Does anyone have a tried and tested route from Leeds to Lee Quarry, taking in as much off road as poss? As direct as possible… I may be asking too much.

I would of thought it would be possible. just need to get over calderdale and you can use the pennien bridalway to take you there.

Just watch out for all the women in white…

which part of leeds?

quick look at the map says a lot of it can be done off road on some quality trail as well.

Read up on old packhorse trails, especially the Magna Via, which was a main trunk route. That way you’ll be following the hooves of thousands of pack ponies over many centuries and your trip will have some historic significance.

If you’re interested enough I can send you a copy of an article I wrote for STW some years ago all about packhorse trails. Can probably also link you to the article on here with pics.

Link please I would be interested in that.

It was in issue 13 but I can’t work out how you open the archive. Send an email to me and I’ll bounce it back, no pictures though, I’m afraid.

reedy at orchardhouse dot fsworld dot co dot uk

Never done the Leeds > Brighouse/Hipperholme bit but if you can get to either of those you can either go along the canal/through Elland Woods or the Magna Via to Beacon Hill to get to Halifax. From there, the boring option would be canal all the way to Tod, otherwise, up through North Dean Woods to Norland Moor > across the moor and drop off the far side down Fiddle Lane and pop out between Rishworth and Ripponden > cross the main road and head up the BW to meet the Rochdale (?) road (which eventually goes up to the top of Cragg Vale). Across the tops and drop down Stake Lane into Mytholmroyd > climb out the other side up towards London Road and follow that all the way to above Tod. You can drop down there. The next bit over the tops to Bacup I’m a bit hazy about but certainly the east-Halifax to Tod section is easily done with multiple options of great trails…

Now I think I can piece some stuff together to get to Brighouse, then some proper planning in order to make the most of the fun and/or historically significant bits – sounds like this could be good! Trouble is, I need to set off early doors tomorrow to meet a group at Lee Quarry later on for a stag do, so not much time to translate all this into something the Garmin can read. Thanks everyone – please keep the tips coming, this is ace!

PS. Philfive, am in Roundhay

If you’re doing it just to get there and aren’t bothered about techy detours etc then what I suggested above is a pretty straightforward route. If you want something different, you could detour up to Stoodley Pike and keep heading west – I think that’ll drop you down somewhere near the right place to pick up a trail over to Bacup.