Thursday Walk - Leeds City Centre [Dales Trip]

Length: 9.0 km (5.6 mi)

Ascent/Descent: 55m 

Net Walking Time: 2 hours

Toughness: 2 out of 10

 

Meet at 17.00 hours inside Leeds City Station, at the Information and Meeting Point on the main concourse just outside the gate line.

 

This route leads through the centre of Leeds – the self-proclaimed ‘Capital of the North’.

It is the largest city in Yorkshire, known both for its history as a centre of textile making and trading and of light industries and for being a very green city in the eastern foothills of the Pennines.
From the train station, you emerge onto the City Square and then pick up the River Aire where it rushes through four large arches under the elevated railway station. The route leads through some areas west of the city centre dominated by former wool merchants’ houses and warehouses, now largely occupied by law and finance firms, with grand old buildings and the tranquil Park Square pleasing the eye.

Large civic buildings along The Headrow (Town Hall, Library, Leeds Art Gallery, Henry Moore Institute) are passed before a loop past the Catholic Cathedral and across Millenium Square leads to the Victorian Quarter, home to many fascinating shopping arcades (a few of which are walked through) as well as the large indoor Kirkgate Market and the former Corn Exchange with its eclectic mix of shops.

Next up is the area of The Calls along the River Aire, full of converted warehouses and including the Anglican Minster Church, followed by a crossing to the south bank of the Aire, where you pass converted industrial buildings as well as the Armouries Museum and assorted river and canal basins with largely sympathetic housing developments.

The route finishes with a short exploration of the Holbeck Urban Village and Granary Wharf areas, formerly dominated by light industry, now filled with new housing and atmospheric pubs and eateries.

Walk Options:

Bus and Water Taxi stops are never far from the route to enable shorter walks. 

Outbound and return route are never far from each other to enable shorter walks.

 

Food and Drink: Numerous options are passed on or just off the route. They are highlighted in the text.T=city.7

 

For summary, walk directions, map, height profile, photos and gpx/kml files click here .