The Leeds Country Way

However you arrive at Golden Acre Park, make your way to the display boards at the bottom of the main car park. From that corner use the underpass to gain access to the park.                  

1. On entering the park, turn left along the wall-side for 95 yards to the point where a broad flight of steps joins the path on the left. Turn right here onto another path passing beneath the café and toilet block.
2. Continue straight ahead down the length of the park with the lake on your right.
3. At the far corner of the lake turn left then right and leave the park via a kissing gate. Then turn left on a tree-lined bridleway and continue along this to the metalled road.
4. Go straight across the junction and walk forward on the left-hand verge alongside the metalled road for 250 yards to a stile in woodland on the left. Cross over the stile into the wood and follow the path along the left-hand boundary to exit onto Black Hill Lane.
5. Turn right here to a T-junction, then left along the road for about 1/3 mile, passing Brookland Farm on the left.
6. After another 100 yards turn right over a stile in a hedgerow, before reaching the New Inn. Go straight across the field towards a power-line pole and a waymark post beyond. Cross a stone stile, another smaller field, and a wooden stile into a bridleway beyond. Turn left here - this continues between hedges for a mile, though there are 4 nearly right-angled bends in that section. Where the hedged lane finishes, the route continues forward through the field down a broad grassy track to the bottom of that field.
7. From there turn right and follow the field boundary along the edge of an open area to a farm track, then turn left passing Stub House Farm on your left. Go over the brow of the hill and enter the woodland.
8. Only 20 yards into the wood the track divides and our route turns to the right.
9. From here follow the wide bridleway for one and a half miles through the Harewood Estate to the A61 at Lofthouse Lodge.

From Lofthouse Lodge on the A61 take the metalled road opposite-sign posted to Wike. Pass Lofthouse Farm and after 700 yards turn left into a bridleway. Continue along this for just over half a mile to Biggin Farm.                  

1. Beyond the farm the route narrows a little and then becomes a field path but continues straight ahead to a T-junction with a broad fenced lane. Go through the gate into this lane and turn left. For the next 1/3 mile follow this bridleway until it comes out into the farm access lane near Gateon House Farm. Continue forward along that lane for 5/8 mile to join a metalled road near Rigton Grange Farm.
2. Turn right along that road for about 500 yards taking great care with the passing traffic.
3. Just beyond the highest point on the road is a house standing alone on the right. Turn left through a stile opposite the house and go down the field side to the bottom of the cultivated land. Enter the area of scrub and bracken and very soon turn left to walk along the hillside just below the bottom of the cultivated field. In about 150 yards the path comes near the side of a small stream. Walk alongside this to a stile on your right. Cross over the stile and then cross the next field to a gateway. Go through this and bear left along the surfaced path, which soon joins the access lane and leads down to the metalled road in Bardsey Village opposite the Bingley Arms.
4. Turn left along the road, pass the Church Lych Gate and continue to a small gate that leads into the churchyard level with the Church itself. Cross behind the Church down to the bottom of the churchyard, out through a gate and down a hedged path to a footbridge over the stream. The path goes up the far slope to emerge from the trees at the bottom of the field. Turn half-right to cut the corner of the field and cross over to the back of the houses. Continue uphill following the field side until one comes to a junction of paths. Step right here into a grassy bridleway. Continue leftward (south) to the end of the track at the start of the houses. Leave the track via a gate straight-ahead and go forward down the lane serving the houses. This leads out at the bottom of the hill onto the A58 Leeds/Wetherby road just north of Scarcroft.
5. Cross the main road, taking great care, and go left up the pavement for 15 yards to a sign reading “Public Bridleway to Nature Reserve” (Hetchell Woods) pointing onto a track alongside the field wall. Follow this track to the end of the first field and turn right there up the hedge side. Keep that on your left as you walk over the ridge and down the slope beyond. At the bottom of the field go through an open gateway into an area of uncultivated land. Turn left and follow a path through this area walking parallel with the stream. The uncultivated area narrows down and then the path swings right onto a stoned path through some swampy ground. This path leads to a footbridge and then to a stile in the field corner. Turn left over the stile and walk up the field side to come out into a lane. Turn right along it to a metalled road 30 yards further on. (Thorner Lane, Scarcroft).

