…please, especially if you live there.

We're planning on putting our house up for sale this year and moving to Leeds, where my wife grew up and where her family still lives.

We were initially considering Adel, Cookridge or Horsforth – but are now starting to think Otley might be a better bet to meet all our needs.

Looks like it has a good school, riding and walking from the door, plenty of pubs, resturants and shops (including a nice bike shop). Plus it's that bit closer to the Dales (and the Lakes & Scotland).

So what's it like to live there? Nice place? Any bits to avoid? Local riding good?

Thanks in advance.

its nice

edit: gets invaded by a big roadie race each year but apart from that its nice. Infact even the whole event is…..well nice.

Nice spot, lots of cycling round there.
Adel is the poshest bit of where you have mentioned. Horsforth is mainly nice, cookridge is slightly more patchy and has some less posh bits.

All nicer than average though.

Also look at Bramhope as an inbetween (but expensive) place.

I come from Bramhope which is between Adel and Otley, but now live in Bristol, though go back regularly. If I returned up that way I would seriously consider Otley as it has the feel of a proper market town yet is close to the major cities of Leeds and Bradford and also great countryside. I am trying to persuade my Mum to move there in her old age.

Good range of pubs, though used to suffer quite a bit from weekend rowdiness and fights – though that may have changed now.

Some of the best fish and chips shops in the country IMO – seems to be one on every corner (Maypole is my current favourite).

Good range of shops – lots of independents including some great butchers, and both a Sainsburys and a Waitrose and also a Netto. Has a regular market which is great for fresh stuff and also a monthly Farmer's Market.

If you are looking to buy it might be worth avoiding bits close to the Wharfe as it may well flood properly one year.

Cycling is good – as noted above a road race happens in summer which has a great atmosphere. Off-road the Chevin, Ilkley Moor and areas in the Washburn Valley are easily accessible, as is Stainburn. Good bike shop in Chevin Cycles and JD Cycles down the road in Ilkley, and also not far from Stif's new premises.

Otley is a great little market town, it's got Chevin Cycles to start and more pubs per capita than anywhere else.

The Chevin is good for Bilberry picking and riding your bike. Bilberry pies turn your poo purple.

Friday night is fight night in the pubs.

Otley has a lot of Morris dancers

When I was little I used to walk to Otley on Saturday as I was too scared to use the bus. I walked past a house where they later found a load of IRA guns.

I have played golf at Otley and it's a very nice golf course.

The Brotherton brothers at the top of the Gill hate each other, one has a scrap business the other has a skip business across the road. They haven't spoken for 30 years.

Prince Henry's are rubbish at Rugby

Burley-in-Wharfedale is nicer and has direct trains to Leeds

Ilkley is posher (but a bit clicky)

My best mate and i grew up in Alwoodley, he has now moved to Otley, he regrets it as working in Leeds and commuting adds another hour (at least) on to his working day.

Otley has no direct rail service to Leeds; the nearest station is at Menston, not actually that far from the Brotherton brothers mentioned above, but about 3 miles from the town centre. The main road to Leeds is ok in rush hour until you get to Weetwood/Headingley, unless there's an accident. or a bit of snow.

There's loads of ace riding. Chevin cycles are good, as are JD's in nearby Ilkley. There's a new bike shop opening soon in Adel. There's a river. There's a big folk music scene. Mr Chippendale the cabinet maker came from Otley.

If I didn't live in Baildon (5 miles away) I'd consider living in Otley. No real places to avoid as far as I know.

I like it.

I was born there, but i've absolutely no idea what it's like as we moved away when I was still young. Sounds alright from the posts above though, I might have to go back and have a look! This maybe one of the most useless things I have ever posted on here and it doesn't help you in the slightest. Never mind.

Ilkley is the better bet, It's arguably nicer and has direct rail links to Leeds.

Has good bike shop in JDs (though Otley has Chevin) and better restaurants/shopping.

It also has "the moor" on your doorstep.

Worth a consideration of you can afford it…t'is expensive though.

