Big names coming to Ilkley Literature Festival

Paddy Ashdown, Michael Portillo, Sandy Gall (ex ITN), Michael palin, Sandi Toksvig, Jeremy Vine, Clare Balding, John Suchet...

They're all going to be at the Ilkley Literature Festival which will be held from 28th September until 14th October 2012.  Click here to find out the latest on who will be attending.  Tickets go on sale in mid-August with popular names getting snapped up in hours (or even minutes!). 

Book your stay at Westwood Lodge now!  If for any reason you don't get the tickets you were hoping for, we'll change the dates of your stay - even to the 2013 Festival if necessary!

Ilkley Stones on Radio 4

Don't miss Radio 4 this Sunday (15th July) Put it in your diary! BBC Radio 4 will be broadcasting a special 30 minute documentary called Poems from the Pennines, a documentary featuring the Stanza Stones project on Sunday 15th July at 4.30pm. Repeated on Saturday 21st July at 11.30pm. BBC Radio 4 Website  Tune in to hear interviews with Simon Armitage, Ilkley Literature Festival and young people involved in the project

Great Yorkshire Show 2012

After 3 months of unprecedented rainfall the organisers have had to take the difficult decision to cancel The Great Yorkshire Show on the evening of the first day (Tuesday 10th July) after suffering a further 30 minute deluge.   Sadly the car parks cannot now be used to park cars safely and so they simply couldn't continue.

The Great Yorkshire Show is the largest agricultural show in the UK and has never been previously been cancelled.

"This is a heartbreaking decision for everyone who loves the Great Yorkshire Show and is involved in making it so special"

The Great Yorkshire Show website

Special July and August Deals!

All summer weeks are now available for short breaks and full week stays with some big reductions - even during peak season! Click the Special Offers link to see what's available!

July is a favourite time to come with The Great Yorkshire Show at Harrogate. It's the best time to spot bats flying up to the eaves at Westwood Lodge. Or head to Malham Cove to spot the peregrine falcon or Harewood House to see red kites. Ilkley Lido is open daily.

August is the time for the smaller traditional agricultural shows such as Kilnsey and Malham. They'll be fell races, hay bale competitions, sheepdog trials and sheep and cattle judging. Don't forget the Ilkley Summer Festival throughout August and the Kettlewell Scarecrow Festival too!

Olympic Torch comes through Ilkley!

After all the excitement, there were great crowds lining the streets through Ilkley this afternoon. At exactly 4.46pm - right on schedule - the procession, having arrived from Skipton, started from the town boundary, just west of Victoria Avenue and headed through Ilkley town centre towards Leeds. Huge traffic jams occured in both directions as those foolish enough to try to drive, were diverted into the back streets and inevitably to a standstill. Everyone had a fantastic time, cheering and waving the flame - carried intitially by 38 year old Richard Milner - on its' way!
http://www.london2012.com/torch-relay/torchbearers/day=2012-06-24/index.html

White Rose Classic Sportive

Tim donned his Lycra and joined 1000 other cyclists for the revival of the White Rose Classic sportive cycle ride.  Tim undertook the "medium" course - that's 130km and 7,800 feet of climb!  Others completed an even longer route at 180km!  The medium route still took in Otley, Greenhow, Grassington, Halton Gill, Settle, Burnsall and Bolton Abbey.

http://www.whiteroseclassic.co.uk/ 

1000 Women Run Race for Life in Ilkley!

More than 1,000 women signed up and ran the women-only 5k event in Ilkley on Sunday 10th June 2012.  They hope to raise upwards of £50,000 for Cancer Research UK.

Jenny Key, event manager for Race for Life in Yorkshire, said: “We are thrilled that so many women entered. It helped create a fantastic atmosphere on the day and raised crucial funds".

“The battle against cancer never stops. Women of all ages, abilities, shapes and sizes take part in Race For Life. They motivate and inspire each other to complete the course.”

Paula, Alice and Annie from Westwood Lodge all ran in the event, alongside many friends and with sponsorship from family, friends and guests. With a close friend (who also lives in Ilkley) currently being treated against cancer, the race had a particularly special meaning this year.  She still managed to complete the course and - like all the other runners - crossed the line with a smile!

