Ilkley Crags

The gritstone outcrops above Ilkley rise suddenly from the moorland, all weathered rock faces and proper views across the Wharfe Valley. These aren't dramatic peaks - they're lower, more intimate - but they're genuinely striking from below, especially on a clear day when you can see all the way toward Pendle Hill.

Most people tackle the crags as a walk rather than visit them as a static attraction. The paths up from town take between 45 minutes and an hour, depending on your fitness and which route you fancy. There's nothing technical about it - well-trodden trails, mostly on grass and grit - but it's real enough walking that you'll feel you've earned the summit. The rocks themselves are brilliant for scrambling about on if you're with kids who need that sort of thing, and photographers love the crag faces lit by afternoon sun.

The actual crags - Cow and Calf Rocks are the most famous names - sit about three miles north of Shipley, accessible from Ilkley itself, which is the obvious base. It's free to walk up, no gates, no fees. You could knock this out in a morning easily enough, or make an afternoon of it if you're not a rushing sort of person. Worth combining with other moor walks in the area rather than treating it as a destination on its own. If you're staying at Olicana Park, it's close enough for a proper day out without being right on top of you.