Climb the steps up from Guildhall Square and you're on top of Derry's walls, up on the broad stone rampart that runs right around the old city — a full circuit of about a mile, and one of the most complete walled defences left standing in Europe. Up here you walk above the streets, the wide path curving on ahead, cannon after cannon still sitting where they were set, their black barrels pointing out over the rooftops.
The walk carries you past the old gates — Bishop's Gate, Ferryquay, Butcher's, Shipquay — and out onto the bastions, where the whole city opens up below you. On the western stretch you look straight down over the Bogside, the "You Are Now Entering Free Derry" wall and its murals laid out beneath your feet. Swing round the other way and there's the ornate Guildhall and the River Foyle, the Peace Bridge arcing across it.
The best part is that none of it is behind a ticket barrier — the walkway is free and open, so you can arrive whenever suits and walk the lot at your own pace. If you'd like the history brought to life, guided walking tours set off from around the walls (paid, and worth it for the stories of the siege), but you're just as welcome to do the circuit yourself. A proper walkable slice of history, and a grand way to see the whole city in an hour.
Plan your visit
Can I just walk up? Yes — it's free and open any time.
The walls are a free public walkway with no gate and no ticket — you simply climb up and walk. The easiest way on is from Guildhall Square, at Magazine Gate, where there's both steps and a ramp. Most of the other access points are steps only, so if you're on wheels or with a pram, aim for the Magazine Gate ramp and confirm your route on the day. A full loop is roughly a mile and takes most people an hour or so with stops. Guided tours are the one paid extra, and they're optional.
Free, open any timeRamp at Magazine GateGuided tours optionalCity car parks nearbyCafés & toilets in the city centre
Good to know:
The rampart is an old stone surface, uneven in places, with steps up at most gates. It's a walk in the open air with little shelter, so dress for the day. For step-free access, use the Magazine Gate ramp from Guildhall Square and confirm the route on the day.
Before you set off
What to bring
👟Comfy shoes with gripThe rampart is old stone, uneven in places, with steps up at most gates — flat, sturdy footwear is best.
🧥A coat or layersYou're up in the open air the whole way. A brisk, breezy walk is part of the fun — dress for whatever the day's doing.
📷A cameraThe views over the Bogside, the Guildhall and the Foyle from the bastions are the best in the city.
💧A drink on a bright dayThere's little shade up on the walls. Grab water and enjoy the sun — plenty of cafés at street level for a stop.
Good to know
Everything before you go
Cost
Free — the walls are an open public walkway with no ticket. Guided walking tours are a paid extra and entirely optional; confirm current tour prices and times on the day.
Access & hours
Open at all times, no set opening hours for the walkway itself. The usual way on is from Guildhall Square through Magazine Gate.
How long
The full circuit is about a mile (roughly 1.5km) — most people take an hour to an hour and a half, or one to two hours with plenty of stops for the views.
What you'll see
Original cannons along the ramparts, the historic gates (Bishop's Gate, Ferryquay, Butcher's, Shipquay and later ones), the bastions, and views over the Bogside and its murals, the Guildhall and the River Foyle.
Ages
All ages — an easy flat-ish walk once you're up top. Older children get the most from the history and the tour stories; keep little ones close near the edges.
Getting around
The rampart is old stone and uneven in places. Most gates are step-only; the Magazine Gate ramp from Guildhall Square is the step-free way up. Confirm your route on the day if you're on wheels or with a pram.
Parking
No dedicated car park — use the city-centre car parks (Foyleside, Quayside and others a short walk away).
Food & toilets
None on the walls themselves, but plenty of cafés, restaurants and public toilets in the surrounding city centre and Guildhall area.
Questions
Before you go
Is it free to walk the walls?
Yes — the walkway is completely free and open, no ticket and no gate. Just climb the steps or the Magazine Gate ramp and walk. The only paid extra is a guided tour, if you fancy one.
How long does the full circuit take?
The loop is about a mile (roughly 1.5km). Most people take an hour to an hour and a half, a little longer if you stop at every bastion for the views and photos.
Can I get up in a wheelchair or with a pram?
Parts of it, yes. Most gates have steps only, but there's a ramp on at Magazine Gate from Guildhall Square. Aim for that access point and confirm the route on the day, as the rampart surface is old stone and uneven in places.
Do I need a guide?
Not at all — you're free to walk the whole circuit yourself. A guided tour (paid, optional) brings the siege history and the story of the city to life if you'd like more than the walk.
Where do I get on?
The easiest start is Guildhall Square, going up at Magazine Gate — steps and a ramp both there. You can also join the walkway at other points around the circuit.
Where do I park?
There's no dedicated car park for the walls — use the city-centre car parks nearby, then it's a short walk to the nearest access point.
Getting there
Derry/Londonderry city centre — the easiest way up is from Guildhall Square, at Magazine Gate. Use the city-centre car parks, then it's a short walk to the walls.
Derry's walls were built between 1613 and 1619 to defend the new plantation city, and they're among the best-preserved and most complete walled defences left in Europe — the last fully intact walled city in Ireland. They stand roughly a mile all the way around, never breached in the siege that made them famous, which is why the city carries the name "the Maiden City".
Four original gates opened through them — Bishop's, Ferryquay, Butcher's and Shipquay — with more added later, and the cannons still ranged along the ramparts are original to the walls. Today the whole circuit is a free public walkway, looking down over the Bogside, the Guildhall and the Foyle, and it's become one of the great things to do in the city: four centuries of history you can walk in an hour.