 

Late availability deals 8th June

Although we're FULL for the Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend, we have cut prices for stays at the end of the week.  So, with most children not returning to school until Monday 11th June, why not grab yourself a discounted weekend stay? 

Ilkley Lido Opens for Summer 2012

Ilkley Lido is one of the last surviving outdoor pools in the north of England.  Now a Grade II Listed structure, lidos became hugely fashionable in the 1930s, which is when ours was built. 

There's nothing better on a hot summer's day and it's less than 5 minutes drive away or a 20 minute walk.  There are changing rooms and a cafe plus a picnic area, water slide and fountain

June is a great time to stay!

The upland hay meadows will be coming alive with wild flowers, insects and small mammals.   Ilkley Moor will start to look spectacular.  The Grassington Festival will celebrate the best in music and the arts and they'll be lots of local celebrations for the Queen's Jubilee, with the double Bank Holiday to enjoy!

First Yorkshire Show of the Year

Saturday 19th May sees the season of shows get underway with Otley Show. Well worth a visit with loads of things to see and do!

Hundreds Participate in Ilkley Moor Filming!

Hundreds of people turned out on a gloriously sunny Ilkley Moor this morning to play their part in the filming of the new Yorkshire Anthem - On Ilkley Moor Bah't 'at. 


The filming is the latest part in the making of a new video song about our famous Moor.  Brian Blessed has already recording some of the lyrics (see below) as have several local choirs.  Soldiers from the Yorkshire Regiment joined the town crier and local residents throwing their hats in the air and singing along.  Funds raised will go towards the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.  


More news about the release soon!  

Ilkley Carnival time!

It's Ilkley Carnival on Bank Holiday Monday (7th May). There are still a few vacancies just up the hill here at Ilkley Moor Cottages at Westwood Lodge (www.westwoodlodge.co.uk). There's a street parade with local school children and floats, a fabulous fun fair and traditional competitions and stalls.

The chosen theme for 2012 is 'The Summer Of Celebrations'. Over the last 25 years the carnival has raised money that has been given back to the community to help fund local projects, organisations, sports clubs and help enhance local facilities for everyone.

Bring the Tour de France to Yorkshire - Back le bid!

Yorkshire is bidding to bring the Tour de France to Yorkshire in 2016 and your support is needed! 

The tour de France is the WORLD'S LARGEST ANNUAL SPORTING EVENT watched by 88 million people around the world.  Hosting the race in Yorkshire will provide a multi-million pound boost to the economy and showcase yorkshire globally! 

Top cyclists MARK CAVENDISH and BEN SWIFT have already shown their support.  Click here to see more on this story! 

"It would be amazing to be part of the peloton through the Dales" (Ben Swift)

You can show yours by backing Le Bid today! 

Brian Blessed to sing On Ilkla Moor Bah't 'at in RAP!

Yes! It's true! Brian Blessed is to star in a rap version of the Yorkshire Anthem On Ilkla Moor Bah't 'at!

It was announced today at Y12 - Welcome to Yorkshire's Official Convention announcing record growth in tourism to Yorkshire.

See the ITV Yorkshire News story: http://www.itv.com/news/calendar/story/2012-03-28/ilkla-moor-rap

See the you Tube Video

(Photo: Telegraph and Argus)

STOP PRESS: Gary Richardson our ace number 1 handyman interviewed by ITV1/ Yorkshire Television for this story! See the feature here!

Cottage guests help our Annie raise £203 for a good cause!

Our 11 year old daughter - Annie - organised a special Mother's Day fayre last weekend. With help from classmates and mum Paula, they made cakes, buns and handmade gifts. The event was held in our grounds in aid of Ilkley Grammar School's nominated charity Aquabox. Annie had hoped to raise £50 but ended up handing over a cheque for £203. A number of guests staying with us gave generous support by uying gifts and coffees. The final total was reached after the last of the trays of cakes were sold to visitors walking on Ilkley Moor!

The money will go to buy lots of things to make up boxes that will be kept ready to be sent anywhere in the world where there is a big natural disaster in the future, such as took place at Haiti.

Olympic Torch Coming to Ilkley - Confirmed!

Day 37. Sunday 24th June 2012. 1646 hours.

That's when the Olympic torch will be coming through Ilkley on the A65.

