Leeds Leads

Bob and I got into Leeds via train on the Saturday night that we left our housesit in West Farndon. we arrived to a hopping atmosphere with lots of people in the station, including a hen party of older women who had definitely been enjoying themselves. We weren’t sure what our trip to Leeds would bring, but we ended up having a lovely time. We stayed in a hotel just outside the city center.

Our first full day was sunny and warm. We had a great walk through the ruins of an old Abbey, strolled along a canal, and explored a bit of the retail district.

No coat! Loving the Abbey and the weather

We walked to the Abbey through town, but we walked back into Leeds along a canal path.

Walking under one of the bridges along the canal

Moored boats along the canal. We’d love to stay in one of these sometime.

After finding the bus station where we would pick up the Megabus for our journey to Newcastle on Tuesday we headed into the town center.

Inside the former corn exchange — now a retail and restaurant center

Downtown buildings — the building that houses the Leeds (Kirkstall) Market is on the left

The Mandela Garden that was dedicated to Nelson Mandela. Durban, South Africa is a sister city for Leeds.

Our second day in Leeds wasn’t as sunny and warm, but we still had a good walkabout. We walked a little over an hour to Roundhay Park which is a large park (over 700 acre so) on the northeast edge of the city with football fields, a tropical garden, a manor, ponds, and lots of walking trails. In medieval times, the park was used as a royal hunting park.