St Aidans Nature Reserve, Temple Newsam, Skelton Lake

Join us for a firm favourite of a ride to the stunning St Aidans Nature Reserve, Temple Newsam and Skelton Lake, there is so much to see on this ride, wall art, Stourton Stone Circle (a mini stone hedge), sculptures, museums, abbey ruins, possibly a dinosaur, a viaduct garden and much more

The route is predominately tarmac and off road with a couple of sections of gravel, one 1.4 mile road section, it can be quite busy so you need to be comfortable with traffic passing at speed

There is an option for a shorter ride, please see bottom for details for those who don't have bike transport or would like to explore the other side of Leeds without doing the miles

Setting off from The Tiny Tea Room we head down the towpath to Leeds, picking anyone up from Kirkstall Forge train station on the way past, at the end of the towpath, we will turn right for a small section of road and cycle path, crossing at Bridgewater Place, pick up a short paved section running alongside the river, behind Asda House, we will have another short section of road before joining the TPT at Royal Armouries and Leeds Dock, we will have a 10 minute stop here, explore or use the powder room.

We follow the path that runs along the side of the river to Thwaites Mill and onto Skelton Bridge, where we cross and use the stairs, assistance will be given to those with the heavier bikes, we stay on the path until we reach the old oil tanks, we come off the path heading over the bridge on Fleet lane and into St Aidans, where we hopefully will see some fabulous wildlife and my favourite Oddball, a dragline from the open cast mine which was the original site, will have 15 minutes here to explore

Leaving the reserve we head back out the way we came in picking up the path on the other side of the Aire and Calder, coming out on Aberford road we turn right and over the river, then its left onto Bullerthorpe lane, over the M1, then turn left onto The Avenue and into the park, this is the money shot of the house, the gardens were landscaped by Capability Brown. We drop down, then up and into the tea rooms for our lunch

https://museumsandgalleries.leeds.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/New-Temple-Newsam-Autumn-Menu.pdf

Leaving the park we head down the path at the edge of the grounds and pick up the underpass coming out on Pontefract lane, here we pick up the path that runs at the back of Skelton lake and follow back down to the Aire and Calder and retrace our route back into Leeds, we have another pit stop at The Tetley, the former home of Tetley Brewery, we will have 10 minutes here to use the facilities and check out the interior of this grand Art Deco building, the lift isn't in use but it is a stunning piece of engineering, the first floor offices are still as they were 90 years ago

We head over the new bridge at the back of Asda House onto Sovereign street, across at the lights into Granary Wharf, leaving those at the back door of the train station, then pick the towpath back up to Rodley.

If you wish to join at Kirkstall Forge Train Station

Shipley 10.38am - Kirkstall Forge 10.47am
Please note it is cheaper to purchase a ticket from Shipley - Leeds £2
£4 from Shipley to Kirkstall Forge (very potty)

If coming from further up the line, you need to change at Shipley