In the past, local waterways offered a lot to the prosperity of the city of Leeds. From turning the city into an inland port when the River Aire was made navigable in 1700, it offered a massive boost to the local economy to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, which was at the heart of massive growth. Fast forward to 2011, and the waterways can offer a great deal to those wanting to take in some stunning scenery, and take a good long walk.

A Mix of Styles

A new guidebook to the waterways is aimed at anyone who loves to don their outdoor clothing and head for a walk. The guide offers two brand new routes to walkers, pointing out how the area has been regenerated, from places to eat to the mix of historic and contemporary architecture. All of the walks are designed to take between 1 and 2 hours to complete, and were written by Leeds Civic Trust member, Chris Furniss.

Local Routes

The two routes, East and West Loops cover most of the historic waterways of the city. The East Loop walk runs from Leeds Bridge to Clarence Dock, whilst the West Loop begins in the same place, but goes through the Dark Arches and takes in Granary Wharf before heading back through Holbeck Urban Village. Of the routes, Dr Kevin Grady, director of the Leeds Civic Trust commented “not many years ago the Leeds Waterfront was a derelict backwater. Its transformation in the last 20 years has been remarkable.”