With its spa town heritage, unspoilt rural surrounds and well-kept Victorian streets, it’s easy to see why Ilkley has gained a reputation as a miniature Harrogate, a lesser-known sibling to Yorkshire’s most famous spa town – perhaps even a “deadly rival”, as one local newspaper rather suggestively put it.
But I disagree. To me, this wealthy West Yorkshire town is not just a knock-off, it is a wonderful place with its own character and stands on its own two feet.
Yes, there are similarities between Ilkley and Harrogate; there are multiple threads on Mumsnet asking which of the two has the most relocation appeal, and they are constantly competing for places in the ‘best places to live in the UK’ roundups. They are also both rich; in the early 2000s, Ilkley was dubbed ‘millionaires’ town’ after a survey revealed that it was home to over 100 millionaires. Perhaps there’s something in the water.
It also has many features for visitors: Victorian architecture, famous literary festivals, proximity to the countryside, a regular cultural calendar, some weekend-friendly hotels and regular train services from Leeds and Bradford make it tourist-friendly.
There is a Bettys tearoom on The Grove, a wide and lively street with lots of activity including farmers markets. Like Harrogate’s high street, it is lined with the usual chains and high street shops, but if you head to areas like Leeds Road you’ll find plenty of independent businesses, with a thriving scene in Ilkley.
“There will be a huge number of new music, food and drink venues opening in the next few months,” says Sarah Brookfield-Almond, Ilkley’s regional business development manager and a 20-year resident.
These include: Herd Steakhouse; a new location for the award-winning Ilkley Brewery; MasterChef: The Professionals finalist Matt Healy (the first will be in Horsforth, half an hour away); a Green Room-style venue selling booze; and Fusion Chocolates, a local artisanal chocolate maker.
These new arrivals will sit alongside some of Ilkley’s leading names, including hardware store Mortens, a couple of delightful tearooms, the wonderfully named Friends of Ham and Martinez, an independent wine shop with a bar.
There’s also exciting things happening at the Denton Estate in nearby Askwith, where The Penny Bun, a wholesome inn with earth-toned rooms and seasonal menus, has recently opened its doors.
There’s also a toy museum (which really is something every town should have) and the beautiful Ilkley Manor House, a historic Grade I listed building on the site of the former Roman fort of Olicana. It’s now home to a museum and art gallery, which hosts regular heritage and art exhibitions, as well as community events, music concerts, makers’ fairs, school trips and coffee mornings.
Ilkley’s calendar is packed with events of all kinds; consider timing your visit to coincide with the Ilkley Literary Festival, now in its 51st year (running from 4–20 October this year), or the carnival in early May.
“Culturally we really punch above our weight,” says Sarah Thomas, chair of Ilkley Manor House Trust. “We have four theatre stages – not bad for a town of 14,000 – plus the King’s Hall, the Upstagers and Ilkley Playhouse, which puts on incredible performances.”
And it’s not just what’s in the town that attracts visitors; it’s what surrounds it too. Located in picturesque Wharfedale, on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, Ilkley is surrounded by the iconic Cow and Calf rocks (stop at the inn for a post-walk pint) and a Grade II-listed lido with the River Wharfe running through its centre.
The town is a great base for a variety of walks, from three-mile loops along the river to the 80-mile Dales Way and the 50-mile Stanza Stones trail, and the surrounding area is stunning all year round. In spring, Middleton Woods is filled with bluebells; in summer, the heather on the moor begins to bloom. In autumn, the surrounding Wuthering Heights the countryside turns to a haze of coffee and burnt orange. There are guided walks in and around the town throughout the year, and wild swimming in Riverside Gardens – even on icy mornings.
My next visit to Ilkley is in November – for a book launch for the Printmakers Circle, a local arts group co-founded by my mother – but I will never run out of reasons to return. A visit to picturesque Harrogate is all well and good, but staying in Ilkley – that thriving West Yorkshire town – feels so much more intimate.
The Penny Bun (pennybunilkley.co.uk; 01943 243200) offers double rooms from £180, including breakfast. For more information, visit visitbradford.com