Otley, situated in the beautiful countryside of Lower Wharfedale, is a wonderful place to settle down into a beautiful home. With the River Wharfe running through the heart of the town, Otley is a truly scenic area. As a market town and rich with heritage, those wanting a quiet place to live will certainly thrive here.
Oozing with tradition, Otley is known for its markets. Otley's street market runs three times per week on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays as well the Farmer’s market on the last Sunday of every month. There is a real community feel as artisan food and crafts are sold for the benefit of the local businesses and area. Yorkshire Farmers’ Markets sell fresh and organic produce, direct from the producer and sourced as locally as possible. The stallholders are always happy to discuss their products and help visitors with their choice of purchases and there are lots of opportunities to sample the delicious food on offer! If you are looking to buy produce such as bread, eggs, meat, dairy, fruit and vegetables locally and thrilled by live music, Otley market is certainly for you!
But the entertainment doesn’t stop there, Otley is the proud town to open up the UK into the agricultural season with their famous Otley Show. The Otley Show is the oldest Agricultural show in the country being over 200 years old! Attracting more than 12,000 visitor, the show is home to exhibitors of livestock, handicrafts, floral displays, and over 100 trade stands with a wide range of produce and gifts to suit all everyone.
There are many things that are special to Otley- one of them being the filming area for the ITV Soap Opera, Emmerdale. The Chevin Forest Park is a wooded escarpment overlooking Otley, with fabulous views over the Wharfe valley. This local nature reserve comprising 700 acres of woodland and crags and serves as a beautiful location for those outdoor walks.
Otley carnival takes place every summer and serves as another way to bring together the community. It is a celebration of the town and its residents aimed at giving local children a day to remember. The event is held on the third Saturday of June every year. Other annual events include the Coffee Festival, Walking Festival, Otley Cycle Race and Beer Festival.
One of Otley’s key historic features is the bridge, presumed to date back 800 years ago. This ancient monument connects the halves of the town and is used by cars, pedestrians and cyclists. Work has been completed to upkeep the standard of the bridge; it has been widened as a flood defence and safer pedestrian paths have been added too.
Otley is 13 miles away from the busy city-centre of Leeds and is easily accessed. By car, locations such as Skipton, Ilkley, Leeds, Bradford and Harrogate can all be reached by major roads. There is also ample car parking in the centre of Otley for days into the town. Otley is connected to it’s outlying areas though the use of buses- they are affordable, more sustainable and run several times per hour. Otley town is only a 10 minute drive from Leeds/Bradford Airport, making the first part of your holiday as stress-free as possible. Menston train station is within close proximity to Otley and is another form of transport you can utilise.
10 minutes from Otley Centre, you will reach St Mary’s Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy which has an ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted rating. There are many other great education options including: Ashfield Primary School, Guiseley Primary School and Prince Henry’s Grammar School. There are schooling options from ages 2-18 and education is very important to Otley.
To top it all off, the housing market is wonderful in Otley; whether you are looking to rent or buy, there will be something to match your budget and style.