Turn left along the road and walk downhill at first, round a couple of bends then rising towards Scarcroft Hill. Instead of continuing to the top along the road, look out for a stile in the stone wall on the right. Cross over this and follow the path straight up the hill, passing a large tree towards a stable block. Go through a couple of gates here to exit onto a concrete roadway. Turn left along this for 50 yards, then turn right beyond the last building ‘The East Lodge’ into a 9 feet wide lane.                  

1. Continue past the rear of all the buildings and shortly a stile on the left leads over into the field. Turn right and continue on a well-defined line downhill to the footbridge and kissing gate at the stream. Go forward up the side of the next field to a section of fence across the line of the path and another kissing gate. Pass through into a slightly sunken lane, which leads forward over the brow of the hill, and down to the junction of Carr Lane and Station Lane. Continue forward along the metalled road to the main street in Thorner
2. Cross the main street into the road opposite (Stead Lane) and walk past the end of the former railway embankment. Stay on the left-hand footway until the road swings left up into the houses, cross the road and continue walking straight ahead along a stoned bridleway. This acquires a metalled surface again 220 yards further on. Keep walking straight ahead until you pass the last house on the left and just after that point our route turns right along Ellerker Lane.
3. At the bottom of the lane a gate leads through into a fenced path down the side of a field and into Kiddal Wood. Follow the marked path southwards through the woods for 700 yards, to the A64 Leeds-York road.
4. Cross the road with great care and turn into a path running down the embankment and crossing the stream. This leads into the edge of the field on the opposite bank where one turns right to follow the streamside for almost 500 yards to a field gate and stile. Beyond that the route opens out into a wide grassy lane and one should keep going straight ahead to the fence at the far end.
5. Cross a stile here and continue ahead to the footbridge over the stream. Turning slightly right, cross the first narrow field to a headland path next to a hedgerow. The path leads uphill along the edge of the field with the hedge on one’s right. Continue straight ahead over the ridge to the top of an enclosed lane.
6. Do not descend into this but, instead, continue around the headland above it and on its left (eastern) side, eventually descending to re-join it just before crossing a footbridge next to the ford.
7. Continue up the lane ahead to meet a metalled road then bear left along The Boyle to the Maypole at the end of Main Street.

Starting from the Maypole at Barwick-in-Elmet walk down Main Street and turn right into Carrfield Road.              

1. Initially this is between houses and has a metalled surface but soon becomes a dirt track and finally a path across the fields towards Scholes. Note that the path moves from one side of the hedge line to the other at certain points along the route.
2. At the houses and surfaced road in Scholes turn left to the road junction and go virtually straight across into a dirt road (Bog Lane). This continues for over a mile becoming Barnbow Lane and finally becomes a surfaced road.
3. Go up the slope to where the road turns right. Turn left there towards Shippen House Farm and then right onto a farm track up the field (level with the farm buildings).
4. This track goes over the railway line and along the side of two more fields over the M1 motorway to Barrowby Lane.
5. Turn left along the Lane and follow it between the large trees and then along the tarmac road for one mile to the northern edge of Garforth.
6. Turn right here down Main Street then turn left into Church Lane at the Library. Walk along the pavement until you come level with the start of the cricket ground on the left-hand side.
7. Look for a path on the right between No.32 and 34 and turn into it. This goes down behind the houses for almost a mile to school playing fields near Selby Road. Bear left just before the road onto the old railway line which leads to a bridge beneath the A63.

From the A63 at Garforth, go under Selby Road on the old railway line (now called the “Linesway”) and continue along it for over half a mile to where a major track crosses the route with Brecks Wood on the right.               

1. Turn right off the Linesway here onto Brecks Lane and walk along it for half a mile to the farm. Immediately after the farm and the first house, turn left onto a path which goes forward between hedges for about 150 yards to White House Lane. Turn right along the lane to Mount Pleasant Picnic Site, which is entered on the left alongside the first large gateway.
2. Cross the picnic site on the marked path to the stile on the opposite side, turn left down the pavement alongside the main Wakefield Road for approximately 300 yds. And bear left there onto a path along the edge of two fields to Goody Cross Lane. Cross straight over the lane, go down the metalled road into Little Preston and up the rise to Little Preston Hall.
3. Bear right across the front of the Hall and then left into a dirt lane for approximately half a mile to the point where this meets a wide “bridleway” at a ‘T’ junction. Turn right here along the track to Astley Lane go straight across and follow the permissive bridleway to the line of the old road, turn right along that briefly and then left into a wide lane “The Coach Road”. Walk along for 2/3rds of a mile to Wakefield Road, cross over the road and turn left down the pavement to the River Bridge.
4. Immediately over the metal footbridge cross the road into the entrance of the former university Boat Club. Walk along the track past the old building and cross the stile onto the riverbank. Walk forward along the riverbank for 2/3rds of a mile to Fleet Cut and the fuel depot nearby. Join the road here and follow it round two sides of the depot to Fleet Bridge.

