Photo of white concrete building under white sky during daytime.

Photo Gary Butterfield / Unsplash

Places to explore near Leeds

A Victorian wool and cloth city grown wealthy on the River Aire, Leeds keeps its grand shopping arcades and red-brick mills, with the Cistercian ruin of Kirkstall Abbey standing beside the water to the north-west. The moors begin quickly. Wharfedale runs up towards Ilkley, where Ilkley Moor lifts to the gritstone of the Cow and Calf Rocks, and Otley Chevin gives a wide view back over the vale. Harewood House sits in its Capability Brown park nearby, and the Yorkshire Dales lie within an hour's drive.

99 places within 25 km — the standouts first, nearest first within each group. 3 are national icons.

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Worth the tripnational icons and local highlights within reach

Photo of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, a 127-mile canal running from Leeds to Liverpool, England.

Leeds & Liverpool Canal

The longest single canal in Britain, crossing the Pennines by Bingley's Five Rise Locks and the moors above Burnley.

0.8 km S · spans 5 counties

Photo of Kirkstall Abbey, a ruined abbey near Leeds, West Yorkshire, northern England.

Kirkstall Abbey

Abbey near Leeds

Complete Cistercian ruin beside the Aire.

4.5 km NW

Photo of Harewood House, a Grade I registered house & garden near Spofforth, West Yorkshire, northern England.

Harewood House

House & garden near Spofforth

Grand house with Capability Brown parkland.

10.9 km N

Photo of Otley Chevin Country Park, a country park in West Yorkshire, northern England.

Otley Chevin Country Park

Country park near Otley

A country park in West Yorkshire.

12.1 km NW

Photo of Undercliffe Cemetery, a Grade II* registered house & garden near Bradford, West Yorkshire, northern England.

Undercliffe Cemetery

House & garden near Bradford

A grand Victorian cemetery of obelisks and mausolea laid out by Bradford wool merchants.

12.4 km W

Photo of Nidderdale, a National Landscape in North Yorkshire, northern England.

Nidderdale

National Landscape near Pateley Bridge

A quiet Yorkshire dale of reservoirs, gritstone rocks and wooded gorges, next door to the Dales but with room to breathe

15.2 km NW

Photo of Almscliffe Crag, a rock formation near Otley, North Yorkshire, northern England.

Almscliffe Crag

Rock formation near Otley

Gritstone crag standing alone above lower Wharfedale, a landmark scramble with panoramic views.

15.5 km N

Photo of Salts Mill, a visitor attraction near Saltaire, West Yorkshire, northern England.

Salts Mill

Attraction near Saltaire

Titus Salt's vast 1853 mill, now home to David Hockney galleries, bookshops and a cafe in the World Heritage village.

16.3 km W

Photo of Saltaire, a village in West Yorkshire, northern England.

Saltaire

Titus Salt's model mill village of 1851 on the Aire, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with Salts Mill's Hockney galleries.

16.4 km W · West Yorkshire

Photo of Nostell Priory, a Grade II* registered house & garden near Wakefield, West Yorkshire, northern England.

Nostell Priory

House & garden near Wakefield

A Palladian house holding one of the finest Chippendale furniture collections anywhere.

19.5 km SE

Photo of Bingley Five Rise Locks, a landmark near Saltaire, West Yorkshire, northern England.

Bingley Five Rise Locks

Landmark near Saltaire

The steepest staircase of locks in Britain — five chambers lifting the Leeds & Liverpool Canal about 60 feet in a single flight.

19.9 km W

Photo of RHS Garden Harlow Carr, a garden near Harrogate, North Yorkshire, northern England.

RHS Garden Harlow Carr

Garden near Harrogate

The RHS’s northern flagship garden at Harrogate, 58 acres of streamside plantings, woodland and kitchen gardens with a Bettys tea room.

20 km N

Photo of Plumpton Rocks, a Grade II* registered house & garden near Spofforth, North Yorkshire, northern England.

Plumpton Rocks

House & garden near Spofforth

Millstone grit crags above a still lake, a 1760s garden Turner painted.

20.7 km N

Photo of Yorkshire Sculpture Park, a garden near West Bretton, West Yorkshire, northern England.

Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Garden near West Bretton

Five hundred acres of Bretton Hall parkland dotted with Moore, Hepworth and Goldsworthy sculpture, plus formal gardens and galleries.

20.9 km S

Photo of Cow and Calf Rocks, a rock formation near Ilkley, West Yorkshire, northern England.

Cow and Calf Rocks

Rock formation near Ilkley

Millstone-grit outcrops on the edge of Ilkley Moor, a climbers' and walkers' magnet with wide Wharfedale views.

21.1 km NW

Photo of The Stray, a landmark near Harrogate, North Yorkshire, northern England.

