Allerton Bywater and Duck Island Walk | West Yorkshire
Updated: Oct 23
Allerton Bywater is a former mining village beside the River Aire, not far from Castleford. This White Shire outing explores the area around Duck Island, with our original Komoot walk linked above and ten photographs from the day below. The earlier post didn't record a dependable mileage or difficulty rating, so we've left those to the original route rather than guessing.
Walk at a Glance
Location: Allerton Bywater, West Yorkshire. Area: River Aire and Duck Island. GPS route: Our original Komoot link at the top. Distance, starting point and terrain: Check the original recording, as these were not given in our surviving notes.
Allerton Bywater and the Waterside
The River Aire is part of what gives this area its character. Around Allerton Bywater are ponds, waterways and green spaces in a landscape that has changed greatly since coal mining was its main industry. Our photographs show the visit itself; we haven't turned them into made-up directions.
From Coal Mining to Wildlife
The former Allerton Bywater colliery shaped the village for generations. In the wider area, old industrial land has since become part of a network of nature sites. Nearby Letchmire Pastures, for example, is described by Leeds City Council as a reserve with ponds and wetland habitats created partly through mining subsidence.
Read more about Letchmire Pastures from Leeds City Council. The wider landscape also includes RSPB St Aidan's on former opencast mining land. These are local places of interest, not additional stops we're claiming were on our GPS route.
Explore More Yorkshire
For a separate GPS-recorded waterside route in this part of West Yorkshire, see our 4.27mi Ferrybridge Canal & River Aire Circular Walk. The Allerton Bywater walk's original Komoot link is at the top of this article.
For more routes near Leeds and Castleford, see West Yorkshire Walks and the full Yorkshire Walks collection.
Recorded and photographed for The White Shire.
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