Hiking at Ilkley Moor with EnviroSoc
To welcome spring in the healthiest possible way, the Environment Society had organised a hike up Ilkley Moor. It was a warm early spring day and we started at Parkinson Steps at 9:30 AM. We took a bus to Ilkley passing through Headingley, Otley and the beautiful English countryside. It didn’t feel like warm and wasn’t sunny in the morning, thanks to the fog. The fog settled as we neared Ilkley allowing us to enjoy the ride through the countryside.
When we reached Ilkley, we could a short break, went to the supermarket to buy some snacks and soon after we started walking towards the moor. The sun had gotten out of the clouds by now and the fresh country air felt fresh, crisp and warm. On our way to the moor, I started chatting with a couple of people and soon we started sticking to each other because we were very keen to listen to each other’s hiking stories.
At first, the trail was gentle and wasn’t too steep. About 15 minutes later, we had reached a café and an old bathhouse. I was told that the bathhouse had a plunge pool. We didn’t stay around for too long and once everyone had caught up, we resumed our hike. The hike started to get a little tougher. The surface was a little muddy and the path a little steeper but nothing too treacherous. As with any other group hike, there were a few slow ones and a few fast hikers. My new-found friends and I were at the front of the pack with one of the committee members of the society.
As we hiked up the moor, we took in the sights, smells and sounds of pure nature. The views on this clear, bright day were simply breath-taking. We reached the summit about 30 minutes after the first stop and sat still waiting for the rest. We were in awe of the views from the top. For many of us, it was our first time hiking at Ilkley Moor and none of us knew what to expect, which was great because every view looked new and we were awe-struck every time we stopped and stared at the village below us or the empty moorlands around us.
After another short walk across the moor, we stopped at some large rocks. Some of us had lunch and some just sat talking about their lives and discussing the hike. Soon, it was time to leave and we got ready to walk downhill. At first, the downhill path was easy and very beautiful, there was a stream of water where we saw a few dogs and children playing. As we went further downhill, the trail was getting much steeper. Many first-time hikers realised that going downhill is much harder and requires more planning and focus than climbing. I had put my phone (which I used to shoot videos and photos) into my bag and focussed on not slipping and falling, despite a decent pair of shoes. The surface was muddy.
We soon reached the end of the trail and headed off into Ilkley village to board our bus back to Leeds. Many of us were tired but the refreshing rays of the sun gave us the energy to bond over life experiences a bit longer. We hopped onto the bus back to Leeds and almost everybody (including me) napped on the ride back.
This was one of the most fun hikes I had ever taken. It was not challenging, but that doesn’t mean it was boring. In fact, it was the opposite. The bunch of people we hiked with appreciate the beauty of nature. It was a diverse, fun and enthusiastic hike and I can’t express how happy I am to have met to have gone on a hike with them at the beautiful Ilkley Moor.
Music Credit for video: Music by Joakim Karud http://youtube.com/joakimkarud