21st August 2016 - Ilkley Moor
Walk Details
Distance walked: 11.1 miles
Total ascent: 1470 ft
OS map used: 297 - Lower Wharfedale & Washburn Valley
Time taken: 6.5 hrs
Route description: Ilkley-Wells Road-Millennium Way-Windgate Nick-Nab End-Lightbank Lane-Doubler Stones-Addingham High Moor-West Buck Stones-East Buck Stones-Ilkley Moor-Lanshaw Lad-Twelve Apostles stone circle-Ilkley Crags-Cow & Calf-The Tarn-Ilkley
Another heather covered moor was my destination today as I drove to Ilkley this morning and after not seeing one of the Stanza Stones since "Snow" on Pule Hill last October I would get the chance to see two of them today. "Puddle" and "Beck" took my total up to five out of the six. The last one of "Dew" is on Rivock Edge, which wasn't that far away from where I was today but I didn't want to try and shoehorn it in so I'll work out a route to see that one on its own. The flowering heather looks at its best for just a few weeks and I was really hoping that I'd get some nice sunny weather this year but it certainly hasn't played ball the past couple of weekends. Yesterday was distinctly unsummer-like with really strong winds and some heavy rain. Today was definitely an improvement on that. I started out with some sunshine and finished with some, unfortunately the bit in between was mostly grey and cloudy with the odd light shower blown along by a strong wind. I still enjoyed it though, every time the sun was out on the heather was a bonus.
After parking in the Darwin Memorial Gardens car park on Wells Road I walked west up Wells Roads before turning left onto the lane of Keighley Road up onto Ilkley Moor. I soon left this though for the trail of the Millennium Way. I followed this west across the hillside, past the Swastika Stone and the Noon Stone to Windgate NIck. The trail was left behind here for a footpath down Nab End to Lightbank Lane. I followed the road south and at a sharp right-hand bend left it for a bridleway east across the moor along a driveway to a bungalow. I then took a public footpath north and uphill to the Doubler Stones. After taking lunch here I continued north on the footpath to reach the wall on Addingham High Moor. Once through I turned right and followed a path up to the trig point on Addingham High Moor, then on along the forest boundary to the West and East Buck Stones, and past Whetstone Gate to eventually arrive at the trig point on the top of Ilkley Moor (the Stanza Stone of "Puddle" is between Whetstone Gate and the trig point). I kept heading east for a short while longer to the boundary stone of Lanshaw Lad and the Twelve Apostles stone circle before taking the Dales Way Link trail to the top of Ilkley Crags. Next stop was the Cow and Calf, just a short distance away on the other side of Backstone Beck. After threading the gap between the Cow and Calf I followed the path back to Ilkley across a footbridge over Backstone Beck (the Stanza Stone of "Beck" is reached from here), past The Tarn and down to Wells Road.
Total ascent: 1470 ft
OS map used: 297 - Lower Wharfedale & Washburn Valley
Time taken: 6.5 hrs
Route description: Ilkley-Wells Road-Millennium Way-Windgate Nick-Nab End-Lightbank Lane-Doubler Stones-Addingham High Moor-West Buck Stones-East Buck Stones-Ilkley Moor-Lanshaw Lad-Twelve Apostles stone circle-Ilkley Crags-Cow & Calf-The Tarn-Ilkley
Another heather covered moor was my destination today as I drove to Ilkley this morning and after not seeing one of the Stanza Stones since "Snow" on Pule Hill last October I would get the chance to see two of them today. "Puddle" and "Beck" took my total up to five out of the six. The last one of "Dew" is on Rivock Edge, which wasn't that far away from where I was today but I didn't want to try and shoehorn it in so I'll work out a route to see that one on its own. The flowering heather looks at its best for just a few weeks and I was really hoping that I'd get some nice sunny weather this year but it certainly hasn't played ball the past couple of weekends. Yesterday was distinctly unsummer-like with really strong winds and some heavy rain. Today was definitely an improvement on that. I started out with some sunshine and finished with some, unfortunately the bit in between was mostly grey and cloudy with the odd light shower blown along by a strong wind. I still enjoyed it though, every time the sun was out on the heather was a bonus.
