New Year’s Day Walk on Ilkley Moor

Wear strong footwear and warm clothes – it can get extremely cold up there.

In the 19th Century Ilkley became a very popular spa town. Visitors flocked to take the waters and bathe in the cold water baths. The first was at White Wells, where you can still jump into the chilly waters - always at 3°C - if the inclination takes you! Brave ones can bring swimsuits and towels for the traditional New Years Day plunge. More history. Interactive 360 panoramic view.

Weather permitting we will go for a walk.  If we have mixed ages etc we can split into an easy one and a more vigorous one.  Little ones can simply walk back down the hill, and bold ones can do a 3-mile circuit (route described below) that includes the Cow and Calf rock formations.

In previous years, the walking party has split at the Cow and Calf pub, with some stopping for lunch there.

If you find the pub a bit too crowded or fancy a change to the routine, another option this year is to complete the walk and then head off with the Heatons and others to the Mumtaz Paan House in Bradford for a very late (~3pm) indian meal there.  It is a huge restaurant, so there will be no need to book.  Sleepyheads who miss out on the walk are also welcome to join the meal at Mumtaz.  Map.

Here are some photos from previous years, courtesy of Debbie Whitley:

Walking route:
White Wells, Rocky Valley, Cow and Calf Rocks and the Tarn: Allow 2 hours for the 3 mile (5km) walk. From the cattle grid on Wells Road, go past the paddling pool up the steep hillside to the white buildings of White Wells. Follow the track behind White Wells that goes through Rocky Valley - bearing left at the steps. Cross Backstone Beck over some rock slabs and across (half left) to the top of the Cow and Calf Rocks. Keeping height, turn left along the edge to a wooden stile among the pines, then descend to a lower path and a wooden bridge, which takes you to the tarn. The tarred path from the tarn leads back to Wells Road.