Otley
Otley is a market town in the English county of West Yorkshire.
Understand
Get in
Otley is well served by bus routes from the nearby cities of Leeds and Bradford. Coming from Leeds using public transport the fastest and most convenient service is the X84 bus. There is also a regular bus service (the 757) between Leeds and Otley that goes via the airport. The nearest train station is in the neighbouring town of Guisley, which has connecting bus services to Otley town centre. Driving is likely to be the most convenient option though, given the pricing of the buses and trains.
Coming from Leeds using public transport the fastest and most convenient service is the X84 and X85 buses.
Get around
As Otley is a comparably small town (population around 14,000) you can see and visit most of the main points of the town on foot. However, there are bus services that serve Otley and the surrounding towns that can be used to get to the more outlying parts. All the bus services stop at the bus station.
See
- 1 Museum. with Thomas Chippendale furniture
- Yorkshire Dales - Otley sits in the shadow of the Chevin (pronounced "Shevin"), just a little too small to class as a mountain. The view from the top is a welcome reward for the scenic walk up the hill, taking you through the forests, heather and fields.
- Cattle Markets, Tuesday & Thursday
- Street Markets, Tuesday, Friday & Saturday - Held in the town's market square and surrounding streets.
- 2 All Saints' Church. Norman sone church. The graveyard contains a model of the Bramhope Tunnel as a memorial to the 24 men who died in its construction.
Do
Events
- Otley Agricultural Show. May.
- Otley Carnival. July - Floats and processions though the town, ending at a fairground held just over the river. Very popular with children and families.
- Otley Town Centre Cycle Race. June.
- Otley Walking Festival. Late June/July.
- Otley Folk Festival. September - Mostly based around drinking in the local pubs, this festival has the advantage of a great atmosphere at the expense of everywhere being very busy. Get to the pub early if you want a table.
Buy
Eat
Otley is frequented by a great number of small cafes selling the usual sandwiches, drinks and small snacks, as well a small number of nice restaurants and fast food outlets.
Drink
Otley is one of many towns that claim the record for the most pubs per person for any place in the UK. At one time, the town had 32 pubs, but that fell to around 20 in 2015 (or one for every 680 residents). The most popular are the Rose and Crown and The Junction. Otley's high number of pubs makes it appealing to many for a night out.
Sleep
- 1 Chevin Country Park Hotel & Spa, Yorkgate, Otley, West Yorkshire, LS21 3NU, ☏ +44 1943 467818, reception@chevinhotel.co.uk. The hotel sits in 49 acres near the Chevin Forest offering spa facilities, restaurant and outdoor activities. The hotel has 16 rooms, 28 woodland cabins and 2 lodges. from £58.
- 2 Timble Inn, Timble LS21 2NN, ☏ +44 1943 880530. Elegant gastropub with rooms above Swinsty reservoir, great walking country. B&B double from £120.
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