We've still got some accommodation free that weekend. Why not join us by celebrating the event - witnessing the runners in their gold and white outfits carrying the flame aloft!

(Photos: BBC)

New Cottage Progressing Well

We have been building a new cottage to the north of Westwood Lodge through the autumn and winter. Progress has been good and major work is scheduled to be completed during April.

All facilities, except the terrace gardens will be open as usual. This means that access to the animal corner, Wendy House and trampoline is from our car park rather than the terrace. Also, access to The Scullery Garden Apartment is from the The Cellars Leisure area, whilst the work continues.

We will continue to try to keep any disturbance to a minimum. Guests staying during the next few weeks should email if needing further clarification

Easter Offers Go Live!

We've released all remaining dates over Easter as both short bresaks and full week stays. All vacancies arriving on Good Friday 6th April have been reduced. Click the Special Offers button on the right and scroll down.

The Dales is back! ITV1 - Mondays 8pm

The new second series of The Dales returns to ITV1 (27th February 2012) and once again, Adrian Edmondson returns to the county of his birth, Yorkshire, to bring us the stories behind life in the Yorkshire Dales.

Spectacularly beautiful they may be - but the Dales are also a challenging environment for the people who live there in some of its remote communities.  Adrian used to spend many of his childhood summers in the Yorkshire Dales with his family (mainly here in Ilkley!), but in this series he meets a number of characters who live all year round there amidst the stunning scenery of landmarks like Bolton Abbey and Aysgarth Falls.

Find out more about The Dales

Behind the scenes of the Bartons' car crash - Videos - Emmerdale - ITV

Behind the scenes of the Bartons' car crash - Videos - Emmerdale - ITV
So poor John Barton didn't survive the spectacular car crash scene filmed here out on Ilkley Moor last month. Find out more from this behind the scenes clip!

A few questions you've asked...

1 Where were the first shots (low loader and stuntman) fimed? Just over from Keighley Gate (Whetstone Gate on maps) on the road back across to Silsden

2 Is the drop off from the Cow & Calf Rocks really that big? Yes

3 Can we see where the filming took place? Yes indeed. Ilkley Moor is open access land

4 How long did filming take? 3 nights. We could see that the floodlights were still on at 3 o'clock in the morning!

Current weather conditions 10th February 2012

We are open for business and fully intend to remain so. Main roads in the area are open (drive with care) and rail services into Ilkley are operating normally. Local shops are receiving deliveries and pubs and restaurants report brisk trade. We're always prepared for extreme weather here. The boilers are all recently serviced, we have plenty of cut logs for open fires and our 4x4 vehicle is ready to ferry guests up the hill from the station or town centre.


We appreciate that media reports are indicating a severe situation, which is currently just not the case. Of course, the position is different in other areas of the country and extra care and measures such as carrying a shovel in your vehicle, extra warm clothing and flasks of hot drinks are always wise precautions. On the positive side, Ilkley and Ilkley Moor look like Christmas card scenes and snowballs and sledging are the order of the day out here. Have a safe journey!

Original Harry Ramsden Saved!

The original Harry Ramsden's Restaurant in Guiseley closed late last year has been saved!  Contrary to rumour, it's not going to become an Aldi supermarket but will stay as an iconic fish and chip restaurant.  The Wetherby Whaler Group  is said to be planning a £500,000 revamp before it re-opens.

Harry Ramsden's opened in 1931 in the art nouveau-styled building. The restaurant once served a record number of portions of fish and chips and also attracted celebrity diners including Margaret Thatcher, who paid it a visit during her 1979 and 1983 election campaigns.

"The famous fish and chip restaurant in Guiseley is the spiritual home of fish and chips in England," said Phillip Murphy of the Wetherby Whaler Group. "It would be a national scandal if it were to close at this time of economic uncertainly. Our investment has saved a Yorkshire landmark and will ensure the tradition of fine fish and chips continues at this important location. The new Wetherby Whaler in Guiseley will be our flagship restaurant."

Snowed in (almost!)

Snowing since noon.  We're almost cut off here tonight.  Guests planning to go clubbing in Leeds had their minibus cancelled.  Everywhere still open in Ilkley though.  Best advice - forget the car, wrap up warm and head down into town on foot!  Pudding dog loving the snow tonight...