How far could you go as a kid?

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Mon 25 May, 2009 9:45 pm

Not that I remember - would have been 1982/83 or thereabouts.We worked out the principles of aerodynamics on that trip - the not inconsiderable wind was behind us on the way to York and in our faces on the way back...

Post by **chameleon** » Mon 25 May, 2009 10:10 pm

'Didn't the A64 between Tad and York have a dedicated cycle track in those days?'It certainly did Trojan, littered with stones bricks and fragments of glass from more broken car windows that I could imagine - guaranteed punctures every 10 yards. I was regularly pulled up by Mr Plod and 'recommended' to use the track; I recomended they got it servicable or expect to come back and give ma a lift home, complete with shredded tyres!

Uno Hoo · Post by **Uno Hoo** » Mon 25 May, 2009 11:23 pm

chameleon wrote: 'Didn't the A64 between Tad and York have a dedicated cycle track in those days?'I I was regularly pulled up by Mr Plod and 'recommended' to use the track; I recomended they got it servicable or expect to come back and give ma a lift home, complete with shredded tyres! Was your mum on the crossbar, or did you have a tandem?

Bert · Post by **Bert** » Mon 25 May, 2009 11:28 pm

Until I was about 10 I lived in Meynell Road, Colton. My unaccompanied limits then were up Gypsy Lane past Three Well Woods (all now housing estate) to Selby Road, then either left to Whitkirk and back via Colton Road, or right and back via School Lane past the cricket ground. In the other direction it was down Johnny Lane (by the side of Holly Tree Farm) to Templenewsam and back via either Park Road or the Coach Road. We were warned to look out for the Blue Lady who was said to haunt the building around the courtyard where the Templenewsam coffee shop now is. After that we moved to Pool Square in Crossgates, where my limits were down Primrose Valley to the Black Hills (but never beyond there to Osmondthorpe); the Seacroft Hospital field to play throwing arrows (risking death climbing over the tall spiked metal railings), up the cinder track behind Crossgates School to the Bridle Path estate, and sometimes down York Road and into the Wellbeck fields. In the other direction I would go up Austhorpe Road to Manston Park and beyond to Barnbow, and sometimes all the way back to Colton via Hollyshaw Lane and Colton Road, or Crossgates Ring Road and Gypsy Lane, or, occasionally, Austhorpe Lane, Barrowby Road and School Lane.In my early teens I was allowed to take the train with other kids from Crossgates to York to go train-spotting on York Station and visit the railway museum.A lovely old guy called Joe Ryan who lived at Number 12 Poole Square organised annual coach trips for the street kids to Bridlington and Scarborough, which was as far as I ever got as a kid.

blackprince · Post by **blackprince** » Wed 27 May, 2009 6:47 pm

Geordie-exile wrote: Depends on one's age at the time but I take your point dogduke.From around age 7 up to going to high school when I was 10 I was allowed to roam around an area bounded by York Road, Harehills Lane, Roundhay Road and Mabgate. We used to walk up to Tempie and Roundhay Park if with an older friend. After age 10 I had the freedom of the city really. I like to think we were streetwise though - we knew [don't know how] that it was dodgy to be on your own and we knew that some people weren't 'nice' and that some areas weren't 'nice'. Kids aren't daft the majority of the time. My home turf age 7 to 10 was similar to Geordies- Harehills Park and area bounded by York Rd, Hudson Rd, Compton Rd and Roundhay rd. We would occasionally stray outside this as far as Temple Newsam, Roundhay, and Cross Gates.By 12 I was Ok travelling all over Leeds and occasionally Bradford by bus. At 12 I went by train to London from Leeds unaccompanied but met at Kings Cross. By 13 trainspotting trips to York , Doncaster and Manchester and cycle trips to York, Ilkley , Otley, Shipley etc. in school holidays were common.I well remember the difference the wind direction made cycling to York, coming back against the wind was murder.

Jogon · Post by **Jogon** » Wed 13 Jun, 2012 3:52 pm

As a Brackenwood lad born '60 it was like a tomcat expanding it's territory and finding it's way home. Usually with a couple of mates.Most if not all of this was primary school age, so guess about 7 or 8.If we had a picnic it was out early doors, back teatime. The lure of a warm Perkins Cornish Pasty at Oakwood tooIntitially it was Bracken Hill Woods.Then Gledhow Ln was crossed (bridge or at bench) and Gledhow Valley Woods discovered.We then did Roundhay Park, 'discovering' the upper lake waterfall and the then overgrown outflow walks through castle wood to the castle. (I think this was all opened up 1992 for the Int'l Cyclo Cross).Roundhay Park & the gorge led us to cross the Ring Rd to the footpath to Shadwell.Don't think there was much traffic then, folks had cars but only one if you did.We used to get the bus into town to the hyper-trendy International Pool (trunks rolled up in towel with an oxo cube to suck on the way home).We were fairly streetwise then (and the Moors Murderers had just been caught ).On balance I think it was healthier than ferrying little Freddie & Imogen about in a 4x4.

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Wed 13 Jun, 2012 10:11 pm

Trojan wrote: Didn't the A64 between Tad and York have a dedicated cycle track in those days? That road was quite a celebrity when built just prewar, and still segregated three classes of user even in my younger days after WW2.The dual carriageway was of course for all motor vehicles - to the left of this was a dedicated cycle lane, and on the left of THAT was a pedestrian path.

book · Post by **book** » Wed 13 Jun, 2012 10:27 pm

I remember going onto the ridge at WoodHouse and exploring all the way to Meanwood on a regular basis. I also remember cycling from WoodHouse to Yeadon and back at a very young age.

zip55 · Post by **zip55** » Thu 14 Jun, 2012 12:15 am

Used to bike to Wetherby and swim in the river a fair bit, and did York and back one day. From Oakwood aged 14.

jim · Post by **jim** » Thu 14 Jun, 2012 12:46 am

At 13 as a train-spotter when we went on holiday to Morecambe, my mother would get me a Holiday Runabout ticket for the week. I could travel anywhere between Liverpool, Barrow, and Oxenhome. Never stayed in Morecambe from breakfast to late evening. Later the same year we went to visit her friends in New Eltham, South London. Again I spent the week finding my way to all the main line terminal stations by Southern Electric and the underground. One less to find something to do for!