Calverley Canal Canter 10km

The Calverley Canal Canter 10k out and back passes two mooring points where many of the colourful canal boats take some time out from traveling the canal.

The 5k stretch of canal  takes in a medley of wildlife and some of the greenest landscapes in Yorkshire. That’s before you come back to the sandstone brickwork of beautiful villages like Apperley Bridge.

 

Wanting to find your way to the start of the route? Here is a link for a Google Maps Directions page.

This route has a distance of 4.59km and an elevation gain of 64m.

The largest non-stop incline begins in the second third of of the route, and has a distance of 200m and an elevation gain of 9m. You can see this on the above elevation chart in red.

The largest continual decline is 151m long with an elevation drop of 9m which starts in the final third of the route. This is shown on the chart as green.

Route Highlights

One of the biggest route highlights of the Calverley Canal Canter 10km is the joy of running into the Marina at Apperley Bridge. There is always a fleet of vibrant colourful barges moored up. Sit in at the Marina View Coffee Shop and soak up the tranquillity.

Best Time To Run

You can't go wrong running the Canal Canter during the summer months. Blue skies and sun only enhance the bliss of running along the towpath to a beauty spot like Apperley Bridge.

Start the route at the picturesque Apperley Bridge Marina and run over the Millman Swing Bridge. You will need to turn right and head east on the Leeds Liverpool Canal.  Stay on this path for the entirety of the run.

The route curves to the north of Calverley with the River Aire never too far away on your left hand side. Once The Tiny Tea Room comes into view at Rodley you’re nearly halfway (a great place for a brew and brief rest bite stop).

After breezing under the A6120 you will arrive at the other boating stop – the Rodley Boat Centre – directly before the Bridge Road canal crossing. At roughly 5 kilometres it’s now time to turn around and head back to Apperley Bridge Marina.

Route Idea

If you want to enhance the canal side run with a little more training this is the place to do so. Challenge yourself to run the second 5k quicker than the first – a negative split with no interruptions!

There’s a couple of canal bridges on this route. Sometimes they can be quite low, so watch your head when you’re running under them. And don’t miss the hazards down below such as cyclists, angling equipment and moored boats.

Apperley Bridge is a village on the edge of Bradford and close to the city of Leeds. Both the main water ways – the River Aire and Leeds Liverpool Canal  pass by this quaint part of Yorkshire.

The nearest toilet is at the Marina View Coffee shop postcode: BD10 0UR (Google Map Directions) – the shop is tucked away next to the Waterfront Mews road immediately as you arrive back into the Marina.

There is free parking opposite the mariner at the Waterfront Mews, postcode: BD10 0UR (Google Map Directions)

Bridge Cafe Apperley Bridge is across the Harrogate Road bridge just up from the Marina start. Which makes it an ideal route finisher for some super tasty food and drinks that doesn’t cost the earth.

The Bridge Café, postcode: BD10 0NB (Google Map Directions) is really popular with walkers and runners out on the River Aire and Leeds Liverpool Canal.