Keighley Moor

Keighley Moor Reservoir lies to the west of Keighley and is situated upon some rough moorland. The walk I prefer arrives from the south and follows a section of the Millennium Way.

The Walk

I always like a purpose to a walk and in this case I was keen to explore Keighley Moor Reservoir which, from the map, looked a peaceful spot. In addition it was in an area I knew very little about. It was certainly a peaceful spot. A clear and warm spring day had brought the birds out (sadly my bird recognition needs to be much improved). Therefore I explored around the banks of the reservoir, finding a peaceful seat for my apple and mars bar. I had passed some shooting butts and this is obviously a popular moor for grouse but fortunately not at this time of the year. Keighley Reservoir is just one of a number of reservoirs in the area. The deep valleys make for perfect, deep bodies of water which fed the growing industrial population of Bradford, Leeds and West Yorkshire.

The second part of the walk was through farmland (plenty of lambs) and a pretty little dell at Newsholme. I was surprised to come across a neat Canadian pilot’s war memorial on the walk which is clearly kept well. All in all an enjoyable few hours with excellent views across the deep valleys and moors of Bronte Country

Recommend

I started the walk at The Grouse country Inn for a purpose….

Navigation Tips Keighley Moor

On leaving the road near the start of the walk the path is not particularly clear. However it runs alongside an obvious boundary wall. These are marked by a solid black line on a map (whether wall, hedge or fence) which always make for useful navigation aids.