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Got a mate who's bought a bike - lives near Roundhay. Is there owt about there where he can ride from his doorstep?
Roundhay Park - a few bits and pieces in there.
A bit of a loop from Meanwood Park - The Hollies - Scotland Wood - Adel woods (jumps) - Eccup Res (all along the Meanwood Valley Trail) is a decent way of getting out of town.
Further out, Ilkley Moor is good and Stainburn is excellent.
Seconded the Meanwood loop - also some interesting bits in the Chevin woods above Otley.
Buy OS 297. Lots of BWs you can link together in the Leeds, Otley & Harrogate triangle. Like a lot of places the best bits are often 'cheeky' and require a bit of local knowledge.
Chevy, pm me, we have a loose collective of folk in a facebook group who night ride together + weekends and he's more than welcome to come along.
We've moved to NW Leeds in the last year and have found the Vertebrate guide to West Yorkshire a good place to start. Haven't explored as much as we would have liked though.
Absolutely shitloads of great riding, right out of the door. (I ride with Ben H above) get a map, go look in the woods 🙂
Plenty of good loops around Harewood area, and out towards Spofforth and Wetherby. You can join the lower end from Roundhay by riding up to Shadwell and going from there. This was one from an Evans MTB ride from earlier this year:
https://www.bikemap.net/en/route/4146700-harewood-loop
(note: there's a big chunk of road at the Eastern side that I wouldn't bother with myself and would find a different route around, but this was an organised ride so we went with the flow)
I think I need to move to the other side of leeds.
south leeds is a barren crappy toilet of a place, devoid of anything resembleing good riding. until the mtb park in miggy woods opens.
until the mtb park in miggy woods opens.
...and the locals move in to help clear the place out of expensive bikes :-/
Places I would not take a £5k bike:
1. Middleton
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Thanks for that Harewood loop daern - looks one to try (with maybe a bit of an edit).
Absolutely - there's a wee bit too much road in that for my liking, but what off-road there is, is good riding. It's not too hilly either, so shouldn't kill anyone with reasonably fitness. (I did this one with my 8yo son in absolutely grim riding conditions!)
Lots more where that came from too... 🙂
Miggy woods already has a couple of nice trails and a jump line. I hope they don't get rid of these with the new trails they are building.
I've never had any trouble there but probably wouldn't ride a posh bike on my own.
We need to meet some N Leeds (and likewise) riding folk (though p20 met ton who very kindly sorted out some kit). That is the only part of our move we are yet to sort out. However, having bust my knee last week, that is on hold again! Will have to see if I can get p20 out on some local rides though.
I've never had any trouble there but probably wouldn't ride a posh bike on my own.
I ride through miggy woods every day on my commute. both ways.
have ridden the dh track on my tourer........... 😆
Places I would not take a £5k bike:1. Middleton
Stay on it and no ones gonna nick it!!
Stay on it and no ones gonna nick it!!
Not always! But I would say there's strength in numbers. If I ever ride past that area on my own, I've got my head down, my legs spinning and I'm not stopping for anyone! 🙂
I am in Leeds 17 so Harewood is my regular ride. It starts off road in Shadwell so you can get quite a few miles off road with only the occassional small section of road to link them. You could also from Shadwell go to sicklinghall in about a 16 mile loop with only a couple of miles of road in that, nothing technical but a few short descents and enough to quench the riding thirst. Always up for a mtb trip but i am not on the book of face.
Not always! But I would say there's strength in numbers. If I ever ride past that area on my own, I've got my head down, my legs spinning and I'm not stopping for anyone!
I ride right through Middleton, past the woods on my commute to work. Have been doing for about 4 years now. Either that way or I go through Beeston, down Dewsbury Rd and through Hunslet/Belle isle to the canal. Never at any point have I ever though that i was at risk of being bike jacked*!
Leave your bike on the back of a car and it won't be there when you get back, but it's bloody compton!
*Maybe my bikes are just not good enough.....
But ton you are massive lol
My cousin got knocked off his bike and was beaten up and had it nicked by three twunts in Roundhay Park.
I often commute along the Dewsbury Road and also up the ringroad or through the park visiting friends in Rothwell, never at any point felt in danger from having the bike nicked. Looking forward to the Miggy Woods trails, will be <10mins from my house.
There are a fair few bits to link shadwell,wike,Harewood,eccup, then there's Scholes, parlington ,Aberford,Bramham,Thorner and some other cheeky bits around its been a good while since I've been out must change that.
How do you view the route above I can't see it.
Cheers Gents. I'll point him here 🙂
Edit - just had a looked at that Harewood Loop. I thought there'd be a lot more elevation in North Leeds?
All this talk is making me jealous. Before moving up near Harrogate a few years ago I lived right opposite the Hollies so out the door, across the road and straight into the Meanwood valley trail. Miles and miles of off road routes with zero tarmac. Thought there would be more up in North Yorkshire but no decent BWs or trails...
From Harrogate I'd be heading up to Pateley and ride around Nidderdale or further over into Ribblesdale. Or head out East towards the Moors. Or North into Swaledale.
Yes, Harrogate is at the Western end of the Vale of York (aka "no hill land") but there loads on your doorstep. Just need to drive 30 mins or so North, East or West. Oh and if you head West, say hi to the guys at Stif 🙂
Agreed Daern loads in the area but everything involves getting in the car first. Miss being able to ride fun trails straight from my door. Tour of nidderdale will be next ride once the weather improves a bit...
Yep grobbin, agree there are indeed better trails in suburban North Leeds than in many parts of north yorkshire. I think it's all to do with the number of woods, number of people and historic industry in the area, which all add up to lots of trails, many unmarked in the map. Its much like calderdale, just with less elevation to go at.
Agreed Daern loads in the area but everything involves getting in the car first. Miss being able to ride fun trails straight from my door. Tour of nidderdale will be next ride once the weather improves a bit...
Yeah, I understand :-/
Cracking loop from Kirby Malzeard - will share if anyone is interested. It's one that my son and I use as a training ride.
We'd be keen to hear of any routes people have in north Leeds, Wharfdale, Aireborough that are good on the cross bikes. Apart from the canal, we havent really found anything which make a descent road/offroad loop that doesnt involve carrying through various cow filled fields. Having come from the extensive old railway lines and moorland tracks of the NE, we are missing it a bit. I go out round the Chevin on the cross bike occasionally, but its over too quickly. An hour on the hardtail is better.
We'd be keen to hear of any routes people have in north Leeds, Wharfdale, Aireborough that are good on the cross bikes.
Surely carrying your CX bike through mud-filled fields would be just the thing, providing you run with it 🙂
I'll fish out some routes later on.
Hey el_boufadour - remember me 🙂 Any chance of you PMing me details of the facebook riding group?
As has been said loads of great semi urban riding through out North Leeds and then west along Airedale. Probably sacrilegious to say it but possibly better riding from a technical perspective than most of the Dales 🙂
Meanwood Valley, Ireland Wood, Back of Goldenacre Park, along the Chevin (although choose your moment as it's busy at the weekends), Esholt woods, Thackley, etc are all excellent for riding.
Cracking loop from Kirby Malzeard - will share if anyone is interested. It's one that my son and I use as a training ride.
Yep interested! My mother moved there last year and often stay the night Friday for earlier getaway to the dales.
Thought I post this app, What I use when out on walks with me dog and also use it for finding trails.
Its available for Ios and Android called view ranger very good app.
Shows bridle paths footpaths etc. Free too.
I used to live in north Leeds and is good loops to ride on the door step.