Ilkley Triathlon 2010

If you've never done a triathlon (sprint or full Olympic) but fancy having a go, then the Ilkley Tri organised by Leeds and Bradford Triathlon Club is a great event! Make a note now for next September (usually around 21st) and another note to sign-up on 1st May 2011 as places go fast! Tim got round for the fifth time. Whilst well down the field he was pleased to cross the finish line without the feeling of an impending seizure!

World Junior Triathlete Champion and local lad Jonathan Brownlee presented prizes. He soon had a gaggle of young ladies wanting a photo - including our Alice!

Ilkley Literature

Ilkley Literature

Ilkley Literature Festival

the 2010 programme is out!

Helping Ben's Wish to Walk

benswishtowalk.co.uk: We are delighted that daughter Annie helped by sister Alice and school friends organised a tea and bun stall at Westwood Lodge yesterday, raising over £200 to pass on to Ben's Wish To Walk Charity. Ben Smithson is a local 9 year old with Cerebral Palsy. Here's the story from his parents: . "Ben decided to come into the world 10 weeks early and sustained some oxygen starvation after birth. . Ben was a very happy baby and loved being with people. We did however notice he was not reaching his developmental milestones, he sat unaided at 11 months & crawled at 18 months. All Bens doctors told us it was delayed development, and we trusted them. . Ben was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy when he was nearly 2 ½ years old, we were shocked but in some ways relieved as he would now receive the help he needed. . So Ben has always been playing catch up on all the early intervention he missed out on. This has however NEVER stopped Ben from achieving all he wants in life. We have a saying in our house if he can’t do it he finds ‘Ben’s way’ of doing it. . A little over a year ago we heard about several children who had gone to a Children’s Hospital in America and has surgery called Selective Dorsal Rizhotomy. After a lot of talking and research we decided as parents we should at least see if Ben was a suitable candidate for the surgery. And so to today - Ben was accepted for surgery on 6th May 2010. Now the fund raising begins.... We have a huge mountain to climb and raise a estimated £45,000 by January 2011."

YouTube - WestwoodLodge's Channel

YouTube - WestwoodLodge's Channel

Summer Short Breaks now available

With the increasing popularity of short breaks - even during peak weeks - we've released all remaining dates including the Scottish and English/ Welsh August Bank Holiday weekends, for short stays. With Ilkley Lido open for the summer season why not book today?

NEW! Roof Gardens with Glorious Views

We're delighted to have completed work on the restoration of the Roof Gardens. The sunny and private terrace has fabulous views in all directions - including over Ilkley town, Wharfedale, Addingham, Ilkley Moor, across to Nidderdale and the Yorkshire Dales National Park. It is an absolute sun-trap. It's the place to relax and unwind with a good book and a glass of your favourite long drink....

What's on over the Summer?

