5k Run Ilkley: Scenic Loop Along the Dales Way

Route Overview & Local Insights

Starting from the heart of town at Brook Street, this 4.6km loop offers a refreshingly flat and accessible escape into the Wharfe Valley. Underfoot, you’ll find a balanced mix of paved sections and well-trodden riverside paths as you join the iconic Dales Way. The route carries you past the Ilkley Lawn Tennis & Squash Club before reaching the turnaround point at Blow Bank. With only 21 meters of total ascent, it’s an ideal choice for recovery runs, tempo efforts on level ground, or for newer runners looking to enjoy the gentle scenery of the River Wharfe without the daunting gradients usually associated with the Yorkshire Dales.

Ilkley is a town steeped in outdoor heritage, serving as the traditional gateway to the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Running along this stretch of the river, you are following in the footsteps of thousands of hikers who start or finish the 128km Dales Way nearby. The area is famous for "Ilkla Moor Baht 'at," but this riverside path shows the softer side of the local landscape, offering views of the gritstone escarpments from a serene, water-level perspective. After finishing your loop back through the Victorian charm of Brook Street, you're perfectly positioned to refuel at one of the town’s renowned tea rooms or gear up at the Alpkit store where the journey began.