Leeds to Wetherby 25/04/15

16 miles, via Harehills, Roundhay Park, Shadwell, Scarcroft, Bardsey & Collingham.

Time to blaze a fresh trail across the city of Leeds, and even when only a short distance into the season, the destinations are starting to repeat themselves, so set course for Wetherby for third time, departing Leeds station at 9.05am, through the Aire Street Entrance and heading in the apparently wrong direction so I might make my way, via Park Place and Park Square, to the western end of the city centre so that I might traverse Westgate, the Headrow and Eastgate all in one go, a lot of familiar Leeds sights thus checked off the list in one easy stroll. Depart the city centre under New York Road and out via Mabgate, the still faintly industrial and utterly forgotten ancient route out of the city to the north east, now twice surpassed. Follow the rising route below the Lincoln Green towers, along the pleasantly named but rather glum Cherry Row and Dolly Lane, around the back of St James's hospital and hitting the A58 Roundhay Road alongside the Bayswater terraces. Again the route northwards proves to be an uphill slog that I had forgotten to expect, taking in many large terraces and side streets of Harehills before passing the shopping parade at Harehills corner and possibly the most famous road junction in the city at Fforde Green corner. Meeting the edge of Gledhow, and the edge of Gipton Woods gives the going a more suburban character before going full on posh at the Oakwood shopping parade, then joining the perimeter of Roundhay Park, followed along Park Lane and West Avenue before descending down to the boathouse café, and joining the throng as I make my trail around the western edge of Waterloo Lake. Enter Great Heads wood, and enjoy the relative peace and quiet as the beck is followed to the edge of the park, departing across the A6120 ring Road, and out across the fields on path that has the look of a burgeoning cycle track over to Shadwell. The bridleway is followed from Brandon Royd farm to Hall farm, everything in the immediate area having some relation to Brandon, taking the quiet lanes to join Tarn Lane to carefully pace the verge against the unexpected traffic, to find that my chosen path around Scarcroft is blocked as Syke Lane is getting resurfaced.

Egerton to Chorley 18/04/15

12 miles, via Belmont, Spitlers Edge, Great Hill, White Coppice & Knowley.

Time for a jaunt to the other side of the Pennines to see My Sister and her family, and travelling without a plan for where we might travel in the West Pennines, so it's always a refreshing idea to set out without a clear destination, on a route improvised as we go. Dr G will be taking care of my nieces needs for the morning, so My Sister and I can set out at 9.25am, departing Egerton by a familiar path, heading out to the track up Longworth Clough, previously traced in late summer 2012, and showing a different face this time around. I'd favoured a trip over the more elevated paths to Belmont, but too much road walking on dubiously narrow and poorly sighted lanes has that track nixed, instead travlling along the beck, past the gradually diminishing former paper mill, and up to the farm tracks that lead over to the A675 Belmont Road. Not heading up onto Winter Hill today, where I'd thought about attacking some of the lateral paths on the Rivington side, instead pushing along the main road into Belmont, one of those villages that clings to the last bit of cultivatable land on the moorland edge, whilst showing signs of Victorian prosperity via its ridiculously over-sized parish church. Moorland walking follows, and I think all of this years High Moors wandering will go on in the West Pennines, following the rough track up Sharples Higher End, crossing the 300m contour without to much effort thanks to the gentle rise of the terrain, my legs not feeling punished after so much action in Yorkshire's low lands. From the Rivington Road junction, trackless walking starts in earnest, rising to Horden Pasture on the access land, and even though no recognised right of way sits here, it's clearly a well used trail, though the bogginess isn't welcome above Anshaw Clough, but rewards are the views that emerge across the yellowed grass as we rise to Spitlers Edge. A paved path comes into use as we descend to cross Redmonds Edge, which makes crossing the higher reaches of Anglezarke Moor a whole lot less challenging, and the final rise of our walk leads to Great Hill, which hides its 381m elevation well from this angle, but reveals much as it is crowned.

Knottingley to Selby 11/04/15

14.8 miles, via Beal, Chapel Haddlesey and the Selby Canal path.

