Walks you can reach from Woodlesford by train
MapA day hike is just a simple train journey away — plan your next day of green.
Featherstone Station to Castleford Station (Yorkshire)
8m direct from Woodlesford.
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
Castleford Station to Knottingley Station (Yorkshire)
8m direct from Woodlesford.
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
Knottingley Station to Selby Station (Yorkshire)
30m direct from Woodlesford.
20km. Gentle ascents.
Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route
Knottingley Station to Whitley Bridge Station (Yorkshire)
30m direct from Woodlesford.
Easy: 7km, gentle ascents.
Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route
Elsecar Station to Rotherham Central Station (Yorkshire)
45m direct from Woodlesford.
a view of the stunning Wentworth Hall and it's delightful associated village; one of the grandest stately homes in the country. A typical mix of roadside pavements, quiet lanes without pavement, field, wood and grassy-lane paths, including a long and almost traffic-free tarmac section through the grounds of a grand estate. Some gentle climbs; mostly easy going.
12km. Moderate ascents.
Cattle may be present where the route crosses estate parkland. The lane approaching Wentworth can be overgrown. Munsbrough Rise/Munsborough Lane can be busy and is a hazard on car-boot-sale days.
Lunch: Shops and cafes at the Elsecar heritage centre, and a shop, inn and post office just off route at Wentworth.
Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route
Chapeltown Station to Sheffield Station (Yorkshire)
1h direct from Woodlesford.
some beautiful scenery along the way; excellent views over the fields near Chapeltown. A pleasant, quiet route that does a good job joining up green spaces (parks, woodland, cemetery and fields) with only a few roads between, through varied Sheffield suburbs. It has steep sections, many steps and muddy field paths and with uneven steps in Hartley Brook Dyke. Joins up green spaces including Burngreave Cemetery and woodland; good public transport links at both ends so you can start at either. Shops at Ecclesfield in the final stretch.
Tough: steep ascents. 13km.
Steep sections, steep and uneven steps (notably in Hartley Brook Dyke), and muddy field paths; some road crossings without lights (Herries Road, the A6135) need care; kissing gates and narrow barriers throughout.
Lunch: Shops and a chip shop with outside seating along the main road at Ecclesfield.
Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route
Chapeltown Station to Rotherham Central Station (Yorkshire)
1h direct from Woodlesford.
A mostly flat, well-surfaced walk on towpath, old railway cycle track and pavement and following the Don and the canal through a green corridor between industrial sites. A few unsurfaced but compacted sections and some steps; one significant climb early on. Follows the Trans Pennine Trail along the canal. No services on route. Rotherham Central station building is notably impressive.
11km.
A major road crossing on Meadow Bank Road needs care; use the pelican crossing as the pavement runs out beyond the residential area. The route also negotiates subways and level crossings beneath the M1 at Tinsley.
Lunch: No services on the route.
Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route
Normanton Station to Castleford Station (Yorkshire)
8m direct from Woodlesford.
Easy: 8km, moderate ascents.
Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route
Horsforth Station to Leeds Station (Yorkshire)
15m direct from Woodlesford.
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 Woodlesford.
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
Wakefield Westgate Station to Normanton Station (Yorkshire)
15m direct from Woodlesford.
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
Penistone Station to Barnsley Interchange Station (Yorkshire)
45m direct from Woodlesford.
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.