Wakrot one

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Wakrot here.

A good walk except for the field south of the M62 where rhubarb has been planted across the footpath. It's possible to detour to the west and along a wooded track/edge of field.

The final part of my three route walk from Royston to Rothwell, which I walked from Wakefield to Rothwell. Most of this route is fine, but I had three problems, two of which are fixed in my alternative WAKROT 2, which uses about 90% of this route.

Leaving Wakefield, we go up Union Street and go through the bus station to Marsh Way, and cross it on a pelican crossing, then turning right, and then left up Pinderfield Road. Go straight across Eastmoor Road and follow Long Causeway past the hospital to Bar Lane.

Cross to the cycle path on the far side and turn right, then left into the wonderfully named Ouchthorpe Lane, which we leave almost immediately on a footpath to the right. Where it divides we go straight on (left fork) along the edge of the field, then across another to follow the path along the edge of the golf course, then right and left down into Finkin Lane. Go right and then left into Finkin Avenue, then follow the path through to Aberford Road, turning left down it.

I considered using the golf course drive as per the GPX route, but after looking at the helpful footpath map on the sign provided by the Golf Club, I abandoned the route to take an easier and more direct line using the permissive path than runs through the wood parallel to Aberford Road, then turned left along the path at the edge of the golf course, rejoining the planned route at the entrance to Stanley Marsh nature reserve.

There is a good path through the nature reserve, which we follow out onto Lime Pit Lane, where we turn left, then left again onto a signposted cycle track, which is not as straight as the GPX file suggests. We stay on this cycle track where it crosses Rook's Nest Road. Beyond the houses take the first surfaced track right and cross Baker Lane (the correct route is shorter than the zigzag the GPX shows). Beyond the houses, an unsurfaced path goes left up the hill and goes through a narrow gap onto Canal Lane. We turn right onto Canal Lane and left onto Millcroft, taking the left branch at the T-junction and then the signposted path right through a little wood (there are steps here and a muddy section which the path crosses on tyres).

This leads onto an open field, where we hit my biggest problem. The right of way continues straight on across the field, but there is no marked line, and there are trodden paths along the south edge of the field in both directions. Initially the crop was not difficult to cross, so I tried to follow the right of way, but partway up the hill the crop changed to something denser (possibly rhubarb) and I had to detour left to the edge of the field, which adds distance to the walk. I then followed farm tracks to pick up the better trodden path that follows the M62 to the bridge on Ouzlewell Green.

Beyond the motorway bridge, the footpath sign points along a lane which appears to be protected by a locked gate. An alternative path goes over a wooden footbridge to the field on the left hand side, and the edge of this field can be followed parallel to the right of way as far as another bridge where we rejoin the right of way. We follow the field path past a little wood, then right and left onto a good track with views down the hill. Just before the farm the path leaves the lane - there is no signpost here but the route is obvious due to the distinctive series of gates. These lead out across a car park which we cross to reach Swithens Lane, which we follow down into Rothwell.

Share your views about this route, give it a star rating, indicate whether it should be verified or not.

Include information that will be useful to others considering to walk or wheel it.

You can add up to 15 photos.