The Stray

Landmark near Harrogate

Two hundred acres of protected common looping the town centre, ablaze with crocuses in spring.

21.3 km N

Photo of Harrogate, a village in North Yorkshire, northern England.

Harrogate

Genteel spa town of the Stray's green sweep, the Valley Gardens and Bettys, its pump room recalling the sulphur-water heyday.

21.4 km N · North Yorkshire

Photo of Bettys Cafe Tea Rooms, a visitor attraction near Harrogate, North Yorkshire, northern England.

Bettys Cafe Tea Rooms

Attraction near Harrogate

Harrogate’s grand Bettys on Parliament Street, a Yorkshire institution for fat rascals and afternoon tea.

21.4 km N

Photo: Ilkley Moor, a viewpoint in West Yorkshire, northern England.

Ilkley Moor

Viewpoint near Ilkley

Heather moor of the famous song, scattered with the Twelve Apostles stone circle and prehistoric rock carvings.

21.6 km NW

Photo of Harrogate Turkish Baths, a visitor attraction in North Yorkshire, northern England.

Harrogate Turkish Baths

Attraction near Harrogate

Ornate Victorian Turkish baths of Moorish tiling, plunge pool and steam rooms in the spa town's centre.

21.6 km N

Photo of The Piece Hall, a landmark near Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire, northern England.

The Piece Hall

Landmark near Sowerby Bridge

The world's only surviving Georgian cloth hall, a grand colonnaded courtyard of shops and events in Halifax.

22 km SW

Photo of White Wells, a landmark near Ilkley, West Yorkshire, northern England.

White Wells

Landmark near Ilkley

Restored 18th-century spa bath-house on Ilkley Moor with a plunge pool and a moorland cafe.

22.1 km NW

Photo of Ilkley, a village in West Yorkshire, northern England.

Ilkley

Refined moor-edge spa town on the Wharfe, gateway to Ilkley Moor and the Cow and Calf, with a Bettys on the Grove.

22.6 km NW · West Yorkshire

Photo of Ilkley Lido, a lido in West Yorkshire, northern England.

Ilkley Lido

Lido near Ilkley

A Grade II-listed 1935 lido with a round, mushroom-shaped pool on the grass below Ilkley Moor.

23.1 km NW

Photo of Mother Shipton's Cave, a cave near Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, northern England.

Mother Shipton's Cave

Cave near Knaresborough

England's oldest paying tourist attraction, a petrifying well by the Nidd said to turn objects to stone.

23.4 km N

Photo of Knaresborough Viaduct, a landmark in North Yorkshire, northern England.

Knaresborough Viaduct

Landmark near Knaresborough

Ornate Victorian railway viaduct arching the Nidd gorge above the boats and riverside gardens.

23.7 km N

Photo of Knaresborough, a village in North Yorkshire, northern England.

Knaresborough

Market town stacked on cliffs above the Nidd, its railway viaduct arching the gorge over rowing boats and riverside gardens.

24 km N · North Yorkshire

Photo of Taylor's on the Green, a visitor attraction near Haworth, West Yorkshire, northern England.

Taylor's on the Green

Attraction near Haworth

The taproom and kitchen of Timothy Taylor's, Keighley brewers of Landlord, Britain's classic cask ale.

24.8 km W

Also nearbygood places nearby, nearest first

Photo of the Aire & Calder Navigation, a 34-mile river navigation running from Leeds to Goole, northern England.

Aire & Calder Navigation

River navigation

Yorkshire's commercial waterway since 1704, canalising the Aire from Leeds and Wakefield down to the docks at Goole.

0.8 km S · West Yorkshire, East Riding of Yorkshire & North Yorkshire

Photo along the Leeds Country Way, a 62-mile long-distance path in northern England.

Leeds Country Way

Long-distance path

A green-belt circuit of Leeds that never strays more than seven miles from the city centre, yet spends most of its time in farmland.

6.4 km W · West Yorkshire

Photo of Pudsey Cemetery, a Grade II* registered house & garden near Bradford, West Yorkshire, northern England.

Pudsey Cemetery

House & garden near Bradford

A dramatic hillside cemetery of 1872 with twin Gothic chapels by William Gay.

7.8 km W

Photo of Golden Acre Country Park, a country park near Otley, West Yorkshire, northern England.

Golden Acre Country Park

Country park near Otley

A country park in West Yorkshire.

8 km N

Golden Acre Park

Garden near Bramhope

Lakeside Leeds park of 179 acres with demonstration gardens, rock gardens and mature woodland.

8.4 km N

Photo of E Oldroyd & Sons, a farm & farm shop near Lofthouse, West Yorkshire, northern England.

E Oldroyd & Sons

Farm & farm shop near Lofthouse

Fifth-generation growers offering candlelit forcing-shed tours in the heart of the Rhubarb Triangle.