Considered all the areas you mentioned and ended up moving to Otley and liked it very much. Echo alot of what people have already said – Liked walking into Otley to go to the shops or pub, rather than driving. Didn't mind the commute into Leeds, we either drove to Menston or got the shuttle bus to the station or got the bus. Riding wise there is the Chevin, good for night rides and easy access to quieter lanes for road rides. JD's in Ilkley is an excellent bike shop too, preferred to go there than Chevin. Easy to get to the Dales etc. We didn't really experience many negatives there but when we moved house we wanted to move to a village and couldn't afford much round there so move near Skipton.

Where will you be working?

As others have said, Otley doesn't have a train service so getting to Leeds can be a pain. On the other hand it means that the houses are cheaper.

Otley is a proper market town. I prefer it to Ilkley which is a bit touristy.

Ilkley is very expensive (one if the most expensive places in the UK) Otley has some nice points but the pubs can be a bit rough.

I never found the pubs in Otley to be rough. In the four years we lived there I saw one scrap (couldn't even call it a fight).

Ilkley is also a traffic jam waiting to happen.

and the locals are very NIMBY-ish about riding on Ilkley Moor.

But it does have a "Betty's".

And it's in Bradford district so council tax is (like for like with Leeds) cheaper. And there's a direct railway link to both Leeds and Bradford (for what it's worth)

Sister swapping party central 😆

My mum lives their, I worked their for a few years, I know many people there and have commuted thru there for many years.
-ve There's a fair amount of council estates. Can be rowdy on a fri/sat night in the town centre. Too many charity shops. Bit of a bottleneck at peak times (not too bad tho). Public transport is not the best. Not a good place to live if you have to get to the M62/M1.
+ve Council estates are generally ok and there's not much trouble, most are privately owned now. Lots going on, local council seem to have lots of events happening, so good community spirit. Good for outdoors types, climbing, mtb, walking etc. Small town, but close enough to a big city if you want all that stuff. Nice Shopping in Harrogate.

I'd happily live there.

Thanks for all the replies, that's really helpful.

I'd be working from home so commute not such an issue for us, although we need to be within a reasonable distance of my wife's parents – who live near Adel.

That rules out Ilkley really. We've been told to look at Bramhope, but we'd prefer somewhere with a few more amenities.

We're planning to stay for a long time, so want somewhere that's nice for kids/teenagers to live as well as us.

We were pretty much set on Adel until we discovered that the local schools are below average – whereas Otley's is above average. Anybody got any recent experience of the schools there?

A few people have mentioned the fighting thing, but just as many have dismissed it. Either way, I've been out there and it's far calmer than where we live now.

Regarding the fighting on a weekend. Don't get me wrong – it isn't that bad, but it does have a bit of a market town personality. Go in the wrong pub and upset the wrong person and you get the feeling things could kick off. I am originally from Knaresborough – a very similar place with a similar weekend set of people but when you know the place and the people it isn't at all bad really.

I've lived in North Leeds for a number of years now and am a fairly regular visitor to Otley, either on bike or by car/foot. Otley is ok, but I'm not sure I would want to live there.

I think the outkirts of Leeds is a pretty good place to live. Good balance between the facilities of a city being close by but also being very close to the 'countryside'. Plenty of good riding in and around Leeds and it is a nice ride over to Ilkley Moor or Stainburn.

Rodley is worth a look – lots of local woodlands / canal towpath / nature reserve / nice pubs and even an LBS

We moved there 2 years ago and love it!

know someone who might be selling their house (they are retired) in Otley. Big Victorian Terrace where they have lived for 10's of years. Let me know if you want putting in contact. I have no idea but would guess it is 4 beds and about £250-300k

C

Otley – nice place but wouldn't want to live there. Has a good range of amenities and a great agricultural fair in May. Does seem to suffer for not having a direct rail link to Leeds and compared to places on the Wharfedale trainline it seems rougher round the edges.

Have you considered looking in Guiseley – lived there for 7 years – good schools and enough shops and amenities to keep you happy.

