Get Lost Mountaineering

Cow & Calf + Ilkley Moor West from Cow and Calf Car Park

Start/Finish

Cow and Calf Car Park which is a few hundred metres below the Cow and Calf Hotel on the Hangingstone Road from Ilkley. The nearest postcode is LS29 8BT. The car park has plenty of spaces but could soon fill up at busy times.

Distance/Time

10 km.    About 3 - 4 hours.

Peaks

Ilkley Moor trig point, 402 m, SE 114 452.     OL Explorer 297: Lower Wharfedale & Washburn Valley

Introduction

This is a fine shortish walk which takes in the famous Cow and Calf rocks, the 12 Apostles stone circle and the highest point on Ilkley Moor. The going is generally on good paths although there can be boggy patches after heavy rain. The tops of the rocks are easily accessible but be careful as there are sheer drops off the tops and a fall would likely be fatal.

Route

(1) From the car park, walk roughly west on the level grassy path from the cafe (not always open) to reach the Cow and Calf, a sheer overhanging rock (Cow) facing a very large boulder below (Calf). Walk around the rocks on a faint path heading towards Ilkley until it is possible to carefully pick a way up through broken rocks and boulders to put one roughly behind the Cow. There are lots of slabby rocks to explore here but beware of the sheer drops in places. Head SW towards the obvious Ilkley Crags and take the path below them. At the end of the crags a prominent stepped path climbs up onto the top of the crags then head almost due S for about 1 km before curving SE. Pass a slabbed path off to the left then soon reach an obvious stone circle known as the 12 Apostles. Retrace to the slabbed path and follow it W for almost 1 km to reach the trig point which is the highest point, 402 m, on Ilkley Moor.

(2) Continue on the slabbed path to gradually converge with a wall where the the interesting Thimble Stones are with more of them over the wall. Unfortunately, there is no stile over the wall. Continue on the slabbed path, passing a telecommunications mast, before reaching Whetstone Gate where Ilkley Road continues as Keighley Road (track). Follow the descending track N, making a short detour left to Cowper's Cross. When the track curves to the right, continue to where a grassy track comes in from the left and a path goes off to the right just before a gully starts to develop on the right. Follow this path which, after about 2 km, leads onto the top of Ilkley Crags. Continue ahead and descend the path at the eastern end of the crags which leads back into the Cow and Calf area where one can explore more. There is a large “notch” with a flat and wide floor, to the north of the Cow and Calf, which one can easily walk into. A slabbed path from its entrance easily leads back to the car park

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 19^th March, 2024.