Cross over the canal by Fleet Bridge and turn left onto a narrow road, which leads around the canal-mooring basin. Follow this until just before a subway beneath the adjacent railway line. Turn left here onto a bridleway which runs parallel to the Aire-Calder Navigation for approximately 1 mile, and is shared by the Trans Pennine Trail.              

1. Turn right off the canal-side path through a gateway onto Station Lane and follow this left towards Mickletown passing a mini roundabout to a T-junction. Turn right here and follow Church Lane passing beneath a railway bridge to Methley village green. Turn left here on to Little Church Lane which leads to the main Castleford Road (A639).
2. Cross this via the zebra crossing and continue right along the footway to a bend in the road. Turn left here along a bridleway, which leads past some new housing to open fields. Continue along this path to its end where it meets Watergate (B6135) and follow this right to the former Mexborough Arms pub at Scholey Hill.
3. Take the second right at the junction (Hungate Lane) and follow this for a third of a mile, passing the first signed footpath through Methley Park, to take the next footpath on the right by some cottages.
4. Follow the grassy footpath around the perimeter of Moss Carr Wood for approximately 1/2 mile, passing a right angled bend about 1/3 of the way along. At the end of the wood continue forward for a few hundred yards to a path junction. Turn right here and follow this for 300 yards to another path junction just past a field corner. Turn left over a stile here into a long narrow field, which leads onto the A642.
5. Cross this busy road with great care into Pennington Lane opposite, passing Royds School on the right. At the next junction turn left down Sanderson Lane and after 100 yards turn right along a track called Dungeon Lane. After a third of a mile turn right again on a track which leads towards Swithen’s Farm.
6. Pass this and take the next footpath on the left going over a couple of stiles before following the edge of a big field downhill. At the bottom of the hill cross a stile diagonally right across a horse paddock to reach a track (Carr Lane) which leads right to exit on to Main Street, Carlton.

From the junction of Carr Lane and Main Street, Carlton cross the road and turn left along the footway leading through the village. Pass the school then turn next right at the post office along Queen Street until a field edge footpath can be followed in the same line for a further 200 yards to an electricity pylon.                 

1. The next section across a cultivated field is indistinct, so head for the next pylon diagonally right across this field to reach the embankment of a disused railway line. Follow this rightwards for 200 yards to a triangular junction then left on a surfaced track (The Rothwell Greenway) to climb up to the A61 opposite the Gardeners Arms pub. Cross the main road at this point taking care, and follow the footway rightwards towards Robin Hood.
2. Just before the school in 150 yards turn left down a stone track known as Milner Lane. Continue along this to meet the A654 adjacent to the M1 Motorway. Cross the road here and turn left along the footway beneath the fly-over to take the next bridleway on the right.
3. Follow this surfaced track alongside fields and a woodland to meet a cross-track where a left turn leads along another bridleway towards Thorpe Hall. At its end turn right and follow the footway alongside the main road again for about 200 yards, at a footpath sign on the left cross the road and head south on this field edge path to exit onto Linton Avenue via a short “ginnel”.
4. Turn right and cross the M62 Motorway via a footbridge leading onto Dolphin Lane. Then continue south along its continuation, Stanhope Road, for 300 hundred yards towards East Ardsley to fork left down an access road and pubic bridleway.
5. At the bottom turn left again through some horse paddocks via three bridle gates and continue on this bridleway alongside Dolphin Beck, coming out onto Lingwell Gate Lane. Turn right here along the road passing The Nook pub. Then beneath a railway bridge to turn right past a gateway by a horse stile and “A” frame.
6. After 40 yards turn left off the roadway onto a footpath through some trees then through a kissing gate into a field. Go alongside a hedgerow for 40 yards, then turn right to cross another hedge via a kissing gate onto a bridleway by a pond. Follow this bridleway to the left for 400 yards to enter Cave Lane. Go up the tarmac lane for a few hundred yards passing four houses on the left, but before the first house on the right turn left along a track.
7. After just 30 yards fork right onto a farm track across a field, and follow this through a 90 degree bend to pass some houses (Lawns Terrace) and out onto Main Street, East Ardsley. Turn left here and follow the footway for 150 yards to a junction with the A650.

