East Holmes Field

The moorland around Ilkley opens up properly once you hit East Holmes Field - a proper working nature reserve that feels like you've slipped away from the town without actually going anywhere. It's rough grassland and heather, the kind of place where you can actually hear yourself think, and on clear days the views back towards Ilkley and across the valleys are genuinely worth stopping for.

Walkers get the most from this spot. It's not a manicured trail or a honeypot attraction - it's just good Yorkshire moorland where you can pick your own route, spot curlews and lapwings if you're lucky, and feel like you've properly earned a pint afterwards. The ground can be boggy in places, particularly after rain, so decent boots are non-negotiable. You're looking at two to three hours if you want to explore it properly without rushing, though you can dip in for a shorter walk too.

If you're staying at Breaks Fold Farm Glamping & Camping just six miles away, East Holmes Field makes a cracking half-day excursion. It's the kind of place that teaches you why the Ilkley Moor area matters - not because of anything built there, but because of what's left wild. No facilities, no café, no gift shop. Just you and the moor. That's genuinely the point of it.