By the end of June organisers hope that the Woodhouse Moor parkrun will be happening once again after a pandemic-enforced absence of over a year. Starved of our weekly fix of fitness (and sociability) many parkrun regulars have taken to exploring our neighbourhood on foot. Here at HeadingleyLeeds we’ve been adding to our collection of ideas for local walks on the website throughout the pandemic. But what if you want to see a bit more, perhaps whilst raising your heart rate a smidge?
Jogging around the area is a great way to combine a spot of exercise with really getting under the skin of our neighbourhood. A chance to revisit much loved favourites or discover some of its best kept secrets. Despite our proximity to the city centre we are blessed with a ridiculous number of parks and greenspaces in and around the borders of Headingley which means you can combine your discoveries of our urban streetscape with long stretches of greenery, peace and quiet. The route shown here, which you can run, jog or simply walk, aims to pick up most of these green spaces, while throwing in a few historical, sporting and cultural sites along the way.
It’s a circular route, so you can start wherever is most convenient to you, but wherever you begin you will get to visit no less than four Moors (Little, Cinder, Monument and Woodhouse), three Parks (Burley, Beckett and Meanwood), two hidden gems (Dagmar Wood and Sparrow Park) and the quiet wooded glades of Batcliffe Woods and Queens Wood.
En-route you get to enjoy long distance views from West Park Fields and Woodhouse Ridge and explore the glorious mix of the formal and natural landscape that is The Hollies.
In between the green spaces you can admire a stunning view of the minarets and green dome of the Makkah Masjid Mosque, pass by the world famous Headingley Stadium, wonder at the historical oddity that is the Bear Pit, enjoy the street art of the painted media boxes in the Ash Road Area, and nip along at least five of the famous Headingley ginnels. If that’s not enough, while enjoying the tranquil greenery of the Meanwood Valley you’ll be jogging back through time in an area that was previously the industrial heart of the neighbourhood – once home to mills and dyeworks but now home to an astonishing array of wildlife.
To follow the route, just click on the link here https://strava.app.link/y7MFM7gGxgb. Or why not make up your own jogging route around Headingley and tell us about it?
Alan Beswick, May 2021