From the junction of Main Street and Bradford Road, East Ardsley cross the A650 by a zebra crossing and turn right (West) along the footway for 100 yards. Then turn left along Pilden Lane heading south along a farm track and footpath between hedges going downhill through two horse pasture fields.                 

1. At the second stile turn 90 degrees right across the field to another stile and continue on via a surfaced track through some metal gates. Follow the track around a bend until a footpath leads diagonally left across the field heading just to the right of some houses to come out onto Woodhouse Lane.
2. Turn left along this road for 50 yards then turn right into Blind Lane. At the end of this farm track turn left over a stone stile and follow the hedgerow down through a field to another stile and stone steps which cross a walled track. Continue straight on to a footbridge over a small beck and a narrow path, which leads leftwards for 50 yards before climbing up right to follow the left-hand side of a hedgerow. After crossing three more stiles, the path exits onto Haigh Moor Road where a left turn leads down to a T-junction.
3. Cross the road and go over a stone stile opposite onto a surfaced track. Follow this downhill for 400 yards then turn right over a wooden stile into a field. Head straight across towards a line of trees and pass through the next fence by another stile. Continue ahead with the trees on your left, over two more stiles to reach Hey Beck Lane just above a footbridge.
4. Turn right and follow this lane uphill past some houses to its end. Cross over the main road and turn left along the footway for 200 yards, turning right onto a footpath alongside a stream. This is followed through fields and over another stile, until you meet a cross path. Go left here to pass through Woodkirk Church yard and out onto Dewsbury Road (A653).
5. Cross this busy dual carriageway taking great care, and bear right to the entrance to Woodkirk Cricket Club following a track. Turn left on a footpath around the left side of the cricket pitch and continue on a narrowing path with a deep railway cutting on the left, to exit onto a quarry access road.
6. Turn left for 30 yards then right again before a bend in the road. Go through the fields then alongside a small plantation keeping the trees to your left. At the end pass through a gateway bearing left into another field.
7. Follow the right edge of this at first, and then bear straight across it towards the ruins of Howley Hall at the top of the hill. Pass to the left of these on a stone track, then after 120 yards fork diagonally left heading downhill for a further 80 yards to the corner of a cultivated field. Turn left here and head steeply downhill to a stile, which leads onto Howley Mill Lane. Turn right here and follow this tarmac lane through a tunnel beneath the railway line and on to meet Scotchman Lane (B6123).

Cross Scotchman Lane and turn right up the pavement for a little distance and then left into a wide track. Follow this track up the gentle slope into Birkby Brow Wood and go forward through the trees. Watch for the sign indicating a path turning off to the right about three-quarters of the way up the wood.                 

1. Follow that path diagonally up the right-hand hillside and along the top edge of the wood. Eventually the path turns right out of the wood and along a headland between arable fields to a wide farm track. Turn left and follow this track out onto Howden Clough Road near a row of houses. Walk up the road, over the M62 bridge and forward to the traffic lights at the junction with the Wakefield/Bradford Road (A650).
2. Turn left along Wakefield Road, over the M621 Bridge and forward to the major interchange at Gildersome. Turn right here into the top of Gelderd Road; walk down about 100 yds and cross over to the far side, level with the top of the recreation ground. Go down the steps from the pavement and along the extreme left-hand edge of the recreation ground to the far corner. Turn right there and walk along to the end of the field.
3. Cross leftwards through a gap in the boundary wall to join the pavement of Street Lane and turn right along it to No.51. Turn left (near the post office) into Woodhouse Lane and walk along past all the houses.
4. Beyond the last house on the right turn right and follow a path round the top edge of the fields just outside the houses and gardens. At the far field corner turn left onto a path running down the slope alongside the hedge. At the bottom of the field, bear left slightly, cross the head of a stream and immediately beyond the first group of bushes turn half right and walk diagonally across the field to a marker post at the stile.
5. Cross over this and continue rightwards alongside the fence. Cross through to the other side of it at the next stile, then go diagonally leftwards and up the track to a stile into the yard leading past Shay farm to come out on Old Lane. Turn right briefly to a stile on the left and follow the doubled fenced path down the edge of a short field to Whitehall Road (A58). Turn right along the pavement to the Valley Inn, Cockersdale.

