Walks in Headingley
From easy city strolls to challenging trails, discover the best of Headingley 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: Meanwood
Take a break in the heart of Leeds with this jaunt through Meanwood Grove between Weetwood and Meanwood. This walk goes along a part of The Dales Way. The Route What3words for Start Point: ///rang.wheels.enhancement Start Point: Bus stops on either Green Road or Green View, Meanwood, Leeds LS6 4JZ Finish Point: Bus stops on either Green Road or Green View, Meanwood, Leeds LS6 4JZ Distance: 4 Miles GPX Route Map walkshiremeanwoodDownload Walk Description From either the bus stop on Green Road or Green View, walk away from the shops and towards Church Lane. Turn left onto Church Lane, then left onto Mill Pond Lane, and immediately right onto Mill Pond Close. When the road ends, carry on walking between the two stone buildings, past the pond on the right and then turn right at the cluster of trees. Follow this straight path along the back of the allotments, and then before the access path reaches the next road, turn right to follow the Meanwood Valley Trail. Cross over Meanwood Beck via the footbridge and carry straight on. At the crossroads of paths, continue straight on, and follow the beck until you meet an access road. Turn left and cross the beck, walking along the very narrow Weetwood Mill Lane. Turn right onto Weetwood Lane and then turn right again into the entrance for The Hollies. Turn left to follow the public footpath along the access road, and continue as it enters the wood. Keep following this main, clear path through the wood, not branching off left or right, but following it as it steadily turns to the left, and eventually you reach A6120 Ring Road Adel. Turn right here, and walk along the side of the Ring Road. Just past a bus stop, turn right down Parkside Road. Continue along Parkside Road, and turn right through the metal stile on the public footpath. Follow the clear path alongside Meanwood Beck and into Meanwood Grove wood, to eventually walk alongside a row of old terrace houses nestled in the wood. Follow the access road down to Green Lane next to the school, and then turn right down to the public footpath as the road turns to the left. Turn right, then left over the bridge and now you retrace your steps back to the bus stops on Green Road / Green View.
Walk: Leeds Dock to Knostrop Lock
A riverside walk from the heart of Leeds Dock to Knostrop Lock. The Route what3words for start point: ///hurray.social.museum Start Point: Leeds Dock Finish Point: Leeds Dock Distance: 4 Miles GPX Route Map leedstoknostropDownload Walk Description Starting the walk from Leeds Dock, situated on the Aire & Calder Navigation, the walk is easy to navigate by following the riverside path to Knostrop Lock and Thwaites Mill. This route makes up part of the Trans Pennine Trail. As you leave the city centre from Leeds Dock look out for the street art that has been installed on the riverside. You will pass under the new rust coloured steel pedestrian bridge, which opened in 2019, linking the CITU development to the heart of the city. Moving further out you will walk around the edge of the Knostrop Quay housing development. After passing the estate you will need to cross the pedestrian bridge to follow the riverside path on the far side, where the route becomes more of a green corridor. Following the path, you will cross the river again on a footbridge bridge and arrive at Knostrop Lock. Continue downstream, passing the small stone circle, until you reach Thwaite Watermill. Once you reach the mill you can follow the road round and pick the path back up at Knostrop Lock. You will need to cross the lock before retracing your steps back to Leeds Dock.
Walk: Armley to Kirkstall Bridge
A walk in Leeds out and back walk from Armley to Kirkstall bridge along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal Towpath. The Route what3words reference: ///pardon.path.waddled Start Point: Viaduct Road, Armley Finish Point: Kirkstall Bridge, Kirkstall Distance: 3.3 Miles GPX Route Map armleytokirkstallDownload Walk Description This walk is an out and back walk from Viaduct Road in Armley up to Kirkstall Bridge following the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. The first half of the walk is on smooth concrete and the second half gives you the option of a rough towpath or the cycle route travelling along side. As you get onto the canal, turn right away from Leeds city centre and keep the canal to your left. The path is wide and smooth with some short sections of cobbles under the bridges. You will pass by the historic Armley Mills as the towpath winds through the Aire Valley. A short distance into the walk you will approach the hills that traverse the entrances to Aire Valley Marina which allows boats to get on the canal. Just after Aire Valley Marina you will come to a bridge. If you take the right-hand path, just before the bridge, you can follow the direction of the canal into Kirkstall on a wide flat path that forms part of the cycle path. Alternatively, you can use the cobblestone path up and over the bridge to explore Armley Park and the wooded canal path. Once you have passed the Marina, you will reach a bridge where the cycle path re-joins the towpath. There are a number of cobbles on the path under the bridge. When you reach Kirkstall Bridge Car Park where you can either leave the canal, continue to explore the towpath as it travels past Bramley Fall Woods or retrace your steps. At Kirkstall Bridge you are just a few minutes’ walk from the Kirkstall Bridge Inn, a perfect place to stop for refreshment and enjoy the waterside garden!
