There are so many great walks in Wharfedale & Craven. Here are our Favourite walks in Otley and the surrounding areas.Car Park: On-site
Circular Walk Distance: 1km. approx 40 minutes
Amenities: No toilets
Gallows Hill is a peaceful and increasingly diverse place, situated along a stretch of the River Wharfe in Otley. It is a habitat for a great many species of wildlife, most notably the Common Toads which can be found in the pond in large numbers. Look out for the pond where you may see a flash of blue as a kingfisher flies over the water.
The Friends of Gallows Hill help maintain the area, keeping the pushchair friendly riverside path from overgrowth and planting numerous trees over the years, including cherry, ash, hawthorn and hazel. The flat path guides you around the central lake, passing the community orchard, the pond and the river before heading back to the car park or into Wharfe Meadows Park. We spent approx 45 minutes with numerous stops for wildlife spotting.
Car Park: We parked at Otley Chevin Car Park (LS21 3DD)
Circular Walk Distance: 2km. Approx 1 hour
Amenities: No toilets
The beautiful views and peaceful forest make the perfect circular walk. We opted to follow the Heritage Time Trail (carvings) for our walk which does include some steeper terrain. Leave the car park and follow the path straight ahead. This has been a favourite of ours for years and we first attempted it with little legs back in 2018 when she was almost 4 and it took us 70 minutes from start to finish. Not all paths are suitable for a pram so a carrier is advised. There are plenty of paths off the main route so you are unlikely to bump into many people during your walk.
The path leads you up and round the Chevin and back to the car park starting point. If you need refreshments you can cross over to the Chilli Barn pop-up TAKEAWAY tearooms are (open 10-4pm) to grab a slice of homemade cake then take it home to relax with a cup of tea!
