Temple Newsam

A circular walk from the Temple Newsam estate on the edge of Leeds, exploring Capability Brown’s parkland and the area's more recent industrial past.

We start from the car park entering the estate’s landscaped parkland where we pass the stable courtyard and the impressive Tudor-Jacobean house. We then circle the golf course through some permissive woodland before leaving the estate passing under the M1 motorway.

After emerging from the underpass we make our way to Skelton County Park. The park is a 60 acre rejuvenated ex-coal mining area that has been transformed into green space and a lake. We skirt the edge of a new housing development to reach a view point over Skelton Lake. We drop down to the lake side, before picking up the River Aire and the Aire and Calder Navigation Canal.

We follow the canal passing Fishpond Lock & Woodlesford Lock before starting to make our way back to the Temple Newsam estate via country road and bridleway. We enter the estate following The Avenue, with views back to the house. We finish the walk by visiting the Little Temple, Menagerie Ponds and the Walled Garden, before making our way back to the car park following the Rhododendron walk.