Leeds’s hidden gems: the best things to see in Leeds according to a tour guide

Rachael Unsworth, 64, who runs the Leeds city walking tours group, has been a tour guide in the city for four years but had previously been touring groups of University of Leeds students since the 1990s.

A lecturer in Urban Geography, Rachael specialised in studying how city’s change in the long term as time passes and a city seeks to keep up with modern technological advances.

She told the YEP: “When I started at the university I pretty rapidly came to the conclusion that we had this wonderful example of how a city has changed in the long term on the door step so I started taking groups of students out.

"I decided to leave academic life nearly 10 years ago and did various things, including writing a book about innovation in Leeds then I realised I have all this knowledge, a loud voice and I’m used to speaking in public so becoming a tour guide was obvious.”

Despite the disruption of 2020 and numerous Covid-19 in-forced lockdowns, Rachael was delighted to find that once restrictions allowed numbers shot back up with so many keen to do open air activities.

After giving 80 tours last year, many exploring the old city centre and following roads that existed 200 years ago, Rachael explained how from her perspective Leeds has changed over time.

"We have still got the recognisable basics of the skeleton – Kirkgate, Briggate and the old crossing point of the River Aire – but following the mapped route of 1821 you realise that almost everything within the box has changed and sometimes several times,” she said.

"There are sites in Briggate and Park Row where it is now the fourth building on the site because of the need to respond and create economic change and accommodate more people as the city grows.”

Rachael described the city’s changes over the centuries as a bit ‘chaotic’ due to the way Leeds was forced to develop so quickly.

Part of the fun of the job is seeing how people react to landmarks and the joy that learning something new brings to people, and she opened up on some of her favourite city locations.

Rachael’s hidden gems

First White Cloth Hall – based on Kirkgate, Leeds’ oldest street, the First White Cloth Hall was built in 1711 for the sale of undyed cloth.

Third White Cloth Hall – erected in 1775, the Third White Cloth Hall was the third such hall opened in the town for the sale of undyed cloth.

The Leeds Library – founded in 1768. The Leeds Library is the oldest surviving subscription library in the British Isles.

Rachael revealed her biggest joy is when local people come on the tour and being able to surprise them with facts and history that they didn’t previously know.

She added: “It’s the things that are hiding in plain sight. People rush by, they don’t look up and understand the significance and history some of the buildings.

"People have their well worn route from the station to their office and they don’t think about what’s around them.”

Her next tour starts at 11am tomorrow (Sunday, January 8), with tickets still available to purchase.