If you're not sure what to do, here are a few events to whet your appetite... Broughton Game Show, Sunday 27th June Broughton Hall (on A59 west of Skipton; Grid Ref: SD 9450) RAF Dakota flypast, dog display, motorcycle stunt display, heavy horses, miniature Shetland ponies, Birdman Challenge, falconry, sheep shearing and many other displays, stands and sideshows. Adults £8, Concessions £6, Children £4 http://www.broughtongameshow.co.uk/ or see local tourist information for details . Great Yorkshire Show, Tuesday 13th – Thursday 15th July, Harrogate The North’s leading agricultural event. Livestock shows, equestrian events, Black Dyke Band, The Great Show Wheel, Hot Air Balloons. Demonstrations, stalls and sideshows too numerous to mention. A fabulous, fully-packed day out. Please note: to avoid the jams, aim to arrive either very early or towards lunchtime. Adults £20, Concessions £16, Children £9 http://www.greatyorkshireshow.co.uk/ Tel: 01423 541000 . Ilkley Summer Festival, 1st- 30th August Many events including Ken Dodd's Happiness Show on Wedneday 4th, the Flower and Vegetable Show on Saturday 7th, the big weekend on 14th/15th of music, picnics and partying under the big top at the Riverside Gardens. Exhibitions, walks and continental market. http://www.ilkleysummerfestival.com/ or local tourist information . Kettlewell Scarecrow Festival, 14th-22nd August Kettlewell (on B6265 then B6160 north of Skipton; Grid Ref: SD9772) Walk the ‘Scarecrow Trail’ and discover scarecrows hiding in unexpected nooks and crannies in this idyllic Dales village of calendar girl’s fame. Various pubs and tearooms will sustain you. . Burnsall Feast Sports, Saturday 21st August Burnsall (on B6160 from Bolton Abbey; Grid Ref: SE031610) Fell race (the oldest in Britain), children’s races, pet show, guess the weight of the sheep, side shows. A great local country event. Always held the first Saturday after the Sunday after August the 12th! http://www.burnsallsports.co.uk/ or local tourist information . Malham Show, Saturday 28th August Malham (Grid Ref: SD 900627) Under the shadow of Malham Cove, this traditional agricultural and family country show has been taking place for over 100 years. Farmers’ Market, falconry displays, fell race, equestrian and livestock shows, tug o’ war, dry-stone walling and plenty of sideshows. Adults £6, children under 16 free http://www.malhamdale.com/ or local tourist information . Kilnsey Show, Tuesday 31st August Kilnsey (on B6265 then B6160 north of Skipton; Grid Ref: SD 970677) The Dales’ foremost agricultural show set against the magnificent backdrop of Kilnsey Crag. Dry-stone walling, producer and handicraft stalls, livestock, equestrian events, fell races and harness racing. Adults £8, accompanied children under 16 £1, under 5s free http://www.kilnseyshow.co.uk/ or local tourist information . Harrogate Autumn Flower Show, 17th – 19th September Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate Around 90 of the country's leading horticultural nurseries exhibiting and selling plants, special interest groups’ exhibits, gardening accessories, arts and crafts and local food. Entry £14 (£7 after 2 pm on Sunday) http://www.flowershow.org.uk/ . Ilkley Literature Festival, 1st – 17th October A prestigious national event with 20000 tickets sold last year covering 190 events. This year’s contributors will be announced on the Festival website. Previous years have included Alan Bennett, Alan Titchmarsh, Melvyn Bragg, Paddy Ashdown, Sarah Dunant, Margaret Drabble, Michael Mansfield QC and James Cracknell (double Olympic gold medallist). Children’s weekend always popular. Tickets on sale from Tuesday 31st August. http://www.ilkleyliteraturefestival.org.uk/ 01943 601210 (general) 816714 (booking enquiries) . Information offered in good faith and may change ESPECIALLY PRICES that may be taken from last year. We have no arrangement - commercial or otherwise - with any of these events.

Red Open Top Buses in LEEDS?

Distinctive open top double-decker bus will offer a ‘hop on, hop off’ sightseeing service across a five mile route through Leeds fro today. The route will take in such sights as Millennium Square, the Corn Exchange and the Victoria Quarter. The Leeds City Cruises will take visitors along Leeds’ waterways historical route from Clarence Dock to Brewery Wharf and onto Granary Wharf. The bus stops at twelve sightseeing stops across the city. Visitors can “hop-on and hop-off” at each stop to explore throughout the whole day. The bus will run six times each day from 22nd May until 26th September and the Leeds City Cruises will run every weekend from 22nd May to 26th September, and every day throughout August. Tickets for Leeds City Sightseeing Bus will be £7.50 for an adult, £3.75 for children, concessions for students and seniors will be £5.50 and a family ticket will be £17.00. Tickets for Leeds City Cruises will be £3.00 for an adult, £1.50 for children, concessions for students and seniors will be £2.00 and a family ticket will be £6.50. Visitors can find out more about the services at www.yorkshire.com It is hoped the new tourism initiative will attract more visitors to the city and help grow the region’s visitor economy.

