Scientists work out the fastest pub crawl round York. And here it is

If you’ve ever needed to do a York pub crawl at speed, science has come to your rescue.

Mathematicians have plotted the shortest route around the city’s boozers as part of a national project.

Altogether the statistical wizards from the University of Waterloo in Canada have worked out the shortest possible crawl around nearly 25,000 pubs across the UK.

“Nearly everyone in the UK knows by heart the best path to take them over to their favourite public house. But what about jotting down the shortest route to visit every pub in the country and return home safely? That is what we set out to do,” the researchers explain on their website.

It took two years. But by combining their numerical expertise, Google Maps and the info on the Pubs Galore website, they plotted the most economical route, which actually takes in around 28,000 miles.

You can see the lot on their interactive map here.

Here we go

For the York crawl, the map brings you into the city from Tadcaster, via Askham Bryan (The Nags Head) and Copmanthorpe (The Royal Oak).

It then takes you to the south-east corner of York, with the Fox And Roman in Dringhouses the first pub inside the outer ring road.

From there you go via Acomb and the Fox on Holgate Road and on to the Mount. There’s a diversion south to the Knavesmire near the racecourse, then along Bishopthorpe Road via the Winning Post and the Swan.

A trio of pubs on Nunnery Lane lead you to the York Tap at the railway station and the nearby legend that is the Maltings on Tanners Moat.

Next it’s the Micklegate run, featuring hostelries including the Priory and the Falcon Tap, cutting through via the Ackhorne to Skeldergate and the Cock And Bottle.

Over the river and next is the Kings Arms, before visiting the pubs on Coppergate and Pavement with a slight detour out to Peasholme Green to check in at the historic Black Swan.

Next we’re off down Fossgate, Walmgate, and Fishergate, hitting the Fulford Arms on Fulford Road before moving north west. The Lawrence Street and Hull Road pubs are next. Keep going till you hit the Bay Horse, Murton, then you’re in for a bit of a hike to the Charles XII in Heslington.

Now you’re off on a tour of the towns and villages east of York, including Escrick, Holme-on-Spalding-Moor, Stamford Bridge. Have a swift one in the Ship in Strensall: it’s your last before heading south and back into the city, via Huntington, Heworth and Monkgate.

This is the point where you wind round the city centre pubs including the Three Cranes on St Sampsons Square, 1331 on Grape Lane, the Yorkshire Terrier on Stonegate and the Graduate on Lendal.

Soon you are striding past the Minster to the York Arms and the Hole In The Wall, with a short diversion up Bootham to the White Horse and Exhibition before doubling back to the Gillygate.

Go west out of the city reaching the Red Lion in Upper Poppleton. Do a loop round Rawcliffe and Clifton Moor, entering the Mitre on Shipton Road for a last drink inside the ring road.

Then you head north and your epic York pub crawl is over. Same time tomorrow?