West End

Bradford Pennine Gateway NNR

Ilkley · 7.5 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 · 8.1 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.

Bridge End Quarry (disused)

Otley · 8.1 miles

Gravel workings (disused) formelry operated by Hanson

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.

Yeadon Tarn

Rufford Park · 11 miles

A small lake occupies a low-lying spot between the town of Yeadon and Leeds Bradford Airport in West Yorkshire. Covering roughly 7 hectares, the water body is fed by land drainage on its north-eastern side and releases water via Yeadon Beck, which joins the River Aire at Esholt. The surrounding geology – shales capped with boulder clay – allows the tarn to retain about 238 000 cubic metres of water at an elevation of 196 metres above sea level. The tarn’s origins trace back to at least the mid-fourteenth century, when it appears in records as Yedonmarre, a name derived from Old Norse. Historically it served industrial purposes, being shown as a fish pond on early maps and later supplying water to dye-works mill ponds in the 1890s. In 1925 the local council purchased the dam, cleared the perimeter, laid footpaths and renamed the site Yeadon Tarn, a term that replaced the earlier local names Yeadon Dam and Yeadon Moor Dam. During the Second World War the water was deliberately drained to deny enemy bombers a visual reference, before refilling in the post-war years. Recreational use today includes sailing from Tarnfield Park, where the Leeds Sailing and Activity Centre and Yeadon Sailing Club operate, as well as carp fishing, kayaking and model boating. The Environment Agency’s 2000 works created a conservation zone on the north bank and installed windbreak baffles to curb erosion. Wildlife such as cormorants, goosanders, mallards and signal crayfish are recorded, while periodic management of Canada geese addresses aircraft safety concerns. Access is provided by a car park within Tarnfield Park and a regular service of bus 747 along the adjacent road; no specific admission fee is mentioned.

Shipley Glen Tramway

Baildon · 12 miles

A preserved cable funicular climbs through the wooded setting of Shipley Glen, situated close to Baildon and the village of Saltaire in West Yorkshire. The lower terminus lies roughly 660 feet (200 m) on foot from Saltaire railway station and is similarly distant from the historic Salts Mill, now home to shops, restaurants and the David Hockney gallery. The tramway is run by volunteers acting for the Shipley Glen Tramway Preservation Co Ltd, a charitable trust that holds a lease from Bradford Council. It first opened on 18 May 1895, an initiative of Sam Wilson, a local publican, showman and entrepreneur, to provide easier access to the former attractions that once occupied the glen, including a wooden toboggan ride and a sizeable fairground. Originally powered by a gas engine, the line has been electrically driven since 1920. Management passed to the charitable trust in 2002. After a temporary closure in 2010 for safety upgrades – involving new chassis, wheels, decks and improved braking on both cars and the haulage drum – the service resumed in 2011 and continues to operate under the volunteer-run trust.