Walking

For many, the Coronavirus lockdown brought a new appreciation of walking, and a way to explore our communities. What would we discover on today’s walk? Is next door’s dog waiting for a fuss? Will the birds be out in the rain? How many new rainbows will we see?

Walking also has a host of physical health benefits, and you can tailor your walk to suit you.

There are loads of green places around Wakefield to discover. From local pathways to vast country parks, a wonderful walk is right on your doorstep.

Download our handy map (to your right) and have a look at our recommendations below.

Please note, that while we are working hard to keep information on this website up to date, things are changing rapidly. Experiences may be a little different and pre-booking may be required. Please check venue websites or get in touch with them directly before travelling.

For A Gentle Ramble

If you're looking for an untaxing stroll, why not dip into the Trans Pennine Trail?
This well-known walking route runs north to south through the Wakefield district, and takes the walker through rambling footpaths, leafy woodlands, scenic canals and ancient bridleways. It’s well signposted, and easy to do different sections depending on the type and length of walk you’re looking for.

For Hardened Hikers

If you’re up for a challenge, take on The Wakefield Way. This 70-mile walk starts and ends at Anglers Country Park, walks around the district’s rural boundary, and takes in some of our most beautiful countryside: rolling fields, lush waterways, well-kept country estates and wild woodland. If doing 70 miles all at once is daunting, fear not - it can be broken down into smaller, more manageable, sections.

For Kids and Young Families

Pugneys Country Park hosts a fun activity trail based on Conrad Burdekin’s children’s book, Blown Away. It features puzzles, counting games, a zipline and more! There are other Story Trails in the district, including the Gnome Roam at Newmillerdam and Room on the Broom at Anglers Country Park, plus a new trail - Peter’s Peregrine at Pontefract Park - is in development.

For People With Disabilities

$Pontefract Castle$

Pontefract Castle’s newly renovated paths make most of the site accessible to people with disabilities. The castle features ruins to investigate, open spaces to enjoy and impressive views. Two disabled parking bays are located at the front of the castle, with an additional car park directly behind the castle.
More information about these and other spaces across the Wakefield district can be found in Open Country’s Wakefield Countryside Directory.

Recommended by Open Country

Open Country helps people with disabilities access the countryside, and produce countryside access information. Here’s a review from the Open Country team to get you started: "We are surrounded by lots of accessible green spaces across our district: Pugneys Country Park, Pontefract Park and Anglers Country Park to name a few. But Open Country’s disabled members have one park that stands above the rest as a great place to visit all year round. Newmillerdam Country Park, 3.5 miles south of Wakefield centre, just off Barnsley Road, has an accessible circular walk around the lakeside beneath an old beech woodland. Our Wheelchair Outings Group loves the walk around the lake as it is lovely and flat with wide paths all the way around. On one of the trips we saw a goldcrest (the UK’s smallest bird!) and a pair of great crested grebes doing a courtship dance on the water. Our Walking Group loves stopping off on one of the many benches to take a breather or to draw the trees in the arboretum, and our Conservation Group enjoys completing nature tasks like balsam pulling around the site. The park is a great all-rounder, I think we love it mainly for its rich wildlife and heritage."
Ella Dixon, ‘Wild about Wakefield’ Project Officer, Open Country