Ilkley marks the official start point of the celebrated Dalesway Walk, which makes its way through Wharfedale to the Lake District and takes in some of the most attractive scenery in the Dales National Park.
The town’s history took an unremarkable course until the spa waters were popularised by Squire Middleton in the mid 18th century, when he built two mineral water plunge pools on the moor-side in a house known as White Wells. Ilkley became known as the 'heather spa' thanks to its position on the heather clad moor and was one of the north’s most popular spas, which encouraged the local wool tycoons to build their grand mansions around the town.
The town is probably most famous for its moor, which features in Yorkshire’s anthem, 'On Ilkley Moor B’aht ‘ and is home to the Cow & Calf rocks, the town’s most famous landmark. The Cow is a gristone crag with a 50 foot sheer face, while the Calf is a smaller boulder that stands beneath it and both are popular with climbers and walkers.
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