Can I walk on Ilkley Moor and Burley Moor?

Known as Ilkley Moor to most walkers. 1,089 hectares of moorland above Ilkley and Burley-in-Wharfedale.

Yes, on foot,

unless a closure or restriction is in place.

Natural England's maps show all 1,089 hectares of Ilkley Moor and Burley Moor as registered common land where the public have a right of access under section 193 of the Law of Property Act 1925. That makes it section 15 land: access comes from that law, not the right to roam.

Section 15 map version 9, 29 Nov 2024. Data checked 24 Oct 2026.

Check with Bradford Council before you go

Access here comes from section 193 of the Law of Property Act 1925, so Natural England's closure map does not cover it.

Common land with public access
Neighbouring common land
Main road
PCar park

Mostly in Ilkley parish (67%), with parts in Burley; Bradford district, West Yorkshire. Nearest town: Ilkley, 0.4 km north. Roads: A65, B6265, B6382. Car parks: Cow and Calf.

Enlarge the map · Roads, villages and car parks © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Dogs

The right to roam's dog rule (a short lead from 1 March to 31 July) does not apply here by law, because access comes from section 193 of the Law of Property Act 1925. Byelaws can set their own dog rules, so follow signs on site.

The Countryside Code asks you to keep dogs under effective control, on a lead or in sight, and away from wildlife, livestock and horses.

Bradford Council, which owns the moor, asks for dogs on a lead near livestock and through the ground-nesting bird season, March to July.

Other local or seasonal restrictions can apply. Notes on dogs and grazing from Bradford Council: Access on Ilkley Moor.

What your access covers

Walking and other open-air recreation on foot, under section 193 of the Law of Property Act 1925.

Bradford Council, which owns the moor, says there is a right of access on horseback as well as on foot across all of it. Cycling is allowed by the council's permission, not as a right, and only inside the area marked on its map: no e-bikes, no riding at night and no timed or downhill racing.

Section 193 of the Law of Property Act 1925 gives no right to camp, light a fire or drive on the land, and doing any of them without lawful authority, such as the landowner's permission, is an offence.

Some land inside can stay private, such as buildings and gardens.

A closure or restriction on access land does not close a public footpath or bridleway across it.

From Bradford Council: Access on Ilkley Moor, Law of Property Act 1925, section 193.

What the walk is like

Look out for: White Wells, an old spring bath with a café open when its flags fly, and the Twelve Apostles, a ring of standing stones thought to date from the Bronze Age.
Rock art: Over 400 cup and ring marked stones are known on Rombalds Moor, which Ilkley Moor is part of.
Wildlife: Golden plover, curlew, lapwing, short-eared owl and twite nest on the ground here, and the moor is recognised internationally for them. Loose dogs can make the birds abandon nests.
Underfoot: Flagged paths over stretches that had turned to bog, steep steps up from White Wells and a grassy descent that is tricky in the wet.
A walk to try: The Friends' hour-long Cow and Calf walk takes in Rocky Valley, Backstone Beck and Hangingstone Quarry. The path is rough, muddy after rain, eroded in places and passes cliff edges.
Fire: Don't light fires or barbecues or drop matches or cigarettes. Report fire or smoke on 999.
Shooting: The council does not allow grouse shooting on Ilkley Moor. Neighbouring moors shoot from 12 August to December.

From Friends of Ilkley Moor: Twelve Apostles heritage walk, Friends of Ilkley Moor, Bradford Council: Access on Ilkley Moor, Friends of Ilkley Moor: Cow and Calf heritage walk.

Getting there

Car: The Cow and Calf car park, by the rocks, is the usual start. The Cow and Calf Hotel is across the road.
Also: White Wells car park, on the Ilkley side, starts the Friends' two-and-a-half-hour walk to the Twelve Apostles and the moor's highest point.

From Friends of Ilkley Moor: Cow and Calf heritage walk, Friends of Ilkley Moor: Twelve Apostles heritage walk.

Common land nearby

Also nearby: Whetstone Quarry Ilkley Road (0.4 km, 1.2 ha), Baildon Moor (2.1 km, 283 ha), Moorcock Quarry Rivock Edge (2.1 km, 1.1 ha).

Straight-line distance between nearest edges. All common land in Ilkley

Questions

Can I walk on Ilkley Moor and Burley Moor?

Yes, on foot, unless a closure or restriction is in place. Natural England's maps show all 1,089 hectares of Ilkley Moor and Burley Moor as registered common land where the public have a right of access under section 193 of the Law of Property Act 1925. That makes it section 15 land: access comes from that law, not the right to roam.

Can I take my dog on Ilkley Moor and Burley Moor?

Yes. The right to roam's dog rule (a short lead from 1 March to 31 July) does not apply here by law, because access comes from section 193 of the Law of Property Act 1925. Byelaws can set their own dog rules, so follow signs on site. The Countryside Code asks you to keep dogs under effective control, on a lead or in sight, and away from wildlife, livestock and horses. Bradford Council, which owns the moor, asks for dogs on a lead near livestock and through the ground-nesting bird season, March to July.

Can I cycle or ride a horse on Ilkley Moor and Burley Moor?

Can I camp on Ilkley Moor and Burley Moor?

Not without the landowner's permission. Section 193 of the Law of Property Act 1925 gives no right to camp, light a fire or drive on the land, and doing any of them without lawful authority, such as the landowner's permission, is an offence.

Is there parking at Ilkley Moor?

The Cow and Calf car park, by the rocks, is the usual start. The Cow and Calf Hotel is across the road.

Spotted something wrong?

If this page doesn't match what you found on the ground, or you walk here often and know something it's missing, email hello@caniwalkhere.co.uk. Corrections are checked against the source and fixed; notes about the walk are credited if you'd like.

This is not the legal register of common land, which City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council holds, and it is not legal advice. The landowner and byelaws can restrict access, so check signs before you go. Register unit CL207, Bradford. Data changed 24 Oct 2026, checked 24 Oct 2026.