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

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, nature reserves, shopping centres, airports, bluebell woods, ruins, rivers and streams, castles, waterfalls and boroughs.

The area around Otley features a number of interesting cities including Bradford, Leeds, and Wakefield.

Otley's best nearby villages can be found at Wyke, Haworth, Oxenhope, Thornton, Manningham, Saltaire, and Ripponden.

The area around Otley features a number of interesting woodlands including Judy Woods, Chevin Forest Park, Middleton Park, and Hardcastle Crags.

There are a several good parks in the Otley area like Lister Park, Cartwright Hall Gardens, Peel Park, Shibden Park, Roundhay Park, Middleton Park, and Park Square.

Otley has some unmissable historic buildings nearby like Cartwright Hall, Hewenden Viaduct, Halifax Town Hall, North Bridge - Halifax, Halifax Minister, Wainhouse Tower, and Shibden Park.

Don't miss Cartwright Hall, and Yorkshire Sculpture Park's museums if visiting the area around Otley.

Places near Otley feature a number of interesting gardens including Cartwright Hall Gardens.

Otley's best nearby country parks can be found at Penistone Hill Country Park, Ogden Water Country Park, Shibden Country Park, Chevin Forest Park, Golden Acre Park, Bretton Country Park, and Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

The area around Otley features a number of interesting hiking areas including Penistone Hill Country Park, Colden, The Chevin, Hardcastle Crags, and Withens Clough.

Don't miss Ilkley, Sowerby Bridge, Halifax, Todmorden, Huddersfield, Bradley, and Otley's towns if visiting the area around Otley.

Lakes to visit near Otley include Boothwood Reservoir, Ogden Water Country Park, Ogden Water, Shibden Park, Light Hazzles Reservoir, Warland Reservoir, and Gaddings Dam.

Otley's best nearby historic monuments can be found at Wainhouse Tower, and Centre Hill Beacon Site.

Centre Hill, Stoodley Pike, and The Chevin are some of Otley best hills to visit near Otley.

Otley has some unmissable ancient sites nearby like Stones Lane Standing Stones, and Centre Hill Beacon Site.

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

Trinity Leeds, White Rose Shopping Centre, The Merrion Centre, County Arcade, and Leeds Kirkgate Market are great places to visit near Otley if you like shopping centres.

Airports to visit near Otley include Leeds Bradford Airport.

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

Otley has some unmissable ruins nearby like Kirkstall Abbey, and Sandal Castle.

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

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

Greenwood Lee Clough Waterfall is one of Otley's best, nearby waterfalls to visit in Otley.

Boroughs to visit near Otley include 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.