[1] Begin your walk with Leeds Town Hall at your back.
Before crossing Headrow and going down Park Cross, take a moment to enjoy Cuthbert Brodrick’s marvellous Victorian civic building, built in 1858.
Turn left along St Pauls Street, cross East Parade and go along the length of Infirmary Street. Crossing Park Row you turn right and continue down to Bishopgate Street. Cross Bishopgate and turn right down Neville Street, which goes under Leeds stations’ railway tracks. Just before you exit the underpass, turn right into The Granary Wharf Arches which are further under the station.
(A) In 1864 it was proposed to build a ‘New Station’ in Leeds. Construction began in 1866 and the station was completed in 1869, built on arches which span the River Aire, Neville Street and Swinegate. It led to the creation of the 'Dark Arches' over Neville Street, using more than 18 million bricks – a record at the time. Although the arches appear to be one single structure, closer inspection reveals they’re a series of independent viaducts two or four tracks wide. The station is situated next to the terminus of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, but as the station is raised high above ground level it’s possible to gain access to the Dark Arches from the towpath.
At the end of the tunnel turn right to exit by the side of the canal. Go across the courtyard and exit via the footbridge, which takes you to Little Neville Street. Turn right into Neville Street and cross Victoria Bridge.
[2] Turn right along Water Lane and then left into Marshall Street just past David Street.
(B)You’ll pass Marshall Mills on your right, built by John Marshall who was born at 1 Briggate in 1765. In 1790, he bought the freehold of an acre of land on Water Lane, ideal for a mill because of its proximity to the canal and the Aire & Calder Navigation. The six-storey water-powered mill used water drawn from the nearby Hol Beck to spin yarn and created enough power to run 7,000 spindles, employing 2,000 factory workers. Just past the site is Temple Works (or Mill). Also built by John Marshall, it was designed by Joseph Bonomi and based on the Temple of Horus at Edu, with a chimney designed in the style of an obelisk. While empty and largely derelict these days, Temple Works is the only Grade I-listed building in Holbeck.
[3] Continue to the end of Marshall Street and turn right onto Nineveh Road. Then turn right into Bridge Road and take the first right into Sweet Street West. Turn left into Bath Road and turn right where it meets with Water Lane. Retrace your steps for a short distance and then turn left onto Globe Road.
[4] Continue down Globe Road until it meets Whitehall Road. Cross over this road and turn left to take you down to the towpath along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.
(C)Linking the cities of Leeds and Liverpool, the canal is 204 km/127 miles long. It crosses the Pennines and includes 91 locks along the main line. It has several small branches and a new link was recently constructed into the Liverpool docks system.
[5] Walk along the canal with the water to your right. Where the canal meets the River Aire at Lock 1, turn left and then right to cross the water. At Neville Street continue straight, with the river on your right.
On the skyline to your right you can see the famous Tetley’s Brewery sign.
Before you turn left at Leeds Bridge to cross the river, note the blue plaque commerating Louis le Prince.
(D) Considered by many to be the true father of motion pictures, in October 1888 Le Prince filmed moving picture sequences on Leeds Bridge using his single-lens camera and Eastman’s paper film. These were several years before the work of competing inventors, like the Lumiere brothers and Thomas Edison.
After turning left, continue ahead along Bridge End which joins Briggate. Turn left onto Boar Lane and follow it until you come to Park Row.
[6] Turn right and go up Park Row. Cross Headrow and continue up Cookridge to the Leeds City Museum on your right.
(E)Established as the Mechanics Institute in 1819 by the Leeds Philosophical and Literary Society, this Cuthbert Brodrick creation was recently re-opened in 2008 as a free-to-enter museum.
[7] Cross the road and walk around the back of the Leeds Civic Centre, turning left along Portland Crescent. Turn left onto Portland Way and the left again onto Calverley Street. Turn right onto Great George Street to walk in front of Leeds Infirmary.
(F) The first hospital, known as the Leeds General Infirmary was built in 1771. Construction of the current hospital on its new site in Great George Street started in 1863 to the designs of Sir George Gilbert Scott.
[8] From here, turn left onto Park Street and then left again to bring you back to Leeds Town Hall.