Puppy Reunion!

Regular guests will know that Pudding had a litter of puppies last year (top photo). We always wanted to get all the puppies back together and here they are! So, which is which? There's mum (Perfect Pudding), three boys (Bread and Butter Pudding - now Pippin, Chocolate Pudding - now Merlin and Sticky Toffee Pudding - still called Toffee) and two girls (Summer Pudding - Summer and Rice Pudding - now Misty). Photo by Stuart Green.

Facebook | Westwood Lodge Ilkley Moor Country House Apartments and Cottages

Facebook Westwood Lodge Ilkley Moor Country House Apartments and Cottages: "! The snow may have gone but the Ice Cube is back in Leeds City Centre. We're getting our skates on for outdoor ice skating. It's great fun for all ages and abilities. 1200 sq. m of real ice with a nursery rink and 'Penguin' aids. When you've had enough there's a fully heated rink-side café. If you've got young children, go for the early sessions. Weekend sessions from mid morning are wilder! See you there!"

Arriving Friday 15th January 2010

For guests arriving, please be aware that cars are still struggling to reach us due to ice and black ice. However, this is an improvement on last week when none of our guests were able to drive to us. HOWEVER DON'T WORRY, we have a 4x4 Land Rover and have been ferrying guests to and from Ilkley Town Centre and the station, in particular. Trains are largely running to schedule and the airport is open. Don't forget to pack snacks, water, warm clothes, fully charged mobile phone, shovel, blankets and a full tank of fuel just in case you have problems en route. Please make sure you have our 'phone number to hand. Keep us posted if you get delayed. Have a safe journey! Tim

More snow coming!

(Westwood Lodge on Christmas Day. Photo: Patrick Hagan) There's more snow forecast so, if you're coming in the next few days (and it really is fab with all the snow!) do check the Met Office website for the latest position. The road here is kept clear for the shuttle bus so you should have few problems reaching Westwood Lodge

Snow's Going...

The snow is melting but it really has been a fab white Christmas. We spent most of Christmas Day sledging outside the gates on the road down from the top of Ilkley Moor. Great stuff!

WEATHER LATEST!

Although we do have snow, the main roads through Wharfedale are all clear (as at 0930 Tuesday 22nd December) and guests should be able to reach us without undue problem. Trains are largely running to schedule and the airport is open. For the latest information, go to: http://www.wymetro.com/TravelNews/trainalerts/ for the latest on the trains to Ilkley http://www.leedsbradfordairport.co.uk/arrivals.html for the latest on flight arrivals into Leeds Bradford International http://www.theaa.com/traffic-news/index.jsp for road travel news Don't forget to pack snacks, water, warm clothes, fully charged mobile phone, shovel, blankets and a full tank of fuel just in case you have problems en route. Have a safe journey Tim

Christmas FULL - last chance for New Year

The decorations are up and we are pleased to report that we are completely full for Christmas 2009 and currently just have one apartment for New Year 2009/10. We are now taking bookings for next year at this years' prices and VAT at 15% (we'll absorb the extra 2.5% if you book now!) See our website for details.

Original Victorian Arch restored

The winter refurbishment programme has set off with the original pedestrian arched entrance being restored. Bricked-up for many years (some say since the First World War!) it too a digger two days to clear the rubble and debris that was almost hiding it from view. Working with neighbours, we will be continuing to restore The Carriage Road that runs at the back of the gardens, by clearing up to 100 tonnes of overgrown stinging nettles, laurel, leaf mulch and garden debris.

