
Otley
Otley is a market town and civil parish at a bridging point on the River Wharfe, in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England.
Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, the population was 13,668 at the 2011 census. It is in two parts: south of the river is the historic town of Otley and to the north is Newall, which was formerly a separate township. The town is in lower Wharfedale on the A660 road which connects it to Leeds.
Getting to Otley
Otley is well served by bus routes from the nearby cities of Leeds and Bradford. Coming from Leeds using public transport the fastest and most convenient service is the X84 bus. There is also a regular bus service (the 757) between Leeds and Otley that goes via the airport. The nearest train station is in the neighbouring town of Guisley, which has connecting bus services to Otley town centre.
Worth seeing
- 01Otley Museum
The collection includes prehistoric stone tools and artefacts from the middle Wharfe valley and archaeological items from the palace of the Archbishop of York at Otley.
- 02All Saints' Church
The graveyard contains a model of the Bramhope Tunnel as a memorial to the 24 men who died in its construction.
Things to do
Otley Agricultural Show. May. Otley Carnival. July - Floats and processions though the town, ending at a fairground held just over the river. Very popular with children and families. Otley Town Centre Cycle Race. June. Otley Walking Festival. Late June/July. Otley Folk Festival.
- 01Otley Courthouse
An arts centre run and maintained by the people of Otley.
Where to eat
Otley is frequented by a great number of small cafes selling the usual sandwiches, drinks and small snacks, as well a small number of nice restaurants and fast food outlets.
- 01The Penny Bun
West Lane, Askwith LS21 2QJ,.
- 02Milk Bar Café
Small café serving breakfast, cake and milkshakes.
- 03Rafferty's Café
Greasy spoon cafe that has a 1970s aesthetic.
- 04Bloomfield Square
Bloomfield Square, 28-30 Gay Ln, LS21 1BR,.
Getting around Otley the local way
- Get inFerries sail overnight from Rotterdam (Netherlands) to Kingston upon Hull.
- Get inHull is an hour by train or car from Leeds, and the ferry port is 3 miles east of Hull city centre: buses run from there to the railway station.
- Go nextLeeds is a major transport hub, so many outlying attractions can be done as day trips.
From Wikivoyage: Leeds, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-09.
Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see Commons), Wikimedia Commons.