Two walks, each of about 4 miles that can easily be combined into one walk of about 7 miles. The individual walks will take 2-2.5 hours; the combined walk 3-4 hours (depending on the fitness of the walkers and the number of stops for refreshments, etc). Both walks start and finish on Keighley Road (known locally as Keighley Old Road) at the point where the tarmac road ends and there is a track leading off, right to Silver Well Cottage (OS Grid Ref SE 107 466). There is parking here for about four cars.
Alternatively the walks can start from Wells Road Car Park. This is about half a mile from the Silver Wells Car Park, so each walk will take about half an hour longer. From White Wells Car Park, head along Wells Road in a westerly direction until the road forks. Take the right hand fork up a steep but quiet country road, crossing a stream, Spicey Gill, by a small bridge and then continuing steeply uphill on the road until you reach the starting place where the tarmac ends.
Both walks use rough moorland tracks and cross boggy terrain. Walkers are recommended to use good waterproof walking boots. The weather on Ilkley Moor can change rapidly so carrying waterproofs is sensible. For the combined walk, take a flask of tea or coffee and a snack. Dogs are allowed everywhere on Ilkley Moor, but you will be crossing breeding areas for endangered ground nesting species; so in the breeding season (especially March, April and May), keep dogs on a lead. Free running dogs will inadvertently scare ground-nesting birds and they will abandon their nests and the young birds will die. At other times there may be sheep present. Each year about eight sheep die on Ilkley Moor as a result of being chased by dogs. Farmers are allowed to shoot any dog chasing sheep. Responsible dog owners will want their dogs to enjoy a walk on the Moor, but they must be kept under control.
Download our map and walk leaflet for full details of both walks.