Walks in Eccup
From easy city strolls to challenging trails, discover the best of Eccup on foot.
Walk: Alwoodley Park and Eccup Reservoir
An easy walk through the beautiful Alwoodley Park countryside and around the Eccup Reservoir near Bramhope and Leeds. The Route what3words for start point: ///flood.steer.eagles Start / Finish Point: Adel Woods Car Park, off Stairfoot Lane in Alwoodley, LS16 8DR Distance: 6 Miles GPX Route Map walkshirealwoodleyparkandeccupreservoirDownload Walk Description From the car park, cross Stair Foot Lane and take the Public Bridleway directly opposite. Follow the bridleway through the wood, ignoring paths either side until you leave the wood. Then turn right and follow the path along the line of the trees on the edge of Headingley Golf Course to the left. At King Lane, cross over and take the path to the right of the white house. Follow the path along three fields and turn left at a junction of paths. Ignore the path to the right near to the trees, and continue on this path past trees on the right and across a field to Eccup Moor Road. Go over the stile and turn right. Walk along into Eccup, and past the No Through Road sign and through the gates of Bank House Farm, where soon the road becomes a bridleway and a private road. Follow this bridleway all the way along the northside of Eccup Reservoir, to eventually reach a gateway next to the entrance to Owlet Hall Farm, with a public bridleway finger post. Pass through the gateway and continue past the hall to gate onto the road. Walk along the reservoir wall. Turn right through the A frame next to the cottage. Follow this track along the south side of the reservoir until a gate with an A frame. Go through this and turn left down Goodrick Lane. At Alwoodley Lane, cross over and turn right, then left on The Avenue. Follow this road all the way to the junction with King Lane. Cross over the zebra crossing on the left, then turn right on the walkway through the car park, to turn left on Crag Lane. At the car park for the sports club, keep right and walk through the wood, taking the first proper public footpath on the right to return to the car park.
Walk: Dr Amir Khan's Route - Bramhope to Harrogate via Arthington Viaduct
This walk is a favourite of Dr Amir Khan, best selling author and TV medical expert. This walk takes in the stunning Arthington Viaduct in between Leeds and Harrogate. The Route what3words for start point: ///abandons.windy.passes Start Point: Bramhope Finish Point: Harrogate Distance: 14 Miles GPX Route Map bramhope-to-harrogateDownload Walk Description This walk starts in Bramhope, a lovely village on the very outskirts of Leeds. The village was mentioned in the Doomsday Bok and has such as a rich history and beautiful examples of period buildings from across the last 400 years. Look out for the original milestone markers as you head out of the village. AS the path heads out of the village you will glance the old route of the Otley to Leeds line that was closed as part of the Beeching cuts in the mid 1960's. Unfortunately this isn't accessible as only short stretches haven't been built upon but from your view as you head down the hill you'll see the path skirt the curvature of the hill and valley floor. In Arthington you will eventually come to the village church was an excellent example of mid Victorian build, completed in 1864. You will get a fabulous view of the viaduct which still carries the Harrogate to Leeds line today as it curves over the River Wharfe. Constructed between 1845 and 1849 it was one of the most complex railway projects of it's time as there is a 500 yd curve in the viaduct to deal with the topography of the land and river here. Stay for a while and hopefully you'll see a train passing to help you imagine it in it's heyday and capture that stunning picture. After this we head towards Otley and cross the river at Pool bank and head via the back roads and path ways to Huby (near Harrogate). The village has a excellent set of local hostelries to refuel for the second part of the walk towards Harrogate itself if you'd like a slight detour. This walk stays away from the main roads as much as possible but please take care when walking make sure you walk in single file on the narrower country lanes. Towards Harrogate we pass through North Rigton made famous by the TV series The Beiderbecke Affair, and onto Beckwithshaw and the lovely St Michael and the Angels parish church. This route continues to the outskirts of Harrogate or you can continue into the town centre if you wish to get the train home.