Walking
There are two national walking trails or links that pass through The Chevin. The Dales Way Link footpath links Leeds to Ilkley, where the Dales Way national walking trail begins (and proceeds for 88 km through the Yorkshire Dales to Bowness in the Lake District). The other national walking trail is the Ebor Way, which is a 112 km route from the North Yorkshire Moors (Helmsley) to Ilkley.
In addition there is a circular trail local to Northwest Leeds which is the 43 mile long Northwest Leeds & Green Gateways Trail that runs from Woodhouse Moor near Leeds City centre out to Otley in the north and passes through the Chevin Forest Park. This trail is an integral part of the Northwest Leeds Country Park which is like a mini national park incorporating both urban and countryside elements in the northwest part of the Leeds Metropolitan Borough.
The map of The Chevin shows most of the paths so you can plan your own walk from car parks or bus stops.
There are series of walks that have been developed by Friends of Chevin Forest – see Self Guided Walks
Heritage Time Trail
A 2km circular route starting from Lower Shawfield car park and going along Chippendale Ride. It is a fairly good surface suitable for mobility scooters and only has two steeply sloping sections. You will find 8 timber sculptures created by a local artist that represent a different time period in The Chevin’s history. To help you to enjoy your journey back through time there will be a leaflet and audio guide to explain the meaning of each sculpture – available by October 2011.
Geology Trail
A challenging 4km route starting from East Chevin Quarry car park that has steep and muddy paths. You will find 8 marker stones which have a geologically-themed carving on them to highlight a nearby geological feature and help explain the origins of The Chevin. The leaflet is available here and here There is also an audio trail available.
Tree Spotters Trail
Trees are never far away from any walk on The Chevin but there is a Tree Spotters Guide available that suggests a route that most of the more unusual trees can be spotted on.
Walkers Are Welcome routes
Otley is a Walkers Are Welcome town and has 4 signposted routes. There are 2 Walkers Are Welcome routes that include parts of The Chevin from Otley town. A leaflet is available from shops in Otley, for more information visit www.waw-otley.org.uk
Ebor Way and Dales Way Link
There are two long-distance walking routes that pass through The Chevin. The Ebor Way is a 112km route from the North Yorks Moors (Helmsley) to Ilkley. The Dales Way Link is a 30km footpath that connects Leeds to Ilkley, where the 135km Dales Way starts (or finishes).