Bradford Accommodation

Wharfedale Countryside. Panoramic views from the site of the Roman Fort

Specialist Shopping Ilkley Town Centre on the Grove

River Wharfe views at Ilkley near the start of the Dales Way

The Manor House Museum & Art Gallery Ilkley

Just one of the many fine restaurants in Ilkley

Betty's Cafe & Tearooms, The Grove Ilkley

The Pleasures of the Water. Ilkley's Victorian Spa Town History at the Manor House Museum

Ilkley Moor Walking Holidays & Walking the Dales Way from Ilkley

Ilkley Tourist Information Moor Festival Lido Riverside West Yorkshire UK

Ilkley has much in common with nearby Harrogate. Like its neighbour, Ilkley is an elegant historic spa town on a smaller scale but with some unique features all its own. Take the backdrop of Ilkley Moor rising up above the town, and a hotspot for both walking, climbing and site of the White Wells Spa cottage where bathers have been partaking in spa baths since 1703! Ilkley dips its toes into both the Yorkshire Dales and West Yorkshire.

The town's sublime situation on the edge of Wharfedale, Nidderdale and the Yorkshire Dales National Park makes it the perfect base from which to push out further into the Dales. Ilkley also benefits from its closeness to Leeds Bradford Airport and two of Yorkshire's best cities - Leeds and Bradford.

Ilkley Tourist Information & Lido, Ilkley Shops, Restaurants in Ilkley

Ilkley's historic spa town centre is an idyllic base indeed, framed as it is by both Ilkley Moor and the Wharfe Valley. Specialist shopping, fine dining restaurants, museums, a historic outdoor lido and one of Yorkshire's famous Betty's Tearooms are all situated in the town itself alongside an extensive choice of Ilkley hotels and Ilkley Bed and Breakfast accommodation.

Move down to the riverside and the River Wharf and you can join the start of the Dales Way. Ilkley's riverside is a hotspot for families. There's a great kids playground down here, or you can relax at the Riverside Hotel's cafe and take leisurely riverside walks. Ilkley's historic outdoor Lido, with adjacent bowling green and cricket ground is north of the town centre across the River Wharfe near the rugby ground. Ilkley's lido holds a special place in the 20th century history of the town, and you can view old pictures of fun days out at the lido in the Manor House Museum.

Ilkley is renowned for its restaurant, cafe and charming pub choice, and you've some Mitchelin starred restaurant choices here! The Grove and Church Street are particular cafe and restaurant hotspots, with a Betty's cafe and Tea Rooms on the Grove opposite the bandstand. (tel. 01943 608029). For a complete listing of restaurants, cafes and pubs in Ilkley checkout the official webguide linked right. Ilkley also boasts a host of specialist shops including bookshops and sweetshops and knitwear outlets. Fine architectural features include Victorian arcades and shops with terraced fronting.

Ilkley Tourist Information Centre, Station Road, Ilkley, LS29 8HA. Tel. 01943 602319. Ilkley Pool & Lido, Denton Road, Ilkley, LS29 0BZ.Tel. 01943 600453.

Ilkley Museums, Ilkley Literature Festival & Playhouse Theatre

The site of Ilkley's main town museum and art gallery is located on an area which was once occupied by the Roman Fort of Olicana. Little remains of the Roman fort today - only a small section of the defensive wall. Nevertheless numerous Roman artefacts have been found on the site and many are on display within the museum. The museum is housed within Ilkley's oldest building - the Manor House. Originally a 14th century property called the castle, what you see today is the restoration of the mostly 17th century house. Free to enter and well worth a browse, the museum outlines not just details on the Roman fort but Ilkley's spa town history via cartoons and advertisements of the Victorian spa heyday period - 'The Pleasures of the Water Cure'. Local industries and social history, including some fascinating old photography of Ilkley's lido are also given due attention. A changing art exhibition is also on-site. Manor House Art Gallery & Museum, Castle Yard, Ilkley, LS29 9DT. Tel. 01274 431212.

Ilkley's toy museum is a particularly good one, with highlights including a 1940s working English model fairground and an extensive collection of 1950s toys, particularly tv characters. Look out for 'Miss Barwick', a fascinating wooden doll dating from 1750 to 1760. Ilkley Toy Museum, Whitton Croft Road, Ilkley, West Yorkshire. LS29 9HR. Tel. 01943 603855.

Ilkley's annual Literature Festival is a prestigious affair taking place over several days every October. Various venues play host to the literature festival in the town including the Ilkley Playhouse run by the not-for-profit Ilkley Players. (see the Playhouse Theatre's webguide right for an impressive programme of amateur theatre and arts. A coffee/bar is on-site). The likes of Alan Bennett, Germaine Greer and Fay Weldon have participated in the Ilkley Literature Festival in the past. You can expect not just a programme of literature and theatre oriented events, but also a choice of exhibitions at venues like the Manor House Museum plus plenty of street theatre and performance along the Grove and around the bandstand. Children are well catered for with numerous events and workshops aimed at younger visitors.

Ilkley Literature Festival, Manor House, 2 Castle Hill, Ilkley, West Yorks. LS29 9DT. Booking Enquiries tel. 01943 816 714. (tickets usually go on sale around August prior to the October dates). Ilkley Playhouse, Weston Road, Ilkley, West Yorkshire, LS29 8DW. Box Office Tel. 01943 609539. Checkout too details on the Moor Music Festival taking place annually in August in the Ilkley area.

Ilkley Moor Holidays, Walking and Climbing around Ilkley & White Wells Spa Cottage

Walkers have a superb choice of walking territory to hand based at Ilkley. Ilkley Moor, a Site of Scientific Special Interest particularly for its large number of ground nesting birds, is popular with both walkers and climbers. Many climbers head straight for the distinctive Cow and Calf Rocks (one looms big behind the other, hence its Cow and Calf nickname). These rocks are hard milestone grit, and from atop Ilkley Moor the views are spectacular of Ilkley town below and the surrounding Wharfedale countryside.

Head to Ilkley's town centre tourist information point for walking trails and guides on Ilkley Moor. To hook into the 80 mile long Dales Way from Ilkley (where the trail officially starts) heading all the way to Bowness-on-Windermere in the Lake District, move down towards the River Wharfe and you'll see the sign just past the Riverside Hotel and cafe. The Dales Way crosses Ilkley Moor throught the heart of the Wharfedale countryside, which most walkers think is the most attractive part of the Yorkshire Dales. Walkers can dip into the Dales Way from Ilkley for shorter sections. Ilkley to Appletreewick on the trail is around 12 miles.

To get to the heart of Ilkley's Victorian spa town history, essential viewing is the White Wells Spa and Cottage. Bathing and 'taking the water' at White Wells took place long before the establishment of spas in Ilkley town centre. Bathing is known to have gone on here from 1703, with two baths added in 1791 and the likes of Charles Darwin even are thought to have sampled the waters here. One of the two baths is on display at White Wells and if you so desire you can still partake of the plunge bath! There's no minerals in the water - it's the coldness of it that does the trick gulp! Checkout the Ilkley tourist webguide right for directions.

White Wells Spa Cottage, Ilkley Moor, Wells Road, Ilkley LS29 9RF. Tel. 01943 608035.

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