Leeds is home to a wide variety of locations and locales to walk through, so we're collecting the best walks, trails and paths in Leeds for you to explore! 

Walking has lots of benefits, from getting out into the open air and exercising to immersing yourself in the beautiful natural environment of Yorkshire. Here are our recommendations for the best walks around Leeds, from short walks around the city to lengthier trails and hikes further into the country! 

Leeds Canal Walk 

This beautiful walk along the Aire and Calder Canal gives a comprehensive vista of the city, lying just south of Leeds Bus Station for an easy travel link across Crown Point Bridge. This short four kilometre walk takes you around the most picturesque part of the Leeds River, starting from the Royal Armouries Museum (another fantastic place to visit). With beautiful views of the river and historic buldings along the way, this walk ends at the Thwaite Watermill, a fascinating museum that explores the industrial history of Leeds and Yorkshire. 

Meanwood Valley Trail 

Right in the centre of Leeds? The Meanwood Valley Trail starts just off Woodhouse Moor and takes you a leisurely seven miles to the outskirts of Leeds past village greens, ponds and nature areas. At the halfway point, the trail takes you through the enchanting Meanwood Park and ruins of Victorian aqueducts. The route then follows the Adel Beck through canopied paths until it reaches Golden Acre Park where you can find stunning lakes, ponds and a cafe. 

Roundhay Park Walk 

Looking for a walk a bit further out? Roundhay Park is one of the biggest city parks in Europe and it hosts a wide variety of separate walking locations and trails, or you could just walk the entire thing! With two lakes and some of the most beautiful gardens in Yorkshire, it's hard to think of a better accessible nature walk. Plus, after finishing the walk, you can explore a number of amenities like Tropical World which hosts a fantastic array of animals and the Lakeside Cafe. 

Leeds Country Way 

Got a serious wanderlust? The Leeds Country Way is an absolutely colossal 62-mile walk in a circle around all of Leeds. The entire route is broken down into manageable four to seven mile chunks that you can complete at your leisure. This walk takes its challengers through some of the most varied and idyllic countryside in England while never getting further than seven miles away from Leeds City Centre. The previously mentioned Meanwood Valley Trail connects to the Leeds Country Way in Golden Acre Park if you're still up for more walking by the time you reach the end. 

To sum up, these are only a few of the great walks around Leeds to go on. For the more techy among you, you can get stats on your walking and exercise, as well as new routes to explore, through a wide variety of apps like Strava, AllTrails and Gaia GPS.