1st Ilkley Science Festival

Ilkley has just had it's first ever science fair and Westwood Lodge guests were among the first audiences. A group of leading scientists from Leeds University gave various lectures at Ilkley Grammar School in a bid to help boost funds for a student trip to Ecuador. Headteacher Gillian James officially opened the talks, which were held over two days. They covered a wide range of science topics such as Marion Hetherinton’s talk on chocolate addiction. Prof Hetherington described how we learn to like bitter foods including vegetables. She encouraged parents to keep giving their children vegetables because they need to eat them at least ten times before they develop a taste for them! Another speaker, Catriona Morrison, a world expert in memory, made the audience recall their earliest memory and suggested that our earliest memories date from when we first have the words to describe an event. All in all - a great weekend and we hope the event will become an annual one.

Christmas Lights Switched on 21st November

Amazingly, it's that time of year again! The Ilkley lights get switched on Saturday 21st November at 5pm. The Parish Council have invested in some new lights and a huge tree has already been erected at the end of The Grove ready for the big switch on!

Swine Flu Latest

We have today (29th July 2009) been informed that our recommended cancellation insurers will NOT apply the normal exclusion clause relating to Pandemics. Therefore, guests who take out a UK Plus Holiday Cancellation Insurance policy will find it COVERS SWINE FLU AS PER ANY OTHER MEDICAL RISK in accordance with the normal Policy Terms and Conditions. This will come as a great relief to many planning holidays. If you do NOT take out our recommended cancellation insurance or have alternative cover, do check and consider what would happen if you had to cancel your stay due to a member of your party being taken ill with Swine Flu. We will apply our Standard Booking Conditions to any such cancellation. In short, we cannot afford to have empty accommodation and, if you do not have suitable cover, you may find yourself having to pay for a holiday you are unable to take. Yorkshire currently has a much lower than average incidence of the illness but this situation may change as the summer progresses.

Bradford becomes world's first "City of Film"

Bradford may not be top of your "must do" places to visit this year, but it has a lot going for it. There's The UK National Media Museum, The Alhambra and the best curry in the North, for starters! Now there's another reason as Bradford has been chosen to become the world's first-ever city of film. Awarded by the United Nations, the city is being recognised for films made in the city, the dedicated media museum and several film festivals held each year. Billy Liar and part of Monty Python's The Meaning of Life were made in Bradford and The Railway Children was filmed on the nearby Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. Bollywood stars often visit the city and Simon Beaufoy, the screenwriter for the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire, said the accolade was "superb news" for his hometown. "Not only has Bradford played a crucial role in the story of cinema and helped shape its history, it has inspirational plans to enhance its future relationship with film, which will benefit both the local community and the industry at large." Bradford is just 25 minutes by rail from Ilkley with trains every half-hour throughout the day.

New Article on Visiting Ilkley!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-1191398/UK-holidays-Yorkshire-wonders-Charles-Darwin-Fat-Rascals-poetry-motion-lovely-Ilkley.html

Enjoy England Gold Awards

We are delighted our three courtyard cottages have each been awarded the first self-catering Gold Awards for high standards and service excellence. Gold Awards are only given to those properties in the Four Star category scoring a minimum of 84 out of 86 in the annual inspection by Enjoy England (the old English Tourism Council) and unable to be rated as Five Star due to not being able to meet certain requirements (in our case being Listed Historic Buildings and having restricted bedroom space).

This means that all 7 properties at Westwood Lodge have either been rated as Five Stars or Four Stars GOLD.

Charles Darwin in Ilkley!

It's 200 years since Charles Darwin was born. He became world famous for his book "On the Origin of Species by Natural Selection" published exactly 150 years ago. What is less well known is that Darwin came to Ilkley just before his work was published. He arrived on 4th October 1859 to take the "water cure" at the Wells House Hydro - just 200 yards down the road from Westwood Lodge. He was joined by his wife and family and they enjoyed Ilkley so much that they took an apartment here at North House (now known as Hillside). Darwin received his review copy prior to publication, was here when his book was officially published (24th November) and where he started revisions for the second edition of his great work. Visitors to Westwood Lodge can still see both Wells House and North House as well as stroll around the Darwin Millenium Gardens and maze, just a couple of minutes walk from Westwood Lodge Ilkley Moor.