Poetry Walk, Kirkstall! Leeds Season of Culture 2026

Poet Sammy Weaver is leading a poetry walk through Kirkstall on Tuesday 22 October, from 10.30am to 1.30pm. It's a creative canal walk that starts in Kirkstall and heads towards the city centre, and it's free to join.

Kirkstall takes its name from the Old Norse phrase meaning 'site of the church', and the neighbourhood is shaped by Kirkstall Abbey, founded in 1152 by Cistercian monks. The abbey sits barely two miles from Leeds city centre, and the walk follows the city's waterway, taking in the nature and the stories that live in and around it. Along the way, there are plenty of chances to stop and write your own poems using prompts and the poet's support. It's pitched as a relaxed and welcoming session for anyone interested in creativity, nature and local places, and no previous writing experience is needed.

The walk is part of the Leeds Season of Culture 2026, a project funded by Leeds Seasons of Culture and the Poetry School. That sits within the wider Seasons of Culture Programme, backed by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Leeds City Council through the Leeds Cultural Investment Programme. It's a morning out on the water, with Sammy Weaver on hand to help you get something on paper. It runs from 10.30am to 1.30pm on Tuesday 22 October, and it's free.