I will be at yet another lovely roadside Premier Inn this afternoon, the fifth in five days, this time near Birstall just south of Leeds. I brought my walking gear. Where can I go for a good walk – thinking 4-5 hours – that starts near there?

Presumably it’s the one here ?

Premier Inn

If so; the Leeds Country Way runs reasonably near – you can take it either south-east (Morley; Upper Batley; and across to East Adrsley resevoir + onwards) or north west (Drighlington; Tong; Pudsey + onwards) – I don’t know any circular routes of that kind of length from there; but it’d be a reasonable out and back.

Yep, Leeds Country Way. Might be able to extend the walk below, been a while since I was round there. Post hill is impressive if the roadway up is still there – used to get MX bikes scrambling up when I was a kid.

http://www.bradford.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/A7F4E05A-276E-4D05-A776-4719222D85F6/0/PudseyBeckandCockersdale.pdf

Alternative is go to IKEA and get lost in shop full of things that solve problems you never knew you had 🙂

If you’re at the Brickworks you have my sympathy.

If you like going along the canals take a walk down into Dewsbury, start with a couple of cheeky ones at the Leggers then go left as you look at the Calder and Hebble canal down to Horbury. Luckily there is another pub there then carry on walking down to the next pub just before you come off the canal at Wakefield, head to wards Stanley Ferry follow the Leeds/Liverpool canal into Leeds. Watch out though as you could bump into Ton on his way home and be diverted into another pub.

You could go through town and head for the Meanwood Valley, from there, you can make it as far as you like into the hills.

Canal sounds good, I’ll get dropped off in Dewsbury and go from there.

Cheers

EDIT Just seen your post mr moose head, I’ll have a look at that too.

Oh, ignore that, just looked where it is.
Sorry, you’re screwed, nothing nice down there.

Yeah, go for the canal and Esholt, baildon moor if you can manage that.
the woods on the south side of the canal/river are good for a potter.
E.g, buck wood, calverley

Good biking round those parts as well.

Ok, so if I find the canal at Dewsbury, should I go east or west for more countryside?

I’d go East. West takes you further into Dewsbury and I wouldn’t wish that on you. Once past Dewsbury though it is nice.

Magic cheers

For something different to flat canals, you can pick up the bridleways n footpaths that take you across to Apperley Bridge from Birstall

From the Prem Inn, head to Drighlington and find the footpaths that take you over to Tong from the Valley Pub. Once in Tong it’s a down and up to Pudsey and then over to Thornbury. Then down to Calverly then onto the Leeds Liverpool canal into Leeds. Have a beer then get train to Morley and walk back over to Birstall (can make it nicer if you seek out the footpaths through the woods near the M621

Sorry tmb, I’d set off before I saw your post. Started in Dewsbury a couple of hours ago and now in Wakefield, which seems like a good place to turn round and go back for some tea. Where’s good for grub in Dewsbury?

There’s nowhere good in Dewsbury…full stop

Find yer way back to Morley – nice enough walk on roadside footpaths (Batley road) then from the junction at Babes in the Wood there’s a country footpath up quarry lane and over towards scotchman lane (near Morley)

Cucina in Morley is quite good for food – then it’s a short stroll back to Birstall. Dewsbury is awful – I can’t stress that enough

Noted 😀

If you’re walking along Batley road there’s a half – decent pub in Kirkhamgate called The Star Inn (which is meant to be ok)

Depends how hungry you get / how much you want a pint or two and a taxi home 🙂

I’ve got to meet my apprentice, who, on account of being about 22 years old or something, wanted to go to the shops instead of for a nice long walk. He’s picking me up in Dewsbury and he’s probably not able to find a different place that he’s never been to before by himself.

How was dewsbury then?

I’d like you to have found somewhere nice – it’s not somewhere I’ve been to a lot recently even tho for the last year I’ve had to live nearby!

We came back to Birstall for tea and went to TGI Fridays 🙄

Nice walk though, once out of the town! (A lot of dog poo in Dewsbury it seems)

Nice walk though, once out of the town! (Dewsbury is dog poo)

Fixed it for you.

In my defence I did warn you not to go into Dewsbury but to basically leave the place.

You did, and on the outward journey leaving Dewsbury towards Wakefield this worked well. Had to turn round however 🙂

That is why I started you at the Legger’s so you could sample their excellent beers and numb your sensors to the surroundings.

I had an excellent pint there while waiting for my chauffer.

If you’re ever back in that neck of the woods, drop me an email. I work 500 yds from the Brickworks & can point you in the direction of some decent walking or biking (most of what tmb mentioned above), and some in the opposite direction 🙂