Walks you can reach from Pontefract Monkhill by train

Featherstone Station to Castleford Station (Yorkshire)

6m direct from Pontefract Monkhill.

A largely step-free, fairly clear route on roads, paths and through a pair of parks, with a brief stretch of industrial ground between them. A field path leads out of Featherstone and the road into central Castleford is quite long.

Easy: 7km, moderate ascents.

The path runs close beside the M62 for about ten minutes, with heavy traffic noise; you are safely behind a hedge.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Knottingley Station to Selby Station (Yorkshire)

5m direct from Pontefract Monkhill.

20km. Gentle ascents.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Knottingley Station to Whitley Bridge Station (Yorkshire)

5m direct from Pontefract Monkhill.

Easy: 7km, gentle ascents.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Featherstone Station to South Elmsall Station (Yorkshire)

6m direct from Pontefract Monkhill.

14km. Moderate ascents.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Wakefield Westgate Station to Normanton Station (Yorkshire)

30m direct from Pontefract Monkhill.

A walk that follows the river out of the Calder valley on the signposted TransPennine Trail, then through a country park with parkland paths, fields and lakeside tracks. The western part is on good paths; finding the right paths becomes tricky once away from the valley and with one section that can flood. Follows the signposted TransPennine Trail along the river. The Normanton meeting point has several benches.

Easy: 8km, moderate ascents.

One slightly flooded section could be impassable in wetter conditions. Paths in the eastern half are hard to find and do not match the rights of way.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Castleford Station to Knottingley Station (Yorkshire)

5m direct from Pontefract Monkhill.

A very pleasant, easy-to-navigate walk mixing gravel paths through a nature reserve with paved roads in Castleford and Knottingley, the nature-reserve middle section being the best part. There are areas of relatively steep incline, gates, a stile and field near Knottingley; trainers suffice in dry weather and boots in winter. The village of Fairburn, about halfway, is a good pause point for refreshments.

12km. Moderate ascents.

Lunch: Fairburn, about halfway, offers a refreshment stop.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Normanton Station to Castleford Station (Yorkshire)

15m direct from Pontefract Monkhill.

Easy: 8km, moderate ascents.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Conisbrough Station to Doncaster Station (Yorkshire)

30m direct from Pontefract Monkhill.

The view from the viaduct makes the tour worthwhile. A varied riverside walk crossing the River Don by the Conisbrough Viaduct, then following the Trans Pennine Trail and Don riverside into Doncaster. Mostly good bonded-surface cycle track and easy riverside path, with some compacted-earth and open flood-bank sections that can flood and plus steps and stiles. From Conisbrough Viaduct it's possible to stay on the Trans Pennine Trail much further west.

11km. Moderate ascents.

Stiles and steps along the way, and the compacted-earth riverside section shows signs of flooding at times. Care needed taking the right-hand uphill fork approaching the viaduct.

Lunch stop: the Boat Inn.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Adwick Station to Doncaster Station (Yorkshire)

30m direct from Pontefract Monkhill.

An easy, direct route mostly on well-signposted cycletracks and entirely on hard surfaces, with no stiles. It starts past a stone church, follows a segregated pavement and cycle track along a busy road, then an old-railway cycle track in a green corridor into Doncaster, with a fiddly but well-mapped finish through the town's roundabout and footbridges and bus station. Some steps above the bus station (avoidable). Largely follows the Doncaster Cycleway / Sustrans routes along old railway lines. The Draughtsman Alehouse micropub is on Doncaster station platform 3 (no train ticket needed).

8km.

Some steps above Doncaster bus station (avoidable by a detour). Lockable gates at a shopping area (in practice left open). Endless traffic alongside the segregated pavement.

Lunch: A large pub/food outlet at the junction with the Great North Road.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Morley Station to Wakefield Westgate Station (Yorkshire)

30m direct from Pontefract Monkhill.

12km. Moderate ascents.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Horsforth Station to Leeds Station (Yorkshire)

30m direct from Pontefract Monkhill.

A route of three sections: quiet wooded pathways criss-crossing the railway, a tedious middle section of road walking beside a busy road, then a delightful ending through Burley Park and along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal towpath with the River Aire alongside and leading right to the station. Ends along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal towpath with the River Aire running parallel. Greener than many people expect for an urban route.

Easy: 9km, moderate ascents.

Some wooded sections would not feel appealing or safe walking alone at night, particularly for solo women; one long stretch beside the busy Queenswood Drive.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Morley Station to Leeds Station (Yorkshire)

30m direct from Pontefract Monkhill.

Great view of Leeds from the top of the rise. A mix of rural and urban with great views towards Leeds: downhill through Morley, residential streets, the last few fields before the city, then past White Rose, along a busy ring road, up to Beeston and a high ridge with a steep grassy drop to a footbridge over the M621, through Holbeck, a final canal- and riverside approach with steps up to the station. Plenty of steps and some uneven and steep footpaths.

Easy: 9km, moderate ascents.

Steps and some uneven, steep footpaths; a steep grassy bank drops to the M621 footbridge. A busy ring road to walk along by White Rose.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route