Otley

Otley is a Town in the county of West Yorkshire.

Otley is a town and civil parish in West Yorkshire, England. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it lies approximately 12 miles to the north west of Leeds and 11 miles south east of Bradford.

Otley is twinned with Rothau, a city near Karlsruhe in Germany and has been since 1964. The River Wharfe runs past Otleys town centre. The name Otley was formed from Old English word ‘ot’ which means river source combined with ley for meadow thus ot meadow by the river. Otley grew up as a settlement along the top road or route out of Otley towards Ilkley and Burley in Wharfedale at the intersection with routes through Lumb Lane and along the River Wharfe. In the late 1800s, the town was a centre for wool production.

Otley is also home to many of Yorkshire’s breweries such as Thomas Fawcett & Sons Ltd., Otley Brewing Company and Black Sheep Brewery. Although not in Otley, The Tetley’s Brewery is very close by, in Hunslet, Leeds.

Otley postcode: LS21 3

Planning a visit? Places to stay near Otley

Retail in Otley

There are great places to visit near Otley including some great cities, villages, woodlands, parks, historic buildings, museums, gardens, country parks, hiking areas, towns, lakes, historic monuments, hills, ancient sites, geological features, nature reserves, shopping centres, airports, bluebell woods, ruins, rivers and streams, castles, waterfalls and boroughs.

There are a number of cities near Otley including Bradford, Leeds, and Wakefield.

Villages to visit near Otley include Wyke, Haworth, Oxenhope, Thornton, Manningham, Saltaire, and Ripponden.

The area around Otley boasts some of the best woodlands including Judy Woods, Chevin Forest Park, Calverley Wood, Middleton Park, and Hardcastle Crags.

Otley's best nearby parks can be found at Lister Park, Cartwright Hall Gardens, Peel Park, Shibden Park, Roundhay Park, Middleton Park, and Park Square.

Otley's best nearby historic buildings can be found at Cartwright Hall, Ilkley Manor House, Hewenden Viaduct, Halifax Town Hall, North Bridge - Halifax, Halifax Minister, and Wainhouse Tower.

The area around Otley features a number of interesting museums including Cartwright Hall, and Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

Cartwright Hall Gardens is one of Otley's best, nearby gardens to visit in Otley.

There are a number of country parks near Otley including Penistone Hill Country Park, Ogden Water Country Park, Shibden Country Park, Chevin Forest Park, Golden Acre Park, Bretton Country Park, and Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

Don't miss Penistone Hill Country Park, Colden, The Bridestones on Bridestones Moor, The Chevin, Hardcastle Crags, and Withens Clough's hiking areas if visiting the area around Otley.

There are a number of towns near Otley including Ilkley, Sowerby Bridge, Halifax, Todmorden, Huddersfield, Bradley, and Otley.

There are a number of lakes near Otley including Chellow Dean Reservoirs, Boothwood Reservoir, Ogden Water Country Park, Ogden Water, Shibden Park, Light Hazzles Reservoir, and Warland Reservoir.

Don't miss Wainhouse Tower, and Centre Hill Beacon Site's historic monuments if visiting the area around Otley.

Hills to visit near Otley include Centre Hill, Stoodley Pike, and The Chevin.

Ancient Sites to visit near Otley include Stones Lane Standing Stones, Centre Hill Beacon Site, and The Bridestones on Bridestones Moor.

There are a several good geological features in the area around Otley like The Bridestones on Bridestones Moor.

Don't miss Rodley Nature Reserve, RSPB St Aidan's, RSPB Fairburn Ings, and Yorkshire Sculpture Park's nature reserves if visiting the area around Otley.

Shopping Centres to visit near Otley include Trinity Leeds, White Rose Shopping Centre, The Merrion Centre, County Arcade, and Leeds Kirkgate Market.

Leeds Bradford Airport is one of Otley's best, nearby airports to visit in Otley.

Middleton Park is one of Otley's best, nearby bluebell woods to visit in Otley.

Don't miss Kirkstall Abbey, and Sandal Castle's ruins if visiting the area around Otley.

Otley has some unmissable rivers and streams nearby like River Dearne at Bretton, Hebden Water, and Hebden Beck.

Castles to visit near Otley include Sandal Castle.

Waterfalls to visit near Otley include Greenwood Lee Clough Waterfall, and Lumb Falls.

There are a number of boroughs near to Otley including Kirklees.

Otley History

There are some historic monuments around Otley:

Places to see near Otley

History of Otley

There are pre-historic settlement finds alongside both sides of the River Wharfe and it is believed the valley has been settled at this site since the Bronze Age. There are Bronze Age carvings on rocks situated on top of The Chevin, one such example is the Knotties stone. West Yorkshire Geology Trust has reference to Otley Chevin and Caley Crags having a rich history of human settlement stretching back into Palaeolithic times. Flint tools, Bronze Age rock carvings and Iron Age earthworks have been found. In medieval times the forest park was used as common pasture land, as a source of wood and sandstones for buildings and walls.