After parking in the Darwin Memorial Gardens car park on Wells Road I walked west up Wells Roads before turning left onto the lane of Keighley Road up onto Ilkley Moor. I soon left this though for the trail of the Millennium Way. I followed this west across the hillside, past the Swastika Stone and the Noon Stone to Windgate NIck. The trail was left behind here for a footpath down Nab End to Lightbank Lane. I followed the road south and at a sharp right-hand bend left it for a bridleway east across the moor along a driveway to a bungalow. I then took a public footpath north and uphill to the Doubler Stones. After taking lunch here I continued north on the footpath to reach the wall on Addingham High Moor. Once through I turned right and followed a path up to the trig point on Addingham High Moor, then on along the forest boundary to the West and East Buck Stones, and past Whetstone Gate to eventually arrive at the trig point on the top of Ilkley Moor (the Stanza Stone of "Puddle" is between Whetstone Gate and the trig point). I kept heading east for a short while longer to the boundary stone of Lanshaw Lad and the Twelve Apostles stone circle before taking the Dales Way Link trail to the top of Ilkley Crags. Next stop was the Cow and Calf, just a short distance away on the other side of Backstone Beck. After threading the gap between the Cow and Calf I followed the path back to Ilkley across a footbridge over Backstone Beck (the Stanza Stone of "Beck" is reached from here), past The Tarn and down to Wells Road.
Route map
© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. License number PU 100034184.
I leave Ilkley behind on the trail of the Millennium Way, which heads west along the northern edge of the moor
Past the Swastika Stone
Looking up Wharfedale to Addingham
and back to Ilkley
A huge boulder provides an interest in the foreground for another shot up the valley
The heather looks great in the sunshine
Looking across Wharfedale to Beamsley Beacon and Round Hill
The path gradually rises as I approach Windgate Nick
The Noon Stone
A fine cover of heather on Addingham High Moor
Beamsley Beacon, Round Hill and Wharfedale from Windgate Nick
A muddy path to follow by White Crag Plantation to Nab End
Cross Hills, Silsden and Airedale from Nab End
After a walk south along Lightbank Lane I'm on the bridleway to the Doubler Stones, on the hillside just ahead
and here they are. A hard cap of gritstone has protected softer sandstone underneath from erosion. I decided to have my lunch here and at the moment it's not the most pleasant of summer afternoons. Windy, a bit on the cool side and it keeps threatening to rain.
Lots of heather as I head up onto Addingham High Moor
The hills on the other side of Wharfedale come back into view as I reach the top of the path
and turn right to head for the trig point. There's a gate at the wall junction ahead.
At the trig point on Addingham High Moor. Looking north up Wharfedale and I can make out Buckden Pike and Great Whernside in the distance.
Looking west across Airedale to Earl Crag
As I head for West Buck Stones a dark cloud and a brief shower pass over
Great Whernside, Simon's Seat and Beamsley Beacon in the distance from West Buck Stones
The bulk of Ilkley Moor from East Buck Stones
Heading for the trig point and summit of Ilkley Moor
I kept my eyes open for the Stanza Stone of "Puddle" just off the path to my right
At the trig point on the top of Ilkley Moor
A distant view to the north up Wharfedale of Buckden Pike and Great Whernside with Barden Moor and Simon's Seat to left and right
As I make my way east across the moor I reach the Lanshaw Lad boundary stone
and the Twelve Apostles stone circle
It's time that I was heading north back to Ilkley
The reappearance of the sun is most welcome. It certainly makes the heather look good for this shot across the moor to a distant Barden Moor.
and east to the wooded hillside of Otley Chevin
Ilkley below from the top of Ilkley Crags
Climbers as I reach the Cow and Calf
Looking back to Ilkley Crags
Hangingstone Road and The Cow and Calf Inn from the top of the Cow
Ilkley from the Cow
Threading the gap between the Cow and the Calf
I couldn't help taking a shot of the sky above the crags as I passed them
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A handy marker post points the way to my second Stanza Stone of the day, "Beck", sat in Backstone Beck
Past The Tarn
and I'm back in Ilkley