"An ancient symbol for luck or prehistoric graffiti? Judge for yourself!"
Walk directions
Take the ascending path from the uppermost corner of the car park, heading right at a fork, over a footbridge, then left at the subsequent three junctions to a driveway. Cross the grassy area in front of you to Wells Road.
Turn right along the pavement, keeping ahead into Westwood Drive when the road forks by Westwood Lodge. Maintain direction when the road bends off to the right, to enter quiet Westwood Drive, which in turn becomes Panorama Drive. Some 385yds (352m) later, by a house named Shambles Corner, take a walled path, signed ‘Hebers Ghyll’, to a wooden gate.
Pass through this into open country, turning right, past a small reservoir. A footbridge carries the path over waterfalls at Heber’s Ghyll. The less distinct moorside path beyond soon passes through a latched metal gate and crosses a second stream. Bear left at a junction encountered after 30yds (27m) to follow a moor-edge track right, to a small fenced enclosure on Woodhouse Crag, within which lies the Swastika Stone.
Stepping away from the crag edge you’ll find a broad track. Take this, heading back in the direction you came from, enjoying fine views towards the Cow and Calf rocks far ahead and, to your left, Wharfedale. After passing through a gate and crossing a beck, the trