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Traffic free routes in West Yorkshire

lotus49lotus49 Posts: 763
edited June 2013 in Family & kids cycling forum
I took my younger son (11) and daughter (7) out on our first proper family bike ride today on the Spen Valley Greenway. My younger son managed all right on his rather heavy MTB but he's more of a musician than a sportsman and wasn't as enthusiastic as I might have wished.

My daughter, on the other hand, took it in her stride and rode 15 miles on her single speed Probike Princess with tassels on the handlebars without a word of complaint. Indeed, when we got to the end she wanted to keep going. Promisingly she asked me when we could next go out for a ride together.

Because she is only 7 I'd rather hone her cycling skills a little somewhere safe before we mix it with the traffic. Does anyone have any suggestions as to other places in West Yorkshire that are traffic-free where we could cycle together? My only bike is a full road bike so realistically it will have to be metalled.

Posts

  • RiggaRigga Posts: 939
    Whereabouts in West Yorks? There are a few nice 20-30 mile loops via canals near me in Wakefield
  • lotus49lotus49 Posts: 763
    Rigga wrote:
    Whereabouts in West Yorks? There are a few nice 20-30 mile loops via canals near me in Wakefield

    North of Leeds but I don't mind driving a little bit. A canalside ride would be good because it would presumably be flat and 20 miles is a fair way for a seven year old but I think she would manage - she is pretty fit and sporty (unlike her father).

    If you could give me more details I would be very grateful.
  • zx6manzx6man Posts: 1,092
    There is the calder greenway which heads towards hudderfield too.

    you can travel the canal too at the end of the spen grenway to wakefield as said above. and from sandal you can hit the TPT route all the way to doncaster.
  • Shaun67Shaun67 Posts: 219
    We go to Dunford Bridge and ride the TPT, it's nice there with a free car park and you can ride on the
    flat for miles & miles.
  • zx6manzx6man Posts: 1,092
    Yeah, we do that bit quite regular, hadfield to doncaster. We have done the entire coast to coast on it..top stuff.
  • Mike HealeyMike Healey Posts: 1,023
    http://www.sustrans.org.uk/search-resul ... orth+Leeds for list of nearby(ish routes)
    Organising the Bradford Kids Saturday Bike Club at the Richard Dunn Sports Centre since 1998
    http://www.facebook.com/groups/eastbradfordcyclingclub/
    http://www.facebook.com/groups/eastbradfordcyclingclub/
  • make mine a triplemake mine a triple Posts: 36
    New cycle path opening from Harrogate ASDA car park all the way to Ripley nice place for a picnic / ice cream...

    http://philsnidderdalesite.co.uk/philsn ... nway_1.htm

    Alternative you can cycle from Boston Spa to Spofforth (small section on road)

    Another is a great ride from the York ring road (Rawcliffe Bar park & ride) all the way into York City centre took 3 ( 5 and 7 year old (youngest on a tag along)
  • lotus49lotus49 Posts: 763
    make mine a triple wrote:
    New cycle path opening from Harrogate ASDA car park all the way to Ripley nice place for a picnic / ice cream...

    http://philsnidderdalesite.co.uk/philsn ... nway_1.htm

    Alternative you can cycle from Boston Spa to Spofforth (small section on road)

    Another is a great ride from the York ring road (Rawcliffe Bar park & ride) all the way into York City centre took 3 ( 5 and 7 year old (youngest on a tag along)

    Harrogate isn't far from me so I'll definitely give that one a go. Thanks for the suggestions.
  • Tigger con carneTigger con carne Posts: 181
    You can get between Dewsbury and Ossett on the Ossett to Dewsbury Greenwaywhch is quite good, though it's not quite finished yet (the remaining bit through to Ossett is on very quiet roads. It's not very long but I think might link quite well with the Spen Valley. I've not explored much further but I'm pretty sure it will then link up with the Calder Hebble Navigation which can take you into Wakefield.
  • Mike HealeyMike Healey Posts: 1,023
    Tigger con carne wrote:
    You can get between Dewsbury and Ossett on the Ossett to Dewsbury Greenwaywhch is quite good, though it's not quite finished yet (the remaining bit through to Ossett is on very quiet roads. It's not very long but I think might link quite well with the Spen Valley. I've not explored much further but I'm pretty sure it will then link up with the Calder Hebble Navigation which can take you into Wakefield.

    It will also be a bridleway, so you'll be able to 'Osset
    Organising the Bradford Kids Saturday Bike Club at the Richard Dunn Sports Centre since 1998
    http://www.facebook.com/groups/eastbradfordcyclingclub/
    http://www.facebook.com/groups/eastbradfordcyclingclub/
  • muscleflexmuscleflex Posts: 12
    Anywhere around Leeds?
  • Mike HealeyMike Healey Posts: 1,023
    muscleflex wrote:
    Anywhere around Leeds?

    See my earlier post giving the Sustrans details. There's not a lot.
    Organising the Bradford Kids Saturday Bike Club at the Richard Dunn Sports Centre since 1998
    http://www.facebook.com/groups/eastbradfordcyclingclub/
    http://www.facebook.com/groups/eastbradfordcyclingclub/
  • lotus49lotus49 Posts: 763
    I've noticed that the canal towpath that you can see as you pull into Leeds station has now been metalled. I don't know how far that extends though. Does anyone else?

    I dare say I wouldn't wreck my bike going along a normal towpath but I don't fancy off-roading too much.
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