From the Valley Inn, Cockersdale on the A58 walk down Dale Road to the bottom of the hill. At Dale Farm turn right along the unmade track, take the left fork where the path divides and go forward across the Beck. After the bridge turn right over a stile and walk along parallel with the beck. Other faint tracks will be seen but always follow the route nearest the beck. Walk forward to where the path joins a broad track. Use a separate path here on the uphill side of the track for 150 yards, then rejoin the track and continue forward. It crosses a large field and goes down to the stream to cross by a footbridge. From there the Way leads northwards following the stream right up to Tong Lane.                    

1. Cross over the road into Roker Lane and walk forward 160 yards past the old mill on the left. Turn left down a short “ginnel” which soon opens out into fields. Continue along this path close to the beck and after 2/3rds of a mile you come to a mill. Having passed the mill, bear left over a stile and onto a path again running parallel with the stream. At the end of the first field go over a stile and across a further short field onto a Golf Course. Keep on the path close to the stream all the way to Keeper Lane bridleway. Do not cross the bridge here but continue on the same side of the beck for 1/2 mile to Scholebrook Lane bridleway.
2. Turn right along the lane for a few yards and then turn left into the field where a path continues along the valley through the trees. Stick to a level path fairly close to the water right up to the point where a wide bridle path (part of the Pudsey Link) joins from the left bank of the Beck. From there go ahead on the bridleway as it climbs up to a bridge over the old railway line. Continue uphill to meet Smalewell Road.
3. Turn left past the Fox and Grapes pub and continue on the road to the first fork. Bear left downhill for 120 yards ignoring the first footpath on the right. Continue to the last house on the left. Turn right on the bridleway past Buffy Lump Cottage, through trees to exit onto another track leading past the old Smalewell sewage works and onto a metalled road. At the end of this road is a T-junction. Turn left past an old factory, cross the beck and go up a broad cobbled track. Part way up the lane turns left and the gradient eases. After 150 yards it levels off and runs along to a junction.
4. Turn right and walk forward between buildings (Wildgrove) and on down a lane to the level crossing. Cross the railway line with care and continue up Daleside Road for 800 yds. to the main road (A647) at Thornbury. Turn right and walk along the pavement to a pelican crossing. Cross the road there, turn right and walk along until opposite the row of shops.

Turn left off the main road opposite the newsagents onto the track up the side of a playing field. At the top turn left onto a walled path which runs round two sides of the playing field on your right.                     

