Top places to visit in West Yorkshire by bike with your kids this half-term

15 February 2019

Family cycles can make for the most memorable days out. In need of some inspiration?

Here are some of the region’s top places to visit by bike with kids this half-term on segregated cycle routes as chosen by the team behind West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s £60m CityConnect programme aimed at encouraging more people to cycle and walk.

Bradford Leeds Cycle Superhighway

At 14km the award-winning CityConnect Bradford Leeds Cycle Superhighway is the longest continuous route of its kind in the UK.

As the name suggests it connects two of Yorkshire’s major cities, Bradford and Leeds, both of which are home to plenty of child-friendly activities.

Bradford is home to the National Science and Media Museum and its wonderful exhibition spaces, collections and IMAX cinema, particularly Wonderlab, provides hours of entertainment.

Just across the way is City Park, home to the Mirror Pool - the largest urban water feature in the UK. At night the Mirror Pool transforms into a light, laser and water display, making it a great place to visit with the kids on those long winter evenings.

Why not double the fun and visit the Bradford Ice Arena just around the corner?

At the opposite end of the Cycle Superhighway, delve into the past at Leeds Industrial Museum or the Royal Armouries, check out some of the family holiday activities on offer at Leeds City Museum or take a walk on the wild side on the Leeds Owl Trail.

Blowing away the cobwebs on a winter walk in the park with a thermos flask is as good as anything. Armley Park and Bradford Moor Park are both easily accessible from the Cycle Superhighway.

Leeds & Liverpool Canal towpath

The Aire Valley Towpath is a flat route providing an opportunity to explore part of the longest canal in the UK, the Leeds & Liverpool canal.

Just a few miles along the towpath from Leeds city centre is Kirkstall Abbey or further along is Rodley Nature Reserve.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Saltaire is also easily accessible with the towpath running close to Salts Mill, as is the National Trust’s East Riddlesden Hall further along.

Castleford to Wakefield Greenway

The Castleford to Wakefield Greenway links Fairies Hill Locks by Whitwood Golf Course with Methley Bridge, with the option to treat the kids to some cake at Methley Bridge Farm Shop.

From the Greenway, linking up with Sustrans’ Wykebeck Way will take you to the 700 acre Roundhay Park, where the kids can discover their inner explorer at Tropical World.

Use the Wakefield Wheel to visit the National Trust’s Nostell estate, where there are some woodland cycle trails for the whole family to enjoy.

Calder Hebble Navigation canal towpath

Cycle from the marina in Sowerby Bridge along the Calder Hebble Navigation canal and link up to the Hebble Trail to the centre of Halifax for a family day out at Eureka or The Piece Hall.

Huddersfield Narrow Canal towpath

Check out our new and improved section of towpath on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal between Milnsbridge and the town centre, where you could visit Huddersfield Art Gallery or download one of Huddersfield Local History Society’s walking maps and learn more about the town’s past.

Cllr Kim Groves, Chair of West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Transport Committee, said: “We’re blessed with some wonderful cycling and walking routes, which are not only connecting people with employment and training opportunities, but also helping open up access to some of our best countryside.”

Share pictures of your cycling adventures, however big or small, with CityConnect on Twitter and Facebook.

From route information to free adult cycle training, online challenges and support for businesses, find out how CityConnect can help you.