Healthy Leeds walks for all the family

Scenic Kirkstall Abbey

The beauty of the northern English city of Leeds is that you are never far from open green countryside and fresh air. So with the snowdrops now appearing what better way to enjoy the proximity of the rural areas than to get out there and enjoy a good leg stretching walk – an ideal way to enjoy the meadows and woods, while keeping yourself fit with a bit of gentle exercise.

Walking in Leeds

There are some fabulous walks around Leeds, and all the details of the trails and what you will see while walking them are available at the wonderfully informative website Tracks in Time, which provides full detailed directions that you can simply print out and take with you.

The guides include a wealth of interesting information about the interesting sights that can be seen on the walk, including little bits of history about the villages, churches and houses that you pass. Often it is information like this that really makes a walk. The trails are great for learning about local heritage and discovering more about Leeds and its surroundings, and include short, easy ones, as well as longer hikes, so whether it’s a pleasant stroll you want, or something a bit more challenging you’ll find it here.

Here is a taster of what’s on offer:

Armley/Bramley Walk

This is a circular walk taking you through scenic woodland from Houghley Gill to Hill Top, Bramley, giving you some fine views of Leeds city centre, and of Kirkstall Abbey. This is a nice easy trail that won’t exhaust you, and when you’ve completed it you might round it off with a visit to The Old Unicorn, a Timothy Taylor’s pub with real ale, highly rated home cooked food and a pleasant beer garden.

Distance: 3 miles

Holbeck/Beeston Walk

If you fancy an even shorter walk then try the Holbeck/Beeston Trail at 1.5 miles, which takes you on a circular trail that starts and ends at the main entrance to Cross Flatts Park on Beeston Road following the tithe boundary through the park. After doing the walk you can nip down the road to the White Rose Shopping Centre where you will find plenty of places doing good coffee, juice, pastries, sturdy sandwiches, and plenty of value-for-money meals.

Distance: 1.5 miles

Headingley/Armley/Bramley Walk

This longer trail starts at the Kirkstall Leisure Complex and takes you past the Armley Mills to the Leeds-Liverpool Canal, passing a Victorian folly, through woods, over stiles and through ginnels, before eventually winding back to the starting point. Starting and ending at the leisure complex gives you plenty of choice for drinks, snacks and meals, and you could even round off the day with a trip to the cinema, to make the whole day a real treat. For these walks you should wear boots or strong shoes, and don’t forget to take a waterproof, knowing how rapidly the British weather can change.

Distance: 4 miles

Find our more about Leeds walks on the Tracks in Time website.

Something more serious

However if gentle walks sound a bit tame to you, you might be yearning for a more serious form of exercise, and you will certainly find it with British Military Fitness who run classes in Horsforth Hall Park, Roundhay Park and Wellington Place. These classes are run by people who are serving or former members of the armed forces and, fear not, there are classes for all abilities, whether you are looking to lose a bit of weight and need to get a bit more fit, or whether you are already a pretty athletic type who needs to keep in practice and find new challenges.

The main point is that these classes will get you fit and moving about along with other people who share your goals, pushing you on to a higher level of fitness wherever your current level may be. Most people find that training in a group with instructors is more motivating than just following your own exercise routine alone, so BMF provide the chance to do this.

So whether it is gentle walks or serious training that you are after, in and around Leeds you can find some exercise to suit your taste and get you ready for the summer.

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