There’s a lot to see around Wakefield! This route starts at Wakefield Kirkgate, which has trains from Leeds, Nottingham, Sheffield, and London Kings Cross amongst others.
Check out the area around Kirkgate. It might seem unprepossessing at first view but there is the old Wakefield Bridge over the River Calder and the Hepworth Gallery nearby if you can navigate the road system.
Our route, however, takes you straight up Monk St to turn right on Brunswick St (there are TPT direction signs) Turn right on Park Lodge Lane – it’s the most climbing you will do all day – until you drop down to Neil Fox Way, a new road with a cycle track alongside. L. and take the link to the TPT. The main TPT route is on the West side of the Aire & Calder navigation but take the East side for the Castleford Greenway. Follow this until you pass under a railway viaduct…
…shortly after this the route veers off to the left and takes you up on the disused railway. You can follow this to the terminus in Castleford or return to the Towing Path to cross the river on the Millennium footbridge. The island here is the location of the flour mill (Check name) Thurn r. on Mill Lane, l. Lock Lane and after the bridge l. on the track that will take you back to the towpath. Follow to Boat Lane, then Back Lane, l. Station Road, r. Vicars Terrace, r. Park Lane that will get you up to NCN697. “The Lines”. l. and then take the l. fork which gets you to St Aidans country park.Enjoy an exploration of the former open-cast mine before returning to the TPT via the bridge over the Aire at the southern end.
R. on TPT , then r. just before the M1 bridge. This takes you up to Skelton Lake Services which won an environmental award on opening, one of its benefits being access to the greenway network from the rear…
…and has a reasonable refreshment offering including M&S.
To explore this area a bit more, take Pontefract Road to Newsam Green Td, then a short stretch on the A642 Wakefield Rd gets you to Swillington Bridge and back on the TPT.
If you want to go to Leeds, turn right and follow the TPT, and to get back to Wakefield turn left on the TPT through Mickeltown and Stanley, being sure to come off at the link to Neil Fox Way!
If you enjoyed this tour of Wakefield, try the Wonders of Wakefield Trail.