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Bradford Pennine Gateway NNR

Ilkley · 9.3 miles

Covering more than 1,200 hectares across the northern fringe of Bradford, the Bradford Pennine Gateway National Nature Reserve was formally opened on 25 March 2025. Situated around Ilkley and extending into Haworth, Harden, Bingley, Baildon, Shipley and surrounding villages, it represents the first national nature reserve in West Yorkshire and forms part of King Charles III’s “King’s Series” of new reserves. The designation, announced in May 2025, links eight distinct sites and provides enhanced protection for a range of habitats, including wetlands, heathland and peat bogs. The reserve’s varied environments support a number of notable wildlife species such as adders, short-eared owls, golden plovers and curlews. Approximately 40 % of the area, amounting to 738 hectares, received new protection as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. One of the constituent sites, Bingley North Bog, originated over 10 000 years ago when glacial retreat left sediment that formed the present wetland. Work that began in August 2025 focused on clearing paths, restoring the bog and removing invasive plants; the bog now hosts curlews, herons, bats, kingfishers and dragonflies. Management of all sites rests with Bradford City Council, and the reserve is intended to serve as a venue for field studies by local colleges and universities. In 2026 the reserve featured in Condé Nast Traveller’s list of seven wonders of the world.

Twelve Apostles

Ilkley · 9.9 miles

A stone circle set on Rombalds Moor, between Ilkley Moor and Burley Moor, marks the archaeological interest of the parish of Burley in Wharfedale, West Yorkshire. The remains lie at roughly 381 metres above sea level, some 800 metres north-west of the Grubstones circle. The layout measures about 15 metres across; originally between sixteen and twenty stones stood, but only twelve survive today. All stones are fashioned from the local millstone grit and now rest on the ground after having fallen by the mid-20th century. The circle is bounded by a low bank, approximately 1.2 metres wide and 0.6 metres high, which was still discernible in the 1920s but has since been worn away by foot traffic. At the centre a small mound hints at a possible burial cairn, though its exact nature remains uncertain. Survey work carried out in 1929 by Arthur Raistrick suggested a burial function surrounded by standing stones, while later commentators have entertained the idea of a ring cairn rather than a full stone circle. In 1971 a group of amateurs attempted to re-erect the fallen stones without permission; the stones collapsed again shortly afterwards. Subsequent re-erection has taken place, though the responsible party and date are not recorded. The site now suffers marked visitor erosion, having lost its former heather cover and becoming an area of bare, trampled soil. It is listed as one of the most damaged prehistoric sites in West Yorkshire, and remains a recognised archaeological feature near Ilkley.

East Riddlesden Hall

Riddlesden · 11 miles

Perched on a small plateau above a bend in the River Aire near the village of Riddlesden, downstream of Keighley, East Riddlesden Hall presents a well-preserved example of a 17th-century manor house. Constructed in 1642 by James Murgatroyd, a prosperous Halifax clothier, the building was expanded in 1648 by Murgatroyd and his wife Hannah using locally quarried Yorkshire stone. The hall holds Grade I listed status and retains original elements such as two Yorkshire Rose-style windows, a great hall with a secondary fireplace set above the main one, and royalist graffiti that reflects the owner’s allegiance. Within the grounds lie a medieval tithebarn, a walled garden, the ruin of the Starkie wing and, according to local lore, several ghosts. The National Trust now manages the property, and a charge applies for entry. Visitors can explore the restored two-storey accommodation, view the carved heads of Charles I and Henrietta Maria in the former Bothy, which currently serves as a tea room and shop, and walk the surrounding meadow that overlooks the river’s characteristic U-bend. East Riddlesden Hall has featured as a location for several screen productions, including the 1992 film adaptation of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, a 2009 television version, a 1997 episode of Sharpe, and the 2017 BBC series Gunpowder. The Murgatroyd family are reputed to have inspired the Murgatroyd Baronets in Gilbert and Sullivan’s opera Ruddigore, and occasional performances of the work have been staged on the premises.

Bridge End Quarry (disused)

Otley · 12 miles

Gravel workings (disused) formelry operated by Hanson

Museum of Rail Travel

Spring Bank · 12 miles

A collection of historic railway carriages and a small fleet of steam locomotives sits just north of Ingrow (West) railway station on the heritage Keighley and Worth Valley line in West Yorkshire. Run by the Vintage Carriages Trust, a charitable body that registered in 1981 after its 1965 foundation, the site opened its doors to the public in 1990 and was re-branded as the Carriage Works Museum in 2023. The museum’s core displays comprise a range of nineteenth- and twentieth-century carriages, from an 1876 Manchester Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway four-wheeled tri-composite to a 1950 British Railways Bulleid-design third. Complementing the rolling stock are two steam engines that have toured abroad – “Sir Berkeley” and “Bellerophon”, which have visited the Netherlands and, for the latter, Belgium – while a third locomotive, the 0-4-0 saddle-tank “Lord Mayor”, remains on static display. The Trust’s contribution to visual media is notable, having supplied carriages for more than 70 film and television productions. A former exhibit, a 1948 Scammell “mechanical horse”, attracted press attention in 2002 after a mistaken speeding ticket, before leaving the museum following restoration in 2008. Visitors reach the museum on foot from Ingrow (West) station; the nearest settlement listed on OpenStreetMap is the town of Spring Bank. Admission charges, opening hours and visitor facilities are not detailed in the available sources, so prospective guests should check the Vintage Carriages Trust website for the latest practical information.

Memorial to William Busfeild Ferrand

St. Ives · 13 miles

Bingley St. Ives, or St. Ives Estate is a 550-acre (2.2 km2) country park and former estate between Bingley and Harden in West Yorkshire, England now owned by Bradford Council. The park has Grade II listing in the English Heritage National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of Special Interest. The park has been given Accredited Country Park status by Natural England.