Leave the car at home and try this lovely flat canal route, just under 10 miles and perfect for anyone training for a half marathon distance. Starting at Leeds train station and ending at Apperley Bridge station, or vice-versa if you fancy – it really isn’t a complicated route to follow. So you can just focus on running and enjoying this scenic canal trail.

The only tricky bit might be finding the canal towpath from either stations. If you are leaving from Leeds Station, make sure you exit the train station using the ‘Wetherspoons’ entrance/exit. Head straight across the road (take care here as this is one of the main taxi drop-off points!). Keep the towering glass offices to your right and head down the steps following the active Leeds footprints that mark the pavement/path and the waterfront trail. You will soon come to a pedestrian bridge – a striking tied steel arch called the Whitehall Bridge.

This will take you onto the Leeds Liverpool canal. Turn right away from the city and you are on your way!

Stay on the canal towpath until you reach Apperley bridge.

You will see some signs for Calverley woods as you pass under a bridge, take the turn off the canal just on the other side of the bridge to avoid crossing the busy main road. You will see the bridge cafe. Keep running up the hill towards the Stansfield arms, just slightly up from this is Apperley train station. Trains to Leeds are every 30 minutes or so.

Facilities

There are toilets and cafes galore at Leeds train station and at Apperley bridge there is the Bridge Cafe as you come off the canal and the Stansfield Arms Pub (opposite Woodhouse Grove School), just before the station end point.