Walk: Pioneering women and haunted pubs in hidden Newlay
A short circuit near Kirstall Forge and Kirkstall Abbey. The Route Start Point: Kirkstall Forge Finish Point: Kirkstall Forge Distance: 1.86 miles GPX Route Map dnaire-pioneering-women-in-hidden-newlayDownload Walk Description what3words for start point: ///pulled.really.sock Start at Kirkstall Forge train station (LS5 3NF). The site was once Kirkstall Forge. Metal has been smelted on this site since 1200 by the monks from Kirkstall Abbey. One owner, Betty Beecroft, transformed a largely derelict forge in 1778 in just four years into a thriving business that laid the foundation for production at the site until 2002. Exit through the rear of the station along the path that leads into woodland. Turn left at the T junction and head towards the canal. At the canal turn right and follow the signpost marked Horsforth. The Abbey Inn is said to be haunted. Like many pubs in the area, it was used as a mortuary from the 1600's until the 1950's. From the Abbey Inn walk down the road over the railway bridge and down towards Newlay Bridge. Walk across the bridge and when you come to Rein Road turn right and walk ahead until you see the river on your right. Follow the track along the riverbank. When the track comes out on Leeds and Bradford Road turn right and head down the hill back to Kirkstall Forge.
Water and Industry in Kirkstall Valley Walk
This walk takes you between two fish passes. Before summer 2020 fish hoping to reach the gravel beds in shallower parts of the upland river to lay their eggs were stopped by the weirs at Kirkstall Abbey and Armley Mills. The Route Start Point: Kirkstall Abbey Finish Point: Kirkstall Abbey Distance: 2.1 miles GPX Route Map dnaire-water-and-industry-in-kirkstall-valleyDownload Walk Description what3words for start point: ///advice.silver.beans This walk takes you between two fish passes. Before summer 2020 fish hoping to reach the gravel beds in shallower parts of the upland river to lay their eggs were stopped by the weirs at Kirkstall Abbey and Armley Mills. Many fish need to move within the river to feed, breed and shelter. One of the fish that will have travelled the furthest is the Atlantic salmon. Salmon will have travelled from the Atlantic Ocean around Greenland to lay their eggs in the shallow upland streams they are born in. These fish pass help connect 60km of river habitat. Their construction will allow salmon to return after an absence of over 150 years. Food & Facilities The Kirkstall Bridge Inn serves food & there is a café at Kirkstall Abbey.
Walk: A lunchtime stroll in Leeds City Centre
An extremely short walk in Leeds City Centre, perfect for a lunch break. The Route Start Point: Leeds Bridge Finish Point: Leeds Bridge Distance: 1.24 miles GPX Route Map dnaire-lunchtime-stroll-inleeds-city-centreDownload Walk Description what3words for start point: ///chest.doing.forced The walk that graces the city of Leeds is not merely a stroll through its streets; it's a journey through time, technology, and transformation. It starts at a place that carries the weight of history and the lightness of innovation—Leeds Bridge. Leeds Bridge, a structure so integral to the city's identity that it commands the singular name "Leeds Bridge" amidst numerous others, stands as a testament to the legacy of human ingenuity that spans back to the middle ages. The present bridge, cast in the robust iron of the early 1870s, serves as a silent observer to the march of time, witnessing the city's pulse through centuries. As you stand on this historical bridge, you connect not only to the banks of the river but to a moment of groundbreaking achievement. Imagine the year 1888, with Louis Le Prince, the Father of Cinematography, capturing the world’s first moving pictures right from this vantage point. The very first frames, immortalizing the hustle and bustle of Victorian Leeds, were filmed here, marking the spot as a cradle of the motion picture industry. From the bridge, your journey takes you along Dock Street, a roadway that has evolved with the city itself. In the 1800s, during the peak of the Industrial Revolution, this street was a bustling artery of commerce. Boats docked along its edge, loading and unloading goods into the hungry warehouses, fueling Leeds' rise as a nexus of industrial power. Today, as you amble down Dock Street, it whispers tales of its industrious past amidst its modern calm. The old warehouses, once teeming with the clamor of workers and goods, have undergone a chrysalis transformation. Now, these restored