This week on the Date Night Diaries we’re doing a throwback to one of mine and my boyfriend’s first dates. This is a walk which is a train ride away, to the lovely little town of Ilkley. Only 30 minutes on the train, Ilkley has a few restaurants and pubs as well as a ginormous view of the Moors behind. Fun fact, this is where he asked me to be his girlfriend – on the edge of a cliff (romantic, so long as you’re not afraid of heights).
These Moors are scattered with walking routes, waterfalls, rocks engraved with poems (well done if you manage to find it, they’re very hidden) and some huge rock formations. For any Geography A-Level lovers, this one’s for you. There are walking routes online, but you can also use Google Maps to navigate the Moors to get to each landmark in nature. For those more adventurous – or dumb in my boyfriend’s case – the Cow and the Calf is brilliant for rock climbing. I know, you can only imagine how thrilling it is to watch your partner climb up a rock which is 5x the size of him with no harness. This rock has foot-holes in it which allow you to climb to the top, the only difficulty is getting down after… but luckily no injuries took place. Some of these rocks are safer to climb and included in the walks, and from there you get a lovely view over Ilkley and beyond.
Afterwards, since you will likely be tired from your walk, there are pubs and a couple of restaurants if you want a cosy meal secluded in a town, one which you are guaranteed to never run into anyone you know. Alternatively, you could get the train back to Leeds City Centre and explore the restaurants there for a more boujee end to an active day.
So, take a picnic, take a friend, take a partner… and enjoy the scenic views in Ilkley, just half an hour from Leeds.
Written by: Madeleine Brooks
Edited by: Daisy Jeffs