Otley to Ilkley. Rural rambling.

The sun is shining through my window first thing, and up there is yesterday’s Chevin.  A yoghurt and banana, and I’m away early, for me.

The Wharfe at Otley is very attractive; there appear to be boats for hire. A sculpture representing an original Wharfedale printing press, commissioned to commemorate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, is an homage to Wharfedale’s printing history. 

I could happily live here next to the river.

It’s time to get on my way, and I follow Welcome Way roundels on little paths through housing estates to start with. I hesitate to say the waymarks were welcome.

Evidence suggests this was an ancient way.

Once out in the open fields, a sunken lane becomes obvious, at least to me.

Of course, as I gain height, I stop to take photos of Otley and its Chevin in the background.

The morning is fresh and vibrant with bird song, mainly from crows hidden in the trees. I try to record a video of the distinctive countryside sounds, but the wind noise always interferes, as usual, on the phone.

I come into Clifton, an unspoilt hamlet of characterful gritstone farms and cottages. If this were in the Cotswolds, it would be inundated with tourists. Today I am the only one.

Back in the fields, I traverse the hillsides, with the bulk of Ilkley Moor always on the horizon above the town. I can even pick out the Cow and Calf rocks, towards the left on the photo below.

The way through the farms is well signed, which helps a lot.

I deviate from the Welcome Way to visit Askwith, thinking it would be on a par with Clifton; it wasn’t quite. But on the way, I have a curious incident when a whole herd of cows crosses the lane, closed off only by a piece of string, with no sign of a farmer. Perhaps they do this every day.

One dwelling in the village is named Sundial House. Along with the sundial, it has one of those round windows common in older houses in this area.

This sign had me baffled…

However, the village has a pub: The Penny Bun. Coffee time beckons. The former Asquith Arms has been reimagined and renamed as a restaurant and boutique inn. It certainly is very smart inside, clean and open.

I walk up a quiet lane to get me back on route. Curiously, there are regular offerings of green dog poo bags, enough to suggest the same person walks their dog or dogs daily and has no respect for the countryside. I looked it up online; here is the information some dog owners need to know.

• Oxo-Degradable / Generic “Eco” Plastic: Many cheap green plastic bags use chemical additives to make them snap apart. These do not truly biodegrade; they just shatter into harmful microplastics that linger in the soil. Back on track….

… I come across a local lady collecting crab apples. We pass the time of day, and at some point I mention the green poo bags. Yes, she and others are annoyed about it and are trying to track down the perpetrator!

Further up her farm track, I spy a seat for my lunch break. An ideal spot in the sunshine with views across Wharfedale.

While I’m enjoying the rest and the views, the lady I met harvesting apples comes up to greet me again and explains how happy she is that I am using the seat. It is a memorial to her partner who died last year. You can read it on the bench. I’m humbled.

Moving on, the route weaves through woods and fields; I suspect this is pheasant-killing territory. But it gives good walking on what is probably an ancient way,

Eventually I come out onto a lane leading down to Denton, another small hamlet north of the Wharfe.

What’s this?

The font of all knowledge offers this…

The Denton Village Fountain Stone

This unusual stone structure looks a bit like an organic, oddly shaped pillar or an abstract monument. Historic England records suggest it was originally designed as a Victorian fountain. It sits directly atop an ancient well that once provided water to the village. Because it has weathered significantly over the years and no longer functions as a typical water feature, it frequently puzzles hikers passing through the Wharfe valley.

The iron bridge takes me over into Ilkley’s parks and an easy walk into town.

When I arrived here three days ago, the church was closed; I wanted to see the Saxon crosses inside, and now I have that opportunity. 

The stone crosses from the 9th century were found nearby and placed in the cemetery, but were more recently moved inside to protect them from pollution. 

It is thought they were originally painted for greater effect. How they might have looked….

I come in to look at the Saxon stones but notice an exquisite stained glass window – possibly from Morris. The colours matching those medieval ones.

So my simple Yorkshire trilogy walk is complete. I hope you have enjoyed it.

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