Set course for the alternate trail to the coast, disembarking at Knottingley at 9.35am, and choosing my path eastwards carefully so as not to retrace steps through the town, as traced last year, so make for Headlands Lane, crossing the railway at the throat of Knottingley MPD, and turning onto Spawd Bone Lane, shadowing the line and still not giving me a handle on this puzzling of town. Over the level crossing at Womersley Lane, and follow the footpath across rough ground to the Springfields estate, meeting the A645 Weelands Road, to make my way out of this town of glassworks, council estates and hidden farmsteads, crossing the Goole line of the Aire & Calder navigation, and making for Dole Bank Junction, meeting the original alignment of the A&C and setting my sights to Selby. Canal shortly ends at Dole Bank Lock, where the lock-keepers house just call out to be loved, and whilst the rights of way along the flatlands of the Aire seem to suggest routes across the fields, the paths on the ground steer you carefully onto the flood embankment to give you the easiest possible going. Flat lands don't offer the best protection from the wind unfortunately, so pacing comes on to keep the warmth in as attention drifts towards Kellingley Colliery, one of the last pair of deep mines in the county, whilst more distantly eyes fix on Eggborough power station, whose changing perspective will keep us amused during all our time on the Aire banks. Also worthy of note is the flood management schemes, ideal to be inundated and contained when the Aire gets swollen, which it hasn't done in the last 7 years or so. Detour into Beal via the farm track when the path gets too busy with sheep, passing by the Jenny Wren and the Kings Arms pubs to get to see Beal bridge, a rare crossing point, and finding my way back to path by Beal Lock and weir, the lock house here is still occupied. Plough on along the bank, as it winds its way along, cutting one corner when to loops get silly, looking over to Birkin and Kellington churches on the horizon, whilst seeing Eggborough Power station gradually coming closer, and despite some welcome evidence of boating, I'm disappointed that there's none of the advertised water-skiing going on along the straights.

Pontefract to Garforth 06/04/15

12.3 miles via Fryston, Fairburn, Ledsham, Ledston & Kippax.

Easter Monday turns out to be a glorious day, which is why the weather forecasters suggested dark clouds for the duration and I'm dressed in anticipation of wintery conditions as I continue my quest to visit every railway station in West Yorkshire as I disembark at Pontefract Tanshelf station at 9.50am. North, and around the perimeter of Pontefract colliery we head, once again, seeing how redevelopment is starting to nibble on the site, moving onto Skinner Lane, crossing the railway line into Monkhill and seeing new roads have been cut across the spoil tip, following on the perimeter fence next to the housing estate of at least three vintages, before following the bridleway that hugs the site edge, evidence of a much older route consumed by industry. This surprise greenery leads up Ridgeley hill and then sharply down to Spittal Hardwick Lane, which leads under the M62, soon branching off on the bridleway to Fairy Hill Farm, and on into the bottom end of the Townville estate, on the eastern edge of Castleford. Urban walking continues beyond Sheepwalk Lane, through the Fryston Estate, mostly along Kendal Drive and Watling Road, confirming my belief that anywhere can look good in nice weather, but not finding any suggestion of whether Fryston Park is accessible or not. Paths lead me out into the fields and next to the Castleford - Burton Salmon line, dropping down to the side of the River Aire, and then ascending the steps that are bolted to the side of the railway viaduct, once having provided access to the various collieries for Castleford's miners. From the north bank, we are momentarily on familiar territory before heading on up the path between the lakes of Fairburn Ings nature reserve, passing on into the village, and soon out again through Caudle Hill wood to be greeted with a fantastic view the whole way across West Yorkshire, all the way to Emley Moor, Holme Moss and the Calderdale fringe, a wholly unexpected viewpoint at only 40m elevation.

Tadcaster to Pannal 04/04/15

15.2 miles, via Thorpe Arch, Wetherby & Spofforth.

Resuming the trail on the 1848-1964 Church Fenton to Harrogate line, we start out from Tadcaster at 9.50am, and start of along the north bank of the Wharfe, so the first couple of miles of this railway walk will actually be river walking, as the extent formation to the south is fragmented with the river proving to be an insurmountable barrier. Beyond Mill Lane we can get one railway relic in though, the 1849 viaduct built for a projected line to York, which was never completed and hasn't had a proper use since, and then the trail strikes on along the riverbank until the grounds of Healaugh Manor get in the way and Wighill Lane has to be paced as far as the site of the abandoned village of Easdike. Return down to the riverside to skirt the edge of many fields, with the Wharfe at my left, sometimes below the crumbling banks and sometimes hidden behind the flood embankments and piles of accumulated driftwood, this couple of miles eventually past the sewage farm, bringing us back to the railway alignment, and the Thorpe Arch Viaduct, a sad looking mix of tone and steel, which must surely be crying out for redemption as every river crossing in these parts must be considered valuable. Rise onto the formation for a short while before slipping across the rough ground at the back of the Thorpe Arch Trading Estate, descending to the perimeter road to join the Wetherby Railway path, another triumph for Sustrans which we will accompany for the middle part of the day. Cyclepath and bridleway shadow the alignment to the site of Thorpe arch station, where the goods shed is still visible in the station house's garden, before descending to track level through a mile of stone lined cutting, know as Dave's Mile, dedicated to one of Sustran's most committed members, and it is a lovely bit of preservation work. Pass the keepers cottages at the Walton Road crossing, continuing along the alignment as it parallels the edge of Wetherby Racecourse, before passing under the A1 (M) and A168 and moving along Freemans Way and down a short ginnel before the alignment comes to an abrupt halt at the missing bridge on York Road.