Plus plenty of riding in all directions. I live just down the road now and wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

Live in Baildon and work in Otley. I would have no problems with living in Otley. Chevin Cycles in Otley has to be a top reason to come to Otley. 😉

Matthew

ChrisE – We're looking for a four-bed house so yes, wouldn't hurt to find out more. My email is in my profile.

Might take a look at Guiseley, on the map it seems to be on the other side of the Chevin so I assume it's easy to ride or go for a nice walk from the door?

I've always had good service when I've been to Chevin before Matthew, would be happy with it as my LBS.

Easy to walk onto the Chevin from Guiseley. Some might say easier than walking from Otley given the gradient of the hill 🙂

Just head up past The Drop and keep going….

We are looking to move back to Leeds in the next 2-5 years, been in London for 9 years. We last lived in Pudsey but had lived in headingley and oakwood. Guisley and Ilkley / Burley are the kind of areas I'm looking at. Id rulled out Otley for 2 reasons. 1 its a bit rough and 2 there is no station with a direct train to Leeds

djglover – bigger problem than no station, no railway lines!

Well I thought it was funny. 😀

Matthew

Menston which is between Guisley and Otley would be a good alternative.

Chevin

no railway lines!

Half true, it does have a staion and it does have lines, no buildings or tracks I grant you. Blame Mr. Beeching.

See here Otley Train Station

It used to link to the Ilkley line and you can ride it on your bike if you want. If you ride up the hill from work on the opposite side of the road to cattle auction that's where the staion used to be. Head down there and you can get to Burley Station.

Bought my first bike from Chevin Cycles off the big chap with a moustache. Early 90's Marin Bear Valley with grey non chip paint.

Chevin – Member
Live in Baildon and work in Otley. I would have no problems with living in Otley. Chevin Cycles in Otley has to be a top reason to come to Otley.

Matthew

Not that you're biased or anything Mat!! 😀

I've lived in Otley for 2 years. Great riding from the door. Not rough at all, at least not in my experience and I've spent plenty of time in the pubs… 35-45 min commute by bike to Leeds. Although you can commute to Leeds and back nearly entirely offroad too!
Proper shops and market, loads of pubs and fish n chip shops. Annual criterium and folk festival. Ilkley's a bit public school for the likes of me… 😉

35-45min commute to leeds by bike? That's rather impressive – not sure I could get to Leeds city centre by car in that time!

I grew up in Yeadon and spent a few years living in Otley. Otley is a nice place and good nights out can be had. Easy access on the bike to the Chevin, Wharfedale and so on is fab.

The train service running through Guiseley on the other side of the Chevin is so good, though, I would say that's the place to have a look.

not sure I could get to Leeds city centre by car in that time!

probably not, in rush hour 😉 It can take that long to get from Weetwood roundabout to Headingley War Memorial

Thanks for the additional comments, all have been useful.

We don't actually need to commute currently. I run my business from home.

But now to the most important question: What are the best pubs and restuarants?

Cheers

Two excellent curry restraunts: the Red Pepper (a new-ish place) and the good old Jewel of India. My favourite pub is the Junction, opposite Chevin Cycles. It's a real ale type place but nice and friendly.

35-45min commute to leeds by bike? That's rather impressive – not sure I could get to Leeds city centre by car in that time!

It's 10 miles dead on to my work (uni). I leave at 6.15 am ish and miss most of the traffic. That said, even in rush hour you miss most of it on a bike. It's pretty competitive though, not that the other guys would admit this I'm sure….

Cheers Wolfie, a curry might be in order on my next visit then.

And maybe a pint or two to wash it down.

Real ale is one of the main factors in me agreeing to move to Yorkshire.

Ilkley – a great place to live, rail line into Leeds, riding on the moor and on Round Hill on the opposite side of the valley, great road riding up into the dales and classic off-road riding up there, good schools, good food, bettys, mortens, lishmans and of course, JDs Bikes who are just brilliant.

Oh, and Ive got a house there I could do with selling…