Walks you can reach from Wakefield Kirkgate by train

Featherstone Station to Castleford Station (Yorkshire)

15m direct from Wakefield Kirkgate.

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

Normanton Station to Castleford Station (Yorkshire)

4m direct from Wakefield Kirkgate.

Easy: 8km, moderate ascents.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Castleford Station to Knottingley Station (Yorkshire)

15m direct from Wakefield Kirkgate.

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

Featherstone Station to South Elmsall Station (Yorkshire)

15m direct from Wakefield Kirkgate.

14km. Moderate ascents.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Dronfield Station to Grindleford Station (Derbyshire)

45m direct from Wakefield Kirkgate.

Open moorland.

Tough: steep ascents. 14km. 4h.

Documented by Railwalks — download GPX route

Dronfield Station to Chesterfield Station (Derbyshire)

45m direct from Wakefield Kirkgate.

a great view of the twisted spire of Chesterfield cathedral. An enjoyable, fairly direct route through country parks, farmland and woodland, with some hills and good viewpoints. Paths are generally good quality but the wooded section south of Barlow is rough underfoot with tree roots and steep parts that require care when wet. No stiles and but muddy after rain. Passes through Holmebrook Valley Park, Ashgate Park and Loundsley Green Park; Chesterfield has a traditional market square and town hall.

11km.

The wooded section south of Barlow has tree roots and steep, slippery parts that need care when wet. A footbridge crosses the busy A61. The route between Cutthorpe and Barlow may be hard for those with mobility difficulties, though a road alternative exists.

Lunch: There is also an inn at Cutthorpe just off route and a pub at Barlow.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Kiveton Bridge Station to Worksop Station (Yorkshire)

1h direct from Wakefield Kirkgate.

An excellent route; There are always good views, changing with the seasons. Highly recommended; This is a route to be enjoyed! An easy, flat, direct route running virtually all along the Chesterfield Canal towpath, part of the well-signed Cuckoo Way. The towpath is mostly a bonded or stone surface, with some muddy stretches where the right-of-way path runs north of the canal and plus passages through landscaped former-colliery land and community woodland. A few steps at Turnerwood. Follows the Cuckoo Way along the Chesterfield Canal, with many locks and canal information boards. Turnerwood is a Conservation Area. Served by four stations along the way for bailing out, and passes Kiveton Community Woodland.

11km. Moderate ascents.

Parts of the path on the north side of the canal can be muddy after wet weather. A few steps at Turnerwood spoil the otherwise easy going.

Lunch: Pubs and cafes along or just off the route at Kiveton Park station and Shireoaks, plus a shop at the Shireoaks road crossing.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Penistone Station to Barnsley Interchange Station (Yorkshire)

15m direct from Wakefield Kirkgate.

A walk that is an uninspiring pavement plod out of Barnsley along the main road, then footpaths and farm tracks west of Dodworth that can be quite muddy, with a steep climb giving good views and before crossing fields and woodland into Penistone. Passes a pack-horse bridge with an informative plaque, and a viewpoint over Penistone viaduct with a bench. Silkstone has two pubs just off the route.

Tough: steep ascents. 11km.

Several busy, fast roads to cross, including the B6462 in Penistone, the A628 near Silkstone and the A629, plus a motorway slip road where cars accelerate fast. There are lots of high stiles. Can be muddy.

Lunch stop: the Bells.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Horsforth Station to Leeds Station (Yorkshire)

15m direct from Wakefield Kirkgate.

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)

15m direct from Wakefield Kirkgate.

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

Conisbrough Station to Doncaster Station (Yorkshire)

30m direct from Wakefield Kirkgate.

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 Wakefield Kirkgate.

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