Ilkley Moor with the wife 12.6.11

7.7 Miles 3 Hours.

This was a trek to originally try and 'bag' three trig points which are on and around the famous moor, but we ended up just getting two as one was a lot further away than we previously thought!

 On arrival at Ilkley Station turn right, and walk along the B6382 road towards the large church opposite the Betty's Tea Rooms. Take the steep road that cuts up the side of the church, and then continue after a cross roads, up St. Margarets Terrace. At the top of this very steep road, turn right, and follow Queens Road past another church. Just after the church on your left is a footpath cutting up the side of some houses - through some woods. This will take you up to the edge of Ilkley Moor....

At the end of the path cross over the road and turn right up Keighley road which heads steeper again up onto the moor tops, eventually...

Here's one of the many old directional signs which are dotted around these moors...

After about 400 yards of climb we took this short cut, which basically just cuts a corner off...

When you get to the top of the shortcut you come back onto keighley road which is now a rough track. Follow the track for about 50-60 yards, on your left is a fairly well trodden path jutting out across the moor... 

Continue across the boggy moor for a good half mile, and the pathway will lead you to the 'Badger Stone'...

The Badger Stone...

From the Badger Stone we cut immediately uphill...

At the top of this rise you are close to the summit of Ilkley Moor. You need to cut over some pretty deep peat bogs, and rough ground, but continue straight on, and you should come out onto the top main path on the moor. Turn left and head towards the summit Trig Point...

Heather at the Trig Point, 402m...

From the Trig Point head back along the well walked path, through the large boulders known as the 'Thimble Stones' and continue towards the Whetstone Gate transmitter masts...

Just after the masts you cross over Keighley Road and follow the pathway keeping a dry stone wall on your left...

Continuing past the 'Buck Stones' keeping another dry stone wall and forestry plantation to you left. Eventually you will reach a new plastic ladder stile. When you scale this, the Trig Point on the summit of Addingham High Moor/Long Ridge End will be visible ahead at 384m...

It is from here we started making our way back to Ilkely, the third Trig Point at Rivock Edge would have been a fairly big march from here, so we decided it was for another day, probably best approached from Keighley to be fair!

 From the Trig Point turn right back towards the dry stone wall you crossed with the plastic ladder stile. This time crossing it further down, over another new plastic ladder stile, and heading down the steep moor side onto the Millennium Way path...

in order to get onto the Millennium Way you will need to cut through a few squeeze stiles...

I've always liked this rock, like a huge lump of solidified dough?...

Heading along the Millennium Way...

The Swastika Stone...

From here we took a diversion from the Millennium Way, to cut through some woods called Heber's Ghyll...

Cutting back up onto the Millennium Way path...

The path now continues back towards the Keighley Road, so you can back into Ilkley completing a good circular walk of just over seven and a half miles.