry Street, walking for around 10 minutes until you reach All Saints Church and the bus station. Walk along the river to Rowntree Park and spend some time taking in the peaceful grounds, lake and waterfall – it’s a perfect place for a picnic and a run around on a sunny day, if you’ve got the kids with you.

Then cross the river on the Millennium Bridge, heading north along New Walk to York Castle. The iconic Clifford’s Tower is a must-have York snap, and it’s open to visitors if you fancy a tourist pitstop. From here it’s not far back to the start – just head back across the river to the bus station and down the road to Roomzzz. If you fancy extending your stroll, take a walk along the historic city walls. This route gives you some of the best views of the city’s landmarks – perfect for bagging some Instagram-worthy shots of your York city break.

RUN: York 10k route

Like many cities, York has its own annual 10k race which goes right past the front door of Roomzzz. It’s a fast, flat route and a perfect circuit if you’re in training for your own 10k challenge. If you start from Roomzzz, you’re already at the second check point on the route, but it’s simple to pick up using the event map. Start out down Terry Street before making a loop round to Millennium Bridge and over to the other side of the river Ouse. Then head for York Minster, past Clifford’s Tower and back to the riverside before crossing back to Rowntree Park. Then it’s on to the Racecourse to the race start/finish point (you’ll have to double back on yourself here). Then you’re on the home straight, heading down Bishopthorpe Road and back to Roomzzz for a stretch and a shower. Don’t fancy running along the road? There are loads of routes by the river, through parks and along old railway lines – if you use an app like Strava or MapMyRun, have a look what York locals suggest.

CYCLE: York to Selby bike ride – 16 miles / 25km

If you’ve brought your bike with you and you’re feeling energetic, you can get to nearby market town Selby by following the river and joining up with the Trans Pennine Trail and the Selby Railway Path. There are no roads to navigate – the route’s entirely off road and set up for cyclists, and while it’s a decent distance, it’s flat all the way, so you can enjoy the view of York racecourse, the river Ouse and the neighbouring nature reserve as you pedal past. You can also take in the ‘Cycle the Solar System’ section – scale models of the planets and some famous space tech set along the route. There’s also plenty of flora and fauna to look at, with native trees and wildflowers lining the route.

If you’ve brought the family and fancy making a day of it, there are plenty of stop off points en route, including a number of pubs. Try the Tudor-style The Marcia in the village of Bishopthorpe for some pub grub, or cycle a bit further to Riccall where there are two pubs – the Hare and Hounds and The Greyhound – offering local beers and food. If tea and cake’s more your thing, stop off at Brunswick Organic Nurseries, a lovely little garden centre with its own café. Brunswick is a charity providing jobs to people with learning difficulties, and you can buy plants, crafts and arts made on site. There’s also a café at the old station in Naburn in the summer months, where you can have a look at the old steam powered swing bridge.

You can either come back the way you came or spend a bit of time looking round historic Selby before jumping on a train back to York – the journey takes just over half an hour.

Ready to book your York trip? Check out our brand new Roomzzz aparthotel in York and choose your dates!