The best walks and hikes around Wakefield

Exploring a ‘Merrie’ yet bloody city

In the Middle Ages, Wakefield became a market town and was renowned for its sporting events, such as the archery competitions that took place on the Calder’s meadows. This status earned Wakefield the moniker of ‘Merrie City’. 

However, a major battle took place near the now ruined Sandal Castle during the War of the Roses. On 30th December 1460, the Battle of Wakefield saw Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, and over 2,000 Yorkists killed at the hands of the Lancastrians, who suffered comparatively minor losses. It is thought that these events are the origin of the famous nursery rhyme, the Grand Old Duke of York. The castle saw yet more bloodshed during a 1642 siege in the Civil War.

Sandal Castle’s ruins still stand on a hill above Pugneys Country Park, a 250-acre (101 ha) greenspace centred around two beautiful lakes, one of which is a nature reserve. The park is within easy reach of the city and combines gorgeous wildlife, woodland trails and sloping fields. There are few finer walks in Wakefield than a hike up to the castle, which reveals spellbinding views across the lower Calder Valley and to the city’s prominent 247-foot (75 m) cathedral spire, the tallest in Yorkshire.

Wakefield’s many greenspaces

Many of the best hiking routes around Wakefield are found along its vibrant watercourses at places like the Southern Washlands Nature Corridor or Alverthorpe Meadows and Wrenthorpe Park. The cityowes much of its prosperity to the River Calder and its canals, rising to prominence during the Industrial Revolution thanks to the textile, corn and coal trade. Many of its former collieries are now nature parks and reserves, such as Walton Colliery Nature Park, a perfect place to seek out wildlife encounters.

The Wakefield Way and the regions’ vibrant parks

Some of the finest hikes around Wakefield can be found at Anglers Country Park. Once the site of one of the deepest coal mines in England, the area has seen a transformation into an expansive wildlife haven. As well as the reservoir at the park’s heart, there’s gorgeous forest paths at Haw Park Wood, the Barnsley Canal and yet more lakeside trails to explore.

Anglers is also the designated start and end point for the Wakefield Way, a 70-mile (113 km) loop of the Wakefield Metropolitan District that visits many of the region’s commons, woodlands and country parks, including the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. This open-air gallery showcases fascinating pieces by British and international artists. It sprawls across 500 acres (202 ha) of the 18th-century Bretton Hall’s glorious parkland and lakes, combining cultural and natural splendour.