Leeds-Liverpool Canal

The longest canal built as a single waterway in Britain, stretching 127 miles with a restored section through Leeds city centre. The towpath offers car-free walking and cycling routes passing converted warehouses, narrowboat moorings, and waterside pubs. It sits below the headline sights but earns its place on a longer visit to Leeds, especially paired with nearby Royal Armouries Museum. Tickets cost Free to walk/cycle, narrowboat trips from £8-15 per person and 1-4 hours depending on distance walked is enough to see everything without rushing.

Priority: Medium - include with 2+ days Time needed: 1-4 hours depending on distance walked Best for: peaceful escape from city traffic with industrial Skip if: You prefer coastal or mountain walking over urban waterways Cost: Free to walk/cycle, narrowboat trips from £8-15 per person

Walk or cycle along the flat towpath watching narrowboats navigate locks while passing converted Victorian warehouses and waterside cafés. The route connects central Leeds to countryside within 30 minutes of walking.

Accessibility: Towpath generally flat and suitable for wheelchairs, though some sections are unsurfaced, benches at regular intervals

Peaceful escape from city traffic with industrial heritage, waterside dining, and easy flat walking or cycling. It is not the first thing you should see in Leeds, but with two or more days it fills a gap the major sights leave. It pairs naturally with Royal Armouries Museum and Kirkstall Abbey - together they fill a solid half-day. Afternoon tends to work best here.

Skip if: You prefer coastal or mountain walking over urban waterways

• Start from Granary Wharf near the train station for easy access.
• The Calls area has several waterside bars and restaurants.
• Sections toward Kirkstall are more rural and scenic.

Insider tip: The section from Granary Wharf to Kirkstall Abbey makes a perfect 5-mile round trip with a pub stop at the Bridge Inn

Excellent reflections photography especially at dawn and dusk, narrowboats make colourful subjects year-round