Meanwood Valley Trail Race
Start and finish at Old Leodiensians' Rugby Club, Crag Lane, Off King Lane, Alwoodley.
The race starts in the field [Start] to the North of the Clubhouse and takes one and a quarter laps of this field [W][S][E][N][W], exitting at [S] via [10] to Stairfoot Lane [11] then through the woods [12] and a field [12A-12B] and more woods [13-17] to the North of Old Leo's passing the entrance to Leo's on King Lane [18], across the recreation ground to Buckstone Road [19] and then follows the path [20-21] almost to the crosspaths at the "Slavering Baby" spring. From here, the runners follow paths near the back of Buckstone Housing Estate and down to the Seven Arches aqueduct [21-38]. From Seven Arches, the route follows the Meanwood Valley Trail waymarked path which then leads to the tunnel under the Ring Road at Bywater Farm [47-48].
From Bywater Farm, the runners cross Smithy Mills Lane / Parkside Road [60-61] (this road has restricted access and/but will be well marshalled) and go through the gate to take the path into the woods towards Meanwood Park. After 100 yards [62] they turn sharp left to climb the hill following the path [62-68] that passes close by the Myrtle Cricket Ground [69]. From this point, the route descends into the wood [70-71] and then follows a path up again [72-73] to emerge at the top North East corner of Meanwood Park [74]
The route will be marked to cross the Park avoiding the children’s playground and car park [75]. It will cross the beck on one of the small stone bridges [76] (avoiding the main pedestrian bridges) and re-cross the beck on another stone bridge [78] nearer to Hustler’s Row. The route will then reenter the woods via the footpath by Hustler’s Row [79] from where the runners start to re-trace their steps, continuing directly back through the woods [80-81] to the road crossing [82-83], then under the tunnel and past Bywater Farm.
The route then retraces the outward route past Seven Arches, past the Buckstone, and back to the "Slavering Baby" [48-30]. At this point the route rejoins the Meanwood Trail proper [90] for about 600 yards [91-94], passing one of the Leo's cricket pitches on the right, then bears right to come back near to the starting field [95]. However the runners go straight across the path and up Adel Crag [96], so that the field is approached from the North [97-99]. The final part of the route is three-quarters of a lap of the field [N][W][S] to the Finish.
The route will be well marshalled and marked throughout.
The
Meanwood Valley Trail Race is organised by Valley Striders