8.6 km SE

Oakwell Hall Country Park

Country park near Bradford

A country park in West Yorkshire.

10 km SW

Photo along the Bronte Way, a 43-mile long-distance path running from Birstall to Padiham, England.

Bronte Way

Long-distance path

Oakwell Hall to Gawthorpe Hall across the Pennine edge — Haworth, Top Withens and the moors behind Wuthering Heights.

10.5 km SW · West Yorkshire & Lancashire

Photo of Peel Park, a Grade II* registered house & garden near Bradford, West Yorkshire, northern England.

Peel Park

House & garden near Bradford

Bradford's first public park, opened in 1853 with mill-owners' money.

12.8 km W

Everything else within 25 km (62) — reserves, earthworks & places to check before travelling

Westgate Unitarian ChapelChurch13.4 km S
Calder & Hebble NavigationRiver navigation13.5 km S
Bramham ParkHouse & garden13.7 km NE
Lotherton Hall Estate Country ParkCountry park14.8 km E
OtleyVillage14.8 km NW
Saltaire Brewery TaproomBrewery14.9 km W
All Saints' Church, OtleyChurch15 km NW
Pugneys Country ParkCountry park15.5 km S
The Cricketers ArmsPub15.6 km S
Walton Country ParkCountry park16.2 km S
Dales High WayLong-distance path16.4 km W
Saltaire United Reformed ChurchChurch16.5 km W
The Roebuck InnPub16.9 km NW
Calderdale WayLong-distance path17.1 km SW
SpofforthVillage17.8 km N
WetherbyVillage17.8 km NE
Newmillerdam Country ParkCountry park18.3 km S
Spofforth CastleCastle18.4 km N
Steeton Hall GatewayLandmark18.7 km E
Leeds - Liverpool CanalSSSIaccess unclear2.5 km W
St John the Baptist's Church, AdelChurch6.2 km N
Rothwell CastleCastleaccess unclear7.1 km SE
Eccup ReservoirSSSIaccess unclear7.3 km N
Adel Roman fortRoman archaeological siteaccess unclear7.6 km N
Breary MarshSSSI8.2 km N
Battle of Adwalton MoorBattlefield9.5 km SW
Barwick-in-Elmet CastleHillfortaccess unclear10.7 km E
Townclose HillsSSSI11.1 km E
Hetchell WoodSSSIaccess unclear11.2 km NE
Norwood BottomsSSSIaccess unclear11.3 km NE
Mickletown IngsSSSIaccess unclear11.6 km SE
Castle Hill motte (West Yorkshire)Castleaccess unclear11.7 km NE
Roach Lime HillsSSSIaccess unclear12 km E
Harewood CastleCastleaccess unclear12.1 km N
Manor Garth Hill ringworkEarthworks of a former castleaccess unclear12.3 km E
Yeadon Brickworks & Railway CuttingSSSIaccess unclear12.4 km NW
Rougemont Castle (North Yorkshire)Castleaccess unclear12.5 km N
East Keswick FittsSSSIaccess unclear12.9 km NE
Newland PreceptoryPreceptoryaccess unclear13.2 km SE
Wakefield CathedralChurch13.4 km S
Hook MoorSSSI13.6 km E
Great Dib WoodSSSI14.3 km NW
Lowe Hill motteEarthworks of a former castleaccess unclear14.4 km S
Micklefield QuarrySSSIaccess unclear14.7 km E
Fairburn and Newton IngsSSSIaccess unclear14.8 km SE
Ledston Hall and ParkHouse & gardenaccess unclear15 km E
Dalton Parlours Roman villaRoman archaeological siteaccess unclear15 km NE
Linton CommonSSSIaccess unclear15.3 km NE
Bradford Pennine GatewayNational Nature Reserve15.4 km NW
Castle Hills settlementCastleaccess unclear15.4 km E
Fairburn Ings (Newton Abbey) moatAbbeyaccess unclear15.8 km SE
Castle Hall Hill motteCastleaccess unclear15.9 km SW
Madbanks and Ledsham BanksSSSIaccess unclear16 km E
Sandal CastleEarthworks of a former castleaccess unclear16.2 km S
Kirklees PrioryPrioryaccess unclear17 km SW
Trench MeadowsSSSI17.1 km W
South Pennine MoorsSSSI17.5 km NW
Wharfe at Wilderness CarparkSwimming spot17.7 km NE
Saxton CastleEarthworks of a former castleaccess unclear18.1 km E
Denby Grange Colliery PondsSSSIaccess unclear18.3 km S
Sherburn WillowsSSSIaccess unclear18.6 km E
Battle of TowtonBattlefield18.7 km E

Ordered by how far each place is worth travelling for, then by distance. Distances are straight-line to the nearest edge of each place — paths wind, of course.