1. At the top corner of that field the path angles leftwards to cross a narrow band of trees to a stone stile. Cross the field ahead to a gap. Pass through and go forward up the left-hand side of the hedge to the end of this field where there is another stile. Cross the small plot diagonally leftwards into the walled lane that shortly becomes a path across a golf course.
2. Go straight ahead then through another gate into a track with woodland to the right. 80 yards after the gate turn half left to walk along a track near the edge of the quarry. This soon leads out into a wide unsurfaced road (Woodhall Road). Turn left and walk downhill alongside the quarry. Pass the old quarry entrance.
3. Near the bottom of the hill is the old lodge house; turn right alongside the Lodge into a track running through the wood close to Fagley Beck. This track is followed for about a mile keeping the beck on your left. Eventually one comes to a mill on the left and then out to the corner of Crowther Avenue.
4. Pass the mill entrance and the lodge, then turn left before reaching the first house. A narrow path leads to a broad bridge over the beck. Turn right along the far bank but do not take the first path uphill. Go along to the cobbled road and join this going uphill (it acquires a tarmac surface near “Edgewood” – No.153). Follow this road to the brow of the hill.
5. Cross the main road (A657) and go through an opening between stone posts and down the stepped the path to the beck. This path continues for ¼ mile through West Wood staying close to the beck. It then turns right up the slope to join a broad track. Turn left along the track with fields on the left-hand side. After 300 yards the track bears left and runs out of the wood to join a metalled road. Continue along this to the main road at Apperley Bridge (A658). Turn right along the nearside pavement to cross the river.
6. Turn right off the road at the first opening beyond the river. One is faced by two large gates – with a gap between them. Go through the gap and continue forward along the edge of the field keeping the fence on your right. Pass the pylon on the left and sports pavilion on the right and continue to the field corner. From this corner turn right down the field side to the riverbank. Walk along the bank to the bridge under the railway.
7. Beyond the bridge follow the path along the riverside for 5/8ths of a mile. The path then leaves the river and follows the edge of Cragg Wood to a kissing gate. Walk forward across the bottom of the plot below the house to meet a metalled road. Turn back left up this road to a T-junction at the top.
8. Turn right and follow a level dirt road which comes out onto Woodlands Drive (a metalled road). Turn right and walk along the road for 220 yds to just past a road barrier. At that point turn left up a narrow track which goes up the slope for ¼ mile. At the top, turn right along a dirt road to the T-junction. Turn left uphill on Knott Lane to the A65 Leeds-Rawdon Road.

From the top of Knott Lane on the A65 cross over at the pelican crossing and walk right down the pavement for 100 yds. Turn left at a footpath sign and down the steps to field level. Walk across the field corner to a bridge over Gill Beck. Go up the steps and then forward along an enclosed path. This leads into a field where the path goes forward along the lower edge of a steep slope. At the far side of this field the line of the path moves over to the right, but continues forward across the top of the fields and then into an enclosed track which comes out at No.27 West End Grove.                     

1. Turn left up the road for 220 yds. and take the first right into West End Lane. Walk past the School and immediately beyond the playing field turn left into woodland. Continue along the path, cross the small stream and bear half right on a path which slants up the hillside. Near the top of the hill join a broader path which runs forward through the wood ten yards or so from its left-hand boundary. At the far end of the wood, cross a stile into the field. Go forward alongside the left-hand hedge/wall to another stile into Lee Lane.
2. Turn left and walk along for one field length to a point near the start of the buildings. Turn right at a path sign there and walk down the left-hand edge of the rough ground to the perimeter fence of the College. Then follow a fenced path along the edge of the sports field leading out into Brownberrie Lane.
3. Cross the road and pass through a stile into the wood. The path goes diagonally right at first then straight ahead to a metal kissing gate. Follow a well-trodden line to the opposite edge of the wood. Turn right following the boundary fence and continue through the woodland straight ahead. Leave the woodland via a stile and go through the fields keeping the boundary fence on your right; where another path joins from the left turn right with the airport boundary on your left. Continue forward close to the left-hand wall to a point roughly level with the airport landing lights. Here steps built into the wall enable the walker to cross into the Water Authority’s road. Walk forward down it to Scotland Lane.
4. Straight across is the top of the access lane to Owlet Farm. Walk down this to just before the farmyard. Turn right past Owlett Cottage to the stone stile; go over this, through a kissing gate then turn diagonally left to the corner of the horse arena. Go along the side of this and enter the field beyond by a kissing gate; then go along the fence on the left to the gate and gap stile. Walk across the first field, following the line indicated by the sign, to the opposite side. Continue forward alongside the hedge. On the final approach to the next farm the path stays close to the righthand hedge/wall leading to a flight of steps down into the lane.
5. Turn right to the Railway Bridge and continue uphill along this lane to Cookridge Cricket Ground. Walk left around 2 sides of the ground to the opposite corner, and there turn left onto a path along the back of the houses to meet Cookridge Lane. Turn right and walk down the pavement for 1/4 mile then turn left into Pinfold Lane and follow it past Rushes farm.
6. Follow the stone track to “Old Rushes Farm” passing through two gates and across two fields to enter Breary Marsh Nature Reserve via a metal gate. Bear half right along a path to the opposite edge of the wood, cross a footbridge and turn immediately left. Then stay with this path, which follows the edge of the wood, to just before Otley Road. Turn left along a boardwalk then cross a metal footbridge that leads to the Car Park at Golden Acre Park and the end of the Leeds Country Way.