A walk around the Headingley Hill and Hyde Park Conservation Areas

Hyde Park and Headingley have the reputation of being predominantly student filled areas of Leeds. This, not entirely unfounded, perception of the area doesn’t do justice to its rich and diverse history. Thankfully, several buildings and green spaces in both Hyde Park and Headingley have been designated as Conservation Areas meaning the history, culture and heritage are being preserved. You can discover these stories for yourself with a walk around the headingley hill with ex-town planner Tony Ray.

The walk starts from the Hyde Park Pub at midday. To most Leeds residents, this pub and the crossroads it sits at, are the portal into Headingley and Hyde Park. It’s a junction where historical and modern collide with historic buildings and newer murals, making it an excellent way to start your journey into northwest Leeds.

Tony will be drawing from his life as a town planner to recount stories of the people living, working and celebrating in buildings with fascinating architectural fingerprints. They tell a tale of Leeds’ history as well as people’s innovative use of space in an area with an ever changing demographic.

Along the walk you’ll visit multiple conservation areas exploring the listed buildings, some of which are categorised ‘at risk’, some are spaces inhabited by nature as well as people. Tony will draw your eye to ‘unusual’ features in the architecture and how they came to be there as well as talking about opportunities for enhancement. 

Be sure to dress appropriately for September in Leeds, including sensible footwear and some form of waterproof. Unfortunately due to the nature of terrain in the walk it isn’t suitable for wheelchair users.

A walk around the Headingley Hill is one of the events that make up Heritage Open Days, a country wide festival celebrating the history around us in every form.