Loop - Horsforth & Kirkstall Woodland Walk - 4-9.5mi/6.5-15km

Start Time: 10:30am PROMPT! Due to limited daylight.
Miles/Kilometres: 4mi/6.5km if stop at Kirkstall Forge station. 9.5mi/15km if continue back to Horsforth station (Approx)
Total ascent: 353m (for the whole walk) (Approx)
Difficulty: Easy (if stop at Kirkstall Forge) Moderate if do the whole walk.
Estimated length of time: Hike will take approx 4-5 hours (including a lunch break).
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Public Transport: Yes, train leaves Leeds 10:06am arriving in Horsforth at 10:18am.
Parking - Park at the station at your own risk of a fine. Probably better to park on a street near by just be mindful of local residents, please.
Payment: £1 - Use this link to pay: https://settleup.starlingbank.com/jamiepope1 - please put "Horsforth" as reference.

Itinerary

Meet at the station outside the shelter for trains from Leeds to Ilkley/Harrogate. Inbetween the shelter and the disabled parking spots.

We start by crossing over Station Road and take a brief walk down Troy Lane. We take a back route through a small amount of woodland and walk down to Low Lane. We follow this road then cut through some offices into more woodland. We cut through the woodland following the adjacent railway above us, passing a lake and a tunnel until we come to another tunnel. We take this tunnel under the railway into Spring Woods.

We walk through Spring Wood until we come out onto Silk Mill Way, it is then a short residential walk to Ireland Wood. We walk through Ireland Wood to Hospital Lane, cross over and cut through more woodland to Laith Road. We walk down this road, cross over Iveson Drive and then through more woodland to Iveson Approach. Cross over and enter Iveson Woods.

We walk through Iveson Woods to the other end of Iveson Drive, cross over and then enter Clayton Wood. We walk through Clayton Wood back to the railway, we follow the railway over the Ring Road and through woodland to a road called Butcher Hill. We follow this road over the railway and then to Hawksworth Wood.

We walk through Hawksworth Wood to Abbey Road, cross over and then walk down to Kirkstall Forge station and cross the railway into the woodland on the other side. We follow a path through the woods to the Leeds & Liverpool Canal. We walk alongside the canal briefly to the nearby lock and cross over to the woodland on the other side.

We walk through the woods to Bramley Fall Park, cross the park and then walk through the woodland back to the canal but to a different lock. We cross this lock and then follow the Airedale Way (AW) along the canal briefly and then follow it to Pollard Lane. We continue to follow the AW down this road, crossing over the railway and the River Aire to Newlaithes Road. We follow the AW along this road until it veers off back across the railway and then we walk alongside the railway until we are inbetween it and the River Aire.

We follow the AW along the River Aire to Calverley Bridge. We then veer off to Calverley Lane and follow this for a while until we can cut through along Bar Lane (a old dirt road). Cross over Rawdon Road to then cut through the residential area here to West End Lane, where we join the Leeds Country Way (LCW). We follow this road until the LCW veers off into Hunger Hills nature reserve/woodland.

Once we leave the woodland we also leave the LCW to veer off to St. Margarets Road which we follow to Station Road and then back to Horsforth station. Outside the roundabout before the station is a pub we can go into for food & drinks or there is also one across the railway.

Disclaimers

The walk organisers do not have training or insurance. Therefore, anyone who joins the walk is accountable for their own safety and anyone they bring with them. By signing up you accept this.

Check the weather (on multiple websites) before leaving your residence. Bring clothing & footwear suitable for the forecast. We advise you to bring walking boots for any medium or harder walk. Trainers are only recommended for easy walks. Bring a coat just in case (this is Britain after all...) and extra layers if it is going to be cold.

All proceeds go towards equipment for leading walks, group events & trips. A percentage will go to charities.

Bring a packed lunch and snacks. Bring enough food & water to last the estimated time.

We recommend bringing some cash just in case. Especially if parking. Not everywhere is contactless yet.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact the walks organiser.