Church Fenton to Tadcaster 30/03/15

8.5 miles, via Saxton, Towton & Stutton.

A bonus day of being NIW, so a short walk is in order to get in another railway walk, and a battlefield, trailed last year on my visit to Sandal. A late start, has me disembarking at Church Fenton station at 11am, a crazily scaled station of five platforms in the middle of nowhere, where four lines once converged, with the 1848 Y&NM/NER line towards Harrogate being the one to trace today, though it's early going has been ploughed into the fields since its 1964 closure, so an alternative path needs to be taken. This leads from Sandwath lane and across the fields to the bridleway that skirts around Scarthingwell Golf course, along the driveway to the A162 and on into the village of Saxton, another improbably lovely settlement on the high edge of the West Yorkshire fringe, swinging north to pace Cotchers Lane to meet the B6217, where in the surrounding fields on 29th March 1461, the first phase of the Wars of the Roses played out at the Battle of Towton. It was here that the Yorkist Armies of Edward IV defeated the Lancastrian forces of Henry VI, in a confrontation claimed the crown of England for the house of York and which chroniclers recorded as having claimed 28,000 lives, and if that figure seems high, investigations have revealed a battle that was noted for its extent and ferocity, even by Medieval standards. A battlefield trail runs from Dacre's Cross at the battle lines and around the fields above Cock Beck and the so-called Bloody Meadow, where the river was supposedly so choked with the bodies of the routed Lancastrians that the Wharfe ran red with blood for days. The interpretative boards are useful and informative, whilst the arable fields lend it an altogether bleak feel, on a windswept hilltop on the verge of the Vale of York, and it baffles me that this is one of those significant battles in English history that no one seems to know about.

Glen Parva to Desford 27/03/15

14 miles, via the Great Central Way and Leicester & Swannington paths.

My second Old Country walk takes me railway walking, to trace two historic routes which have slipped into history, starting with the last mainline to be built in the 19th century, the already lamented Great Central (1899-1969), which now carries a multi use trail from Glen Parva to the city of Leicester, straightforwardly joined from the estate on Needham Avenue, where I am dropped off at 9.30am. The straight and wide formation runs almost arrow straight along the Soar valley and by Aylestone meadows, allowing for easy progress as it forms embankments and cuttings at the edge of the fold plain, with open space to the west and the backs of Lutterworth Road's estates to the east and it's a familiar sort of landscape, already encountered from the canal below last year. A detour or two from the trackbed is in order, to get views of the substantial underbridges at Marsden Lane and Braunstone Lane East, as well as to get a look at the ancient Medieval packhorse bridge across the flood plain, one which I'd have difficulty visiting otherwise. The surprise feature is the four arched viaduct over the River Biam, a minor branch of the Soar, and it's a gorgeous structure that had failed to gain my attention in all my years as a Leicester lad, and beyond here the path winds around the formation, sat atop the unfilled cuttings and scooting around the various overbridges at the back of Rowley Fields. The city is met full on beyond the Leicester - Burton line, the terraces of Westcotes forming a rampart to one side, whilst the flat lands of Bede Island have been rapidly consumed by contemporary development, and I'm sad that the long overbridge on Upperton Road has gone, but at least two GCR buildings have endured as shops, and the bridges over the Old Soar have remained at the throat of the old Leicester goods yard. Folks in the student accommodation and users of Bede Park would find it hard to believe that piles of locomotives and carriages used to cover this site some 25+ years ago when Vic Berry's scrapyard occupied this site, and another relic to mourn is the bowstring bridge over Western Boulevard, demolished within the last decade, with the path hopefully leading up onto the remaining elevated formation with nowhere further to go.