WHERE CAN WE RIDE?
Fact Sheet No. 4
Fartown – Bradley cycle route and Broad Canal circular
Huddersfields own little Spen Valley greenway is hidden away and runs between Willow Lane Birkby, near to Ben Shaws bottling plant and Leeds Road just beyond Batleys cash and carry. It follows the railway track bed through Fartown, parallel to the mainline to Leeds, and the Broad Canal, passing Fartown high school, Marina kennels and Deighton Station. The route is fully tarmacced and signed from every road crossing but, due to its tarmac surface unfortunately attracts broken glass.
The beginning of the route can be accessed from the town centre by riding from St. Georges Square along John William St., under the railway, straight over the ring road and onto St. Johns Road.
Turn the first right, Beck Road, towards MFI and Matalan and follow the industrial estates cycle lane to the T-junction with Willow Lane. Turn right, past Ben Shaws and the cycle route climbs up to the left (signed) through a series of gentle hairpins.
Where to park
If you wish to take your car and leave it for this circular route, there are a few options open.
The public car park on Cambridge Road – on the site of the old baths, is a good place to leave it. If you want to be nearer the cycle route then park on either Beck Rd. Ind. Est. or Willow Lane itself.
If you park at Cambridge Road then simply cycle up Cambridge Rd. and then sharp right down Clare Hill to meet St. Johns Rd. coming out of town.
A quick left and right takes you onto the Beck Rd. Ind. Est. past MFI and Matalan.
Once on the cycle route continue under and over several roads, through Fartown until after a mile you reach Red Doles Road. Cross this quiet road with care and join the shared footway through the Aquamarine Drive estate and through the first of the ‘chicane’ stiles – this one is just rideable (with some skill!).
Once through the estate take the right fork and ride along the back of Fartown high school, from this point the broken glass is not such a problem.
Past the turning to Marina Kennels we are treated to an excellent view across the industrialised Leeds Road corridor as we climb up the filled in cutting to Whitacre St.
Another (this time unrideable) stile takes you across Whitacre St. above Deighton Sta. with care and through another unrideable stile.
The next short stretch to the next (unrideable) stile is fairly unremarkable and we cross Deighton Road (with care) and onto the newest stretch of the route to Leeds Rd.
Passing the back of Batleys Cash and Carry the route descends down to a big steel gate onto Leeds Rd. although you can ride through the gaps in the big rocks beside the locked gate.
From here bear left along the shared footway beside Leeds Rd. towards Bradley.
We must take to the main carriageway with great care via a painted cycle lane near the junction with Oak Rd., and descend down the hill to the traffic lights at Bradley Bar.
The painted cycle lane disappears momentarily at the lights but once through you can rejoin the shared footway almost immediately.
Continue cautiously past the Lower Quarry Rd. junction and the ‘Total’ filling station entrance and exit.
Immediately after the filling station exit turn left at the ‘pallets wanted’ sign. After only 10 or 15 yards turn sharp right (with care) down a narrow cobbled ramp above the River Calder, this right turn is hard to spot so keep a sharp lookout!
This ramp takes you down underneath Leeds Rd. and emerges at the junction of Huddersfield Broad Canal and the River Calder.
Continue straight ahead up and over the narrow hump back bridge, over Lock No. 1 of the Broad Canal which now continues right into town where it becomes the Narrow Canal behind the Firth St. University buildings.
The towpath, for the first mile, passes through 3 heavy steel ‘chicane’ stiles and is surfaced with a narrow concrete strip, where in some places it is better to take to the grass due to the rough state of the surface.
After this first mile the surface improves greatly due to recent refurbishment works and we have a fine gravel surface all the way to town.
Soon after this new surface begins we come to our 4th steel stile directly under the blue brick viaduct. Look to your left and you will see a narrow path running between the viaduct and a steel fence. This short stretch leads onto Ashgrove Rd. where access can be gained to Dalton Bank Road and Kirkheaton via the track around the back of the ICI/Zeneca plant. See fact sheet 3 for details.
Staying on the towpath then, continue straight on through the next chicane stile and under the main Leeds Rd. bridge.
Leeds Rd. playing fields now open up to your left before the next double stile which is of a ‘narrow shoulder’ type and takes you across the access road to Marina kennels.
You can at this point turn right, over the canal bridge and continue under the railway through another stile and join the Fartown – Bradley route should you wish. Sometimes if there is a fishing contest in progress this is wise.
However, staying on the canal continue on through the next double ‘narrow shoulder’ stile and past the lower slopes of fartown high school fields to your right.
To rejoin the cycle route at Red Doles Rd. look for the hump back bridge over the canal with a large steel pipe running alongside it.
There is a small white building on the left just after the bridge, the former lock keepers cottage, and a range of red brick industrial buildings above and to the right.
Turn right over the bridge and join Red Doles Rd. pass under the railway bridge and take the signed left turn back up the cycle route opposite the Aquamarine Drive estate.
Ride up this short but tough climb and keep right at the bollards and head back towards Huddersfield, retracing your original route to Willow Lane, Beck Rd., or Cambridge Rd.