Campus Tour

New for 2026, our walking tour of the University of Leeds campus is led by acclaimed beer writer Simon Jenkins, with lots of stories from the past - and a couple of strategic pub stops.

The route begins on the Parkinson Steps, beneath the University's famous Portland stone tower. This tour will reveal some remarkable campus landmarks: controversial artworks, the astonishing Brotherton Library and the original Victorian buildings of the red-brick university. You will learn how the famous Paris Exhibition of 1867 was pivotal in the establishment of the University, our curious link to the Beatles, and about the ambitious architectural plans which once threatened to smother the whole site in brutalist concrete.

We visit two favourite student pubs along the way, to sample some of the best beers our city has to offer and learn something about how brewing and drinking have played their part in Leeds life for centuries. The walk finishes at University Square, where you can join in the festivities at Making Leeds Medieval, the spectacular culmination of the IMC.

Tickets, priced £15, are strictly limited, so please book online, but payment will be accepted on the day, if places are still available. The cost does not include beer - participants are free to choose their drinks at each of our pub stops.

The tour is run by It's The Beer Talking, a local business established by beer writer Simon Jenkins and former Tetley Brewery PR officer Nicky Massen. Visit their website for details of this and their other coming events.