4.22mi Sandal Castle & River Calder Loop Walk

Sep 10, 2022

2 min read

Updated: 6 days ago

Lyn and I recorded this 4.22-mile circular walk around Sandal Castle and the River Calder near Wakefield. It combines a stretch of Yorkshire's riverside landscape with one of the area's best-known medieval sites. We rated it easy, and the original Komoot recording is linked at the top with the map immediately below.

Walk at a Glance

Distance: 4.22 miles. Route: Circular. Grade: Easy on our original walk. Location: Sandal, Wakefield, West Yorkshire. Terrain: Riverside, countryside and paths around the castle area. Start and finish: On our original Komoot route above.

Sandal Castle and the River Calder

The main appeal of this walk is the contrast between the water and the castle. The River Calder runs through the lower landscape, while Sandal Castle stands on high ground above it. That change in setting is what makes the area interesting, with a ruined fortress overlooking the valley rather than simply another riverside path.

The castle's surviving walls and earthworks tell you how important the position once was. The hilltop gives views across the Calder Valley and the Wakefield area. Our route takes in the surrounding landscape as well as the historic setting, and the original GPS map shows the paths we actually followed rather than a reconstructed set of directions.

They belong with the route and show the area as we encountered it.

A Little History

Sandal Castle began as a Norman motte-and-bailey fortress and was later rebuilt in stone. It is closely linked with the Battle of Wakefield in December 1460, during the Wars of the Roses, when Richard, Duke of York, was killed. Today the ruins are a scheduled historic monument.

For the longer story, read our Sandal Castle and the Battle of Wakefield feature.

Visiting Sandal Castle

The castle is free to visit, with parking on Manygates Lane, WF2 7DS. Experience Wakefield lists visitor facilities including a café and picnic area. Check its official Sandal Castle visitor page for current information. The car park is a nearby option rather than confirmation of the start of our GPS circuit.