The great sledging hills of Leeds

The green spaces and places of Leeds
grumpytramp
Posts: 331
Joined: Mon 24 Sep, 2007 6:28 pm

Post by grumpytramp »

As I escaped accross the Forth Road Bridge this evening, passing quickly through Fife, entered the snowy wastes of the 'Big County' (not the most pleasant of experiences as passed through periodic white-outs) and drove through the local village I couldn't help but notice the glee on the faces of the kids sledging on the village sledging hill!Jeeps I used to love evenings like that and naturally I quickly began to recollect my years of sledging experience in Leeds. So the question is, which was the greatest sledging hill in the City?General concesus in North and East Leeds was Hill 60 in Roundhay Park (extra glee for riding the steps!) but my own nomination is "Miss Lupton's Field"This was the field which was bound to the north by Wetherby Road and to east by Asket Hill (and overlooked by Braimwood School). It was known locally as Miss Luptons I think after the landowner that fought a prolonged battle with developers and Leeds Council to prevent it being developed. The sledge run was mostly devoid of grass as a result of generations of sliding. The top of the run began gentley enough, but as it was convex shaped it got steeper and steeper before hitting an old earthworks nearly horizontal shelf (? an old quarry track). With sufficient ice it was possible to launch a sledge perhaps twenty feet (though it seemed much further)Finishing time at Braimwood couldn't come quick enough normally but when there was snow on the Hill, I'd be champing from noon. When the bell went we charged across to the hill to spend an hour or so of snow riding the big jump on your shoes (allows a dilemma that morning did you wear the ultra sleek slip ons for extra speed but nightmare uphill traction or compramise with sensible shoes insisted upon my ultra sensible parents) before sneeking into the house to hang up my saturated school togs, getting me tea and then sneaking back out with the sledge (the street lights providing sufficient light to allow sledging to continue well into the night or at least as long as my mum hadn't rumbled where I was).Quick check out of the window reveals yet more snow tumbling, so can look forward to the adult version in the morning ......... downhill Nissan sledging!!!

Mork of Ork
Posts: 123
Joined: Wed 10 Oct, 2007 9:26 am

Post by Mork of Ork »

I always enjoyed Bramley Park over near the resevoir. It seemed to be a popular spot and is fairly steep so you get a good bit of speed, you have to run the gauntlet of the trees at the end too!

LS1
Posts: 2181
Joined: Mon 23 Jul, 2007 8:30 am

Post by LS1 »

Got to be Hill 60. Especially those bumps, and the bit at the bottom as you get onto the areana that launches you right into the air!

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liits
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Joined: Sun 25 Mar, 2007 11:24 am
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Post by liits »

Must be the hill in Temple Newsam [Tempsie] that ran from the temple, actualy a folly, down to the stone slab bridge over the lake outfall.

LS13
Posts: 131
Joined: Fri 23 Mar, 2007 1:31 pm

Post by LS13 »

The hill running parallel to Sunset Road in Meanwood Park was always a favourite. I was there recently though and the slope seems less than it was in the 70's!

stevief
Posts: 701
Joined: Wed 04 Apr, 2007 4:26 pm

Post by stevief »

Gotts park was(/is) a decent sledging slope.It really ticks off the dedicated winter golfers,who can't do anything about it because it's public land.

Dalehelms
Posts: 332
Joined: Sat 10 Mar, 2007 5:00 pm

Post by Dalehelms »

The forbidden one at Rawdon Golf Course wasnt bad!!Warm Lane was ok till Yorkshire Water reconfigured the slope.Westbrook Lane was good before they built the primary school.

wiggy
Posts: 1088
Joined: Tue 26 Jun, 2007 9:39 am

Post by wiggy »

grumpytramp wrote: As I escaped accross the Forth Road Bridge this evening, passing quickly through Fife, entered the snowy wastes of the 'Big County' (not the most pleasant of experiences as passed through periodic white-outs) and drove through the local village I couldn't help but notice the glee on the faces of the kids sledging on the village sledging hill!Jeeps I used to love evenings like that and naturally I quickly began to recollect my years of sledging experience in Leeds. So the question is, which was the greatest sledging hill in the City?General concesus in North and East Leeds was Hill 60 in Roundhay Park (extra glee for riding the steps!) but my own nomination is "Miss Lupton's Field"This was the field which was bound to the north by Wetherby Road and to east by Asket Hill (and overlooked by Braimwood School). It was known locally as Miss Luptons I think after the landowner that fought a prolonged battle with developers and Leeds Council to prevent it being developed. The sledge run was mostly devoid of grass as a result of generations of sliding. The top of the run began gentley enough, but as it was convex shaped it got steeper and steeper before hitting an old earthworks nearly horizontal shelf (? an old quarry track). With sufficient ice it was possible to launch a sledge perhaps twenty feet (though it seemed much further)Finishing time at Braimwood couldn't come quick enough normally but when there was snow on the Hill, I'd be champing from noon. When the bell went we charged across to the hill to spend an hour or so of snow riding the big jump on your shoes (allows a dilemma that morning did you wear the ultra sleek slip ons for extra speed but nightmare uphill traction or compramise with sensible shoes insisted upon my ultra sensible parents) before sneeking into the house to hang up my saturated school togs, getting me tea and then sneaking back out with the sledge (the street lights providing sufficient light to allow sledging to continue well into the night or at least as long as my mum hadn't rumbled where I was).Quick check out of the window reveals yet more snow tumbling, so can look forward to the adult version in the morning ......... downhill Nissan sledging!!!bulls field mate...you are on about the bulls field...much better than hill 60...such memories!
i do believe,induced by potent circumstances,that thou art' mine enemy?

fred1935
Posts: 24
Joined: Thu 27 Dec, 2007 6:12 pm

Post by fred1935 »

The track going down the Maltkilns in Armley, ending opposite the tram stop at Branch road was a local hill, as were any streets with a slope in the area. I remember me brother hitting a projecting wall on one street, he's ok, still living but had a nasty head bump.
EX, Goole. Leeds, Normanton, Adelaide, Normanton, Keighley.    Armley Lad

Trojan
Posts: 1990
Joined: Sat 22 Dec, 2007 3:54 pm

Post by Trojan »

We used to take our kids sledging on the hill behind the sports centre in Morley - there's a very steep bit and then a long shallow run into Scatcherd Park, so you'd build up speed on the steep bit and then carry on for 1/200 yards on the shallow part.
Industria Omnia Vincit

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