Stones near White Wells
A leisurely 4 kilometre walk.
From the station, turn right and walk down to the crossroads. Cross over to go straight up the hill - the most pleasant way is up through the gardens of Mill Ghyll. When you come out at the top of the gardens, turn right into Queen's Road, and you'll find a railed enclosure with 3 boulders.
The Panorama Stone
These were moved in 1890 to make way for development around the area of Panorama Rocks. The largest, known as the Panorama Stone, broke during the process.
All three rocks have cup and ring marks; the Panorama Stone has 40 cups and very unusual ladder carvings linking the rings. Sadly the carvings are badly worn and deteriorating fast.
Cross Queen's Road. Just past the church, take the path leading up steps through the woods. Turn left into Keighley Gate Road, and then take the track on the right through White Wells car park. Continue up, across the stream at Willy Hall's Spout, to White Wells.
White Wells
A bit of background information on this (Victorian?) spa.
Behind White Wells, take the path upwards from the west end of the building. Where the land levels out, there is a small steep path up to the right - scramble up! After 50 metres the path divides - keep left up the edge of the escarpment to join the main path on the top. There is a carved rock only 6 metres up the main path - a small rock with 5 carved cups.
The Pepperpot
Return down the main path for a few metres looking for a faint path to the left. The Pepperpot lies 15 metres into the bracken to the South West. There are two carved rocks ; the larger has 47 cups on the dome and 17 lower down.
Willy Hall's Wood Stone
Return to the main path and turn left, in a westerly direction, heading for the top of the wood. The path crosses a gully and then goes through high bracken for a short way. Cross the stream. At the top of the hillock is a large boulder amongst the trees, known as Willy Hall's Wood Stone, with 17 cups, 5 with rings and others with connecting grooves.
Return to the path, and head back to White Wells and Ilkley Station.