Walks in Badsworth
From easy city strolls to challenging trails, discover the best of Badsworth on foot.
Walk: Wentbridge
An easy woodland trek following the River Went and under the Wentbridge Flyover which carries four lanes of the A1, just near Pontefract. The image below shows the Ackworth rail viaduct, just along the River Went from Wentbridge. The Route what3words for start point: ///expanded.crisper.swordfish Start Point: Off road along B6474 in Wentbridge, WF8 3JJ Finish Point: B6474 in Wentbridge, WF8 3JJ Distance: 7 Miles GPX Route Map walkshirewentbridgeDownload Walk Description Please park considerately for local residents. From where you have parked, head towards the junction with Wentbridge Lane in the middle of the village. Just to the left of the road direction sign is a public footpath sign. Follow the arrow to walk along the path, past the white house on the right. Once past the building, the walk opens out to fields, before a wood springs up on the left. Ignore the path to the left, just as you skirt around the edge of a wood on your right now. By now, the epic Wentbridge Viaduct, which takes the A1(M) over the River Went, should be in view and earshot. Walk towards - and under - the viaduct, following the path along the edge of the wood, called Sayle’s Plantation. The path enters the wood, and eventually turns to the right. A fairly straight path carries on through the wood for what seems like forever, until you emerge to just a row of trees on your left. A path branches off to the left here - ignore this as you’ll be coming back that way - and carry straight on into the wood. In the wood, the path turns to the right, and heads in a south-easterly direction for a long while, before emerging into a much more open series of fields, but still with a lot of trees. The path runs alongside a house, and then turns right along a drive to meet Main Street in the village of Kirk Smeaton. At the road, turn left, and then take the footpath to the right of the Shoulder of Mutton pub. Follow the path to the left of the church, and then turn left to walk over the River Went, then turn left onto Chapel Lane. Follow the lane until a path turns into the wood on the left. Follow this path through this wood, exiting to some fields and then carrying on into a small wood, and then into open fields, steadily turning left to cross the River Went again on a footbridge. The path in front of you is the one you took on the outward trek - turn right and retrace your steps under the Wentbridge Viaduct, back to Wentbridge village, and where you parked your car.
Walk: Fitzwilliam Country Park Walk
Get a quick fix of the outdoors with this short but sweet lovely walk around the Fitzwilliam Country Park, right off the train! The Route Start / Finish Point: Fitzwilliam Railway Station, Railway Terrace, Fitzwilliam, Pontefract WF9 5DA Distance: 3 Miles GPX Route Map walkshirefitzwilliamcountryparkDownload Walk Description Exit the railway station on the car park side, and veer right along Wentworth Terrace, crossing over the entrance to the car park and enter Fitzwilliam Country Park on the footpath to the left of the bench. At the junction of paths, turn left, and then follow this main path through the trees and then around to the right. Just before the main path bends around to the right again, take the smaller path to the left and then turn right when it joins another path, to walk with some trees on your right hand side. Turn left and then veer left to follow a clear path on the ground which follows the line of the trees, then moves away to the left, and then back to the trees. Carry on after the line of trees ends, to reach Rose Lane. Turn right, and follow Rose Lane to just after a slight double bend, where, at the wide junction of tracks, turn right. This track follows the line of the trees for a while, and then moves to the right inside them. Follow the track to emerge near a pond, where the track turns right to eventually join up with the railway station car park’s access road, where you started.
Walk: Fitzwilliam Country Park
There are multiple trails and paths to follow in this lovely country park just on the outskirts of Wakefield. The Route what3words for start point: ///shows.impresses.gullible Start Point: Fitzwilliam Finish Point: Fitzwilliam Distance: 2 Miles GPX Route Map fitzwilliam-country-parkDownload Walk Description Ideally located next to the train station at Fitzwilliam this is ideal for those walkers travelling on public transport. The park itself has several routes that are ideal for meandering around at your own pace. Keep a look out for the wildlife as you venture round Water voles are often seen at the water's edge as well as Buzzards swooping down on unsuspecting prey. The park is also ideal for dog walking.