Ilkley Moor
Start and Finish: Ilkley Town Centre
Approximate time for the walk: 3.5hours
Distance: 9 miles
Landscape: Millstone grit scenery with dragon flies, bilberries and heather in July and August
Map: OS Explorer 27, Lower Wharfedale and the Washburn
Description of the walk:
A. Start from Wells Road in Ilkley, located between the estate agent and bank. Continue straight up Wells Road, by passing the Darwin Gardens to your right hand side. Continue straight ahead on this road. Immediately before a cattle grid, turn left on a footpath (Dalesway Link) passing a paddling pool before climbing steeply using the steps of White Wells. Continue on this path to reach White Wells House.
B. At White Wells House, take the broad vehicle track which leads past Willy Hall Spout (a Waterfall) before turning onto a narrow path leading in a upwards direction. This leads to the Keighley Road. Cross the Keighley road carefully and continue straight-ahead without any diversions along the path.
C. Cross a small footbridge at Hebers Ghyll and then immediately turn steeply left and avoid some rocks and go straight-ahead heading for iron kissing gate on higher ground. Go through the gate and straight ahead on this path for 2 miles. Along the way you pass the Swastika Stone, which well worth a look as the path goes directly pass it.
D. Continue straight along this path from the Swastika Stone. Cross two stone walks and after 30 paces pass Piper’s Crag Stone. Continue straight-ahead on this path. This eventually leads to Black Hill (1250ft), the highest point of this walk. Continue straight ahead this path to rest of the way to the end of moor where Windgate Nick is located.
E. At Windgate Nick, turn left and squeeze through a wall gate and go Straight-ahead in the direction of Doubler Stones (a South-Eastern direction from where you are at Windgate Nick)
F. At Doubler Stones, retrace you steps and return to the wooden gate and this time go north-easterly directly heading towards some Stone Butts, to meet a fine stile in the dry-stone wall. Continue in straight-ahead, passing over the path which you came from Windgate Nick and descend quickly down the moor. Pass through Millstone Lumps quarry.
G. At Millstone Quarry, turn right on a path heading over ladder stile over a high dry-stone wall. Continuce to go straight ahead. When you reach the next field, turn right with the path. At the next stile, go straight ahead following a wall to a narrow stile at its bottom left-hand corner which leads to Moorside Lane. Enter Moorside Lane
H. Turn right along Moorside Lane for 600 yards, passing Upper Gatecroft Farm. Carry straight-ahead and when you reach a larger farm called Cragg House. Immediately before Cragg House, turn left through a gate with a way-mark arrow. Continue straight-ahead to reach Overgate Croft.
I. At Overgate Croft, rejoin a broad track by some elm tress before branching rightwards in front of some of the ruined barns. Continue straight-ahead on the right-edge of the field to meet a gate. Pass through the gate on to Cocking Lane. Turn right along Cocking Lane to reach the A65. Cross and go straight ahead down through the trees to the old road. At the old road, turn left and immediately right to reach the river bank.
J. At the river bank, follow the river downstream towards Ilkley. Continue straight-ahead along the river bank path, to reach the center of Ilkley. When you reach the old-bridge, turn right back onto the streets of Ilkley once. Go straight-ahead passing through Memorial Gardens to New Bridge and then once again the centre of Ilkley to finish and conclude the walk.