Is Otley the real ‘Gateway to the Dales’?
Skipton may style itself as the Gateway to the Dales, but for many in the county, it is Otley that is their first port of call when visiting the National Park, the market town lies on the River Wharfe and is just ten miles north of both Bradford and Leeds, and is on the border between West and North Yorkshire.
You may have seen Otley before without even realising it, the town has been a filming location for popular television shows such as Emmerdale, Heartbeat and DCI Banks or you may have caught a glimpse of the town in the Tour de France coverage in 2014 or subsequent Tour de Yorkshire races in recent years.
The most famous feature of Otley has to be the gritstone escarpment that overlooks the town called the Chevin, foundation stones for the Houses of Parliament were created with stones from a quarry on Otley Chevin
Considering the Yorkshire Dales are just a stone’s throw away, it is no mean feat that the Chevin is a popular place for walkers, there are many footpaths and bridlepaths with links to the Dales Way and the Ebor Way. The highest point of the Chevin, Surprise View, reaches 282 metres and rewards you with views of the Wharfe Valley.
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