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.

The area around Otley boasts some of the best cities including Bradford, Leeds, and Wakefield.

There are a number of villages near Otley including Wyke, Haworth, Oxenhope, Thornton, Manningham, Saltaire, and Ripponden.

Otley's best nearby woodlands can be found at Judy Woods, Chevin Forest Park, Calverley Wood, Middleton Park, and Hardcastle Crags.

Don't miss Lister Park, Cartwright Hall Gardens, Peel Park, Shibden Park, Roundhay Park, Middleton Park, and Park Square's parks if visiting the area around Otley.

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 boasts some of the best museums including Cartwright Hall, and Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

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

The area around Otley features a number of interesting country parks 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.

Otley's best nearby hiking areas can be found at Penistone Hill Country Park, Colden, The Bridestones on Bridestones Moor, The Chevin, Hardcastle Crags, Withens Clough, and The Salt and Pepper Pots.

Ilkley, Sowerby Bridge, Halifax, Todmorden, Huddersfield, Bradley, and Otley are some of Otley best towns to visit near Otley.

Chellow Dean Reservoirs, Boothwood Reservoir, Ogden Water Country Park, Ogden Water, Shibden Park, Light Hazzles Reservoir, and Warland Reservoir are great places to visit near Otley if you like lakes.

The area around Otley boasts some of the best historic monuments including Wainhouse Tower, Centre Hill Beacon Site, The Salt and Pepper Pots, Lund's Tower, and Wainman's Pinnacle.

There are a several good hills in the Otley area like Centre Hill, Stoodley Pike, The Chevin, and The Salt and Pepper Pots.

The area around Otley features a number of interesting ancient sites including Stones Lane Standing Stones, Centre Hill Beacon Site, and The Bridestones on Bridestones Moor.

Otley is near some unmissable geological features like The Bridestones on Bridestones Moor,

Otley has some unmissable nature reserves nearby like Rodley Nature Reserve, RSPB St Aidan's, RSPB Fairburn Ings, and Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

Otley has some unmissable shopping centres nearby like Trinity Leeds, White Rose Shopping Centre, The Merrion Centre, County Arcade, and Leeds Kirkgate Market.

The area around Otley's best airports can be found at Leeds Bradford Airport.

Middleton Park is a great place to visit close to Otley if you like bluebell woods.

Kirkstall Abbey, and Sandal Castle are some of Otley best ruins to visit near Otley.

The area around Otley features a number of interesting rivers and streams including River Dearne at Bretton, Hebden Water, and Hebden Beck.

The area around Otley's best castles can be found at Sandal Castle.

Don't miss Greenwood Lee Clough Waterfall, and Lumb Falls's waterfalls if visiting the area around Otley.

There are a several good boroughs in the area around Otley like 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.