Beyond Bullough Lane the path is narrower, and it is necessary to use one of the short muddy paths right to reach Aberford Road via Pottery Lane - the canalside path goes under the road bridge. From here the main road has a good pavement, and we cross the Aire on a parallel footbridge and continue to the edge of the wood on the right, where we cross to the lane half right, then take an obvious path left to reach Swillington, where the meeting point by the church is a short distance right up Aberford Road....

Hugh Hudson

After that, the wet and muddy section, skirting fields all the way downhill to the M62; there was also a steep stile to deal with here. The path comes out at a gate just before the M62. Coming from Wakefield you might be put off by this gate with a large ‘dogs loose’ sign - do not be deterred, the footpath is hidden to the right of the gate and it’s all fields, no dogs! More muddy and soggy path uphill to Bar Lane (photo 9), and then a lovely long straight path downhill past Pinderfields all the way to Wakefield bus station, and eventually the end point near the cathedral....

Jane Taylor

Good route, quickly into greener areas out of Wakefield, Stanley Marsh Nature Reserve nice, then into proper countryside. As per earlier review, route edit suggested once passing under M62 along Lee Moor Beck and then through Bushy Cliffe Wood....

Sarah

Mostly very straightforward route, and mostly flat....

JulietP

It's possible to detour to the west and along a wooded track/edge of field....

JulietP

Leaving the river path at the first bridge is best if you fancy a brew on the way because there are two cafes nearby, the Green House and Rivers Meet....

Julie Kitchin

I walked most of this route from Wakefield to Rothwell while attempting to follow WAKROT 1, but this one uses a more direct road/pavement route from Stanley to the M62 bridge which I have not walked but should be straightforward. See my more detailed review of WAKROT 1 for more details and a few pictures....

Hugh Hudson

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. 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 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). 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....

Hugh Hudson

It is reasonably direct; the most direct alternative route is alongside busy main roads and is very unpleasant. There is a main road crossing to access the canal towpath at the Rothwell end but then it is traffic free until the centre of Leeds. Navigation is easy, as the route follows the canal towpath for most of the way....

Julie Kitchin

Some points of interest: it passes under the M1 with the river and canal, and the space (and noise) is quite memorable; it passes Thwaite Mills, one of the UKs oldest working water mills; passes Clarence Dock and the Royal Armouries. As noted, there are steps to climb at Skelton Bridge...

Zak Avery

Traffic free route once canal reached....

Alteredbeast