buildings serve a new age, housing apartments and businesses, a vibrant example of urban regeneration and the delicate balance of preserving the past while embracing the future. Your footsteps will next lead you to Centenary Bridge, a relatively young addition to the cityscape, yet one with its own historical significance. Unveiled in 1993, the bridge commemorates a centennial of progress since Leeds was elevated to city status. This modern structure does more than span the physical Aire; it bridges the gap between eras, a symbol of a city that honors its history while steadily stepping forward. Crossing the Centenary Bridge, you experience the improved pedestrian link across the Aire, a thoughtful element in city planning that prioritizes the human scale amidst urban sprawl. The waters beneath the bridge, once vital trade routes, now reflect the changing sky and the city lights, echoing Leeds' enduring connection to its waterways. This walk through Leeds, while physically spanning a modest distance, is expansive in its historical and cultural reach. Each bridge crossed is not just a passage over water, but a step across epochs. Each street followed tells a story of change, resilience, and the ever-evolving story of a city that has seamlessly woven its industrial tapestry into the fabric of modern urban life.
Walk: White Rose Way
From Leeds to Scarborough across the Vale of York and the more rugged North York Moors the final 2 miles of the White Rose Way was once voted the world's most romantic walk. The Route what3words for start point: ///poet.tries.jars Start Point: Black Prince Statue in Leeds City Centre Finish Point: South Bay, Scarborough Distance: 104 Miles GPX Route Map whiterosewayDownload Walk Description Take as long or as little as you want (somewhere between 4 and 10 days but 7 would be sensible) as you walk 'Across Yorkshire' from Leeds to Scarborough. The walk was created by local author Paul Brown. Starting in Leeds the route follows many existing sections of long distance footpaths and linking them with lesser known paths. It is a walk where you need to be alert to the map reading challenges of lesser used paths and the exposure of the high moors. However at the end you will have a much greater appreciation of the fine county of Yorkshire. From Leeds the route heads north to Harewood House before following the River Wharfe in to Wetherby. Continue east through attractive villages to the brewery town of Tadcaster and join the Ebor Way towards York. Passing the city to the south the walk turns north to follow the River Derwent past villages and the battleground of Stamford Bridge to the abbey ruins at Kirkham. Eden Camp and the town of Malton are next before arriving in the North York Moors at Thornton-le Dale. From here enter the spectacular Dalby Forest and continue via the pretty Moors valley of Harwood Dale to the coast at Heyburn Wyke. Follow the coast south for the last few miles to Scarborough South Bay and the finish.
Walk: Armley Mills and Park
A circular walk around Armley in Leeds taking you along the towpath and through the park. The Route what3words for start point: ///teeth.deny.activism Start / Finish Point: Armley Mills Industrial Museum Car Park, 15 Evanston Ave, Burley, Leeds LS4 2DG Distance: 2 Miles GPX Route Map armleyparktowpathDownload Walk Description Starting this walk on Canal Road, walk away from the Leeds and Liverpool Canal up the hill and turn right at Armley Park Road. As you enter the 14-hectare park you will walk through the tree lined paths and past the band stand. Drop down the hill on Redcote Lane and follow the path until you reach the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. Cross the canal using Redcote Bridge and continue on the towpath where you will see the Aire Valley Marina. After passing the museum you will see some steps where you can leave the towpath to return to Canal Road.
Aire Valley Towpath Walk
Follow the Leeds & Liverpool Canal and the River Aire from Leeds to Bingley on this waterside cycle or walk. The Route Start Point: Leeds Finish Point: Bingley Distance: 16 miles GPX Route Map aire-valley-towpath-route-1Download Walk Description what3words for start point: ///swung.landed.notion Follow the Leeds & Liverpool Canal and the River Aire from Leeds to Bingley on this waterside cycle or walk. The route runs for about 16 miles following National Cycle route 66 past Kirkstall Abbey, Bramley Fall, Rodley, Calverley Woods, Apperley Bridge, Thackley, Shipley, Hirst Wood and Dowley Gap with both countryside and urban sections to enjoy.