Armley Mills to Temple Newsam Park: a Town and Country Adventure

A varied route with some rough off-road sections, combining the best of town and country. Starts along the Leeds/Liverpool canal towpath into Leeds, then brief road section through the city centre to the Royal Armouries where we join the Aire Calder Navigation all the way to Woodlesford Lock. A short section along quiet roads (Bullerthorpe Lane, Newsam Green Road, Pontefract Lane) brings us to the rear entrance of Temple Newsam Park (via a short steep uphill path). We leave the park via the main entry road but soon rejoin Route 66 urban cycleway and the River Aire to Leeds city centre where we will retrace our path back along the canal to Armley Mills.

We'll take a break at the half-way point so bring a drink/snack (otherwise refreshments are available to purchase from Temple Newsam Park tea rooms).

**NB: Some of the canal and river paths on this route are rough and uneven and will be muddy after wet weather, and there are a couple of short gravelly sections so MTB bikes or hybrids with MTB tyres are preferable. At Skelton Grange we have to push/carry our bikes up the side of the bridge and down the steep steps at the other side, but we can help each other one at a time.