Work off all those excesses of the festive season with a leisurely walk on Ilkley Moor, suggests GEORGE WILKINSON
For Boxing Day, a Cow and Calf sounds a bit much after all that turkey and pud but the former are rocks and getting round them should work off some of the latter. Plus, because they're on Ilkley Moor, you can sing the song, the one about the hat.
Mine went straight on, the day started vile, wet, windy, solitary and masochistic. Let's hope you find communal festivity. Finding today's landmarks should be easy, falling off them in alcoholic stupor should be avoided, and any dog that 'runs backwards', as in a long forgotten verse of the song, will miss out on the New Year (or century, or Millennium, according to persuasion).
The edge of town, edge of moor car park, is already half way up the valley side, but there's plenty in sight begging exploration. On the first contour there's a shelter (useful), a paddling pool (shiver) and a cubic Victorian pump house.
A pretty cascade-splashed gully is off to the right but we head for the centre of the moor, a warming climb, with more water in the shape of the White Wells, a painted quaintness of an 18th-century bathhouse, as in spa. This was built for the people of Ilkley. All I found operational were the loos - loos with views, and cobbles, picnic tables and beech trees.
The rain stopped and I turned my back on Ilkley's dark slate roofs and Wharfedale green beyond and climbed the steps through the stiff club moss to the nearest gritstone crags. We are in open access (1930s mass trespasses), so either go below the crags in a little valley jumbled with boulders, or above for the very best views. Then we lose a little height, make a two-step fording of Backstone Beck, circle a spooky quarry, the Cow and Calf pub is in sight, and we have found the legendary rocks.
The Calf is a serious boulder notched with the steps for the skilled or mad. The Cow is an adjacent rockface that shed the calf. There is a fable about a giant. I took my last sandwich stop of the year under the cow and read some 19th-century copperplate-carved graffiti. A baleful pigeon looked down from his overhang-protected perch maybe hoping I wasn't another climber.
For a long time people have had an eye for the dramatic here. Old quarries are picturesque, pine trees are confined to tough little tufts, the water is respected. On the way down I thought again how good Ilkley looks. The town fills the bottom of the valley without encroaching too much on its flanks. Nothing shouts out as an obvious mistake and there's a lovely white Deco house on the far side.
Back down, pigeons fed on sandwiches on a titivated tarn. Locals popped out for a quick dog walk, I wandered down towards a 'walkers welcome' caf I'd passed just below the Church of God the Scientist.
I wish you a happy Millennium's walking. Enjoy your Cow and Calf.
DIRECTIONS
When in doubt look at the map. Check your position at each point. Keep straight on unless otherwise directed.
1. From car park entrance, cross road to tarmac path by pool corner, steps up to shelter, steps down to bridge and cross grass to reservoir and stone building (pumping station).
2. Left uphill on track/path, bridge over stream, up to White Wells Spa Cottage.
3. Steps behind White Wells (signed Dales Way Link) and path at ten o'clock (link waymark).
4. Before crags, EITHER up steps and left along top of crags, descending on an obvious and eroded path after the last to meet lower path, OR below crags and through Rocky Valley.
5. Path at ten o'clock downhill, ford stream.
6. Above and round deep quarry (sheer drops), downhill towards car park on flagged path, then left to Calf. From Calf, 100 yards down to path, left up to pine trees.
7. Path out of pines, 200 yards (gently uphill) then right downhill. When wooden footbridge in sight, ignore left fork to beckside path, keep to main path, left at T-junction and 50 yards to bridge.
8. Path at one o'clock to tarn. Tarmac path downhill to finish.
FACT FILE
Distance: Two miles.
Time: 90 minutes.
Start: Car park just after cattlegrid at top of White Wells road (reached from middle of Ilkley by following signs to Ilkley Moor).
Right of way: The complete route is along public rights of way and on access land.
Date walked: Thursday, December 9.
Road route: Ilkley is west of Otley on the A65.
Car parking: Free car park at top of Wells Road, after cattlegrid.
Lavatories: Ilkley and on route at White Wells Spa Cottage.
Refreshments: Pubs and cafes, pub near Cow and Calf rocks.
Tourist and public transport information: Ilkley TIC 01943 436200
Map: Based on OS Explorer 27, Lower Wharfedale and Washburn Valley.
Terrain: Rocks, scars and old quarries on moorland slope.
Footwear: Walking boots.
Points of interest: Cow and Calf Rocks, crags, tarn, White Wells Spa Cottage (open weekends April to September).
Difficulty: Moderate/easy.
Dogs: Suitable for dogs but keep on leads or under close control.
Weather forecast: Evening Press and recorded forecast 0891 500 418
Please observe the Country Code and park sensibly. Every effort is made to provide accurate information, but walkers set out at their own risk.
PICTURE:Mark the end of the Millennium with a walk on Ilkley Moor
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