Ilkley Park/Riverside Gardens

The River Wharfe cuts through Ilkley like a ribbon, and the Riverside Gardens are where you actually want to be if you're staying nearby. It's a proper stretch of green space that feels less manicured than your typical park - more working landscape than showpiece. There's a decent riverside walk here that locals clearly use regularly, and it's the kind of place where you'll spot herons if you're quiet enough and lucky.

Walkers will get the most from this. The paths follow the water through various moods - sometimes open and grassy, sometimes tight between trees - and you can link it to longer routes if you fancy heading further afield. Families with young kids will manage the main paths without grief, though it's not a park with much in the way of facilities or attractions beyond the walk itself. History buffs won't find much to slow them down here.

The real appeal is that it's free, accessible, and sits right on Ilkley's doorstep. You can do a bracing thirty-minute wander before breakfast or an hour's proper walk if the light's decent. It's worth the visit if you're staying at one of the caravan parks scattered around - Olicana Park is just a couple of miles away - but don't expect manicured gardens or a destination in itself. This is a working river valley that happens to have good walking paths. Go for the Wharfe and the space to move about, not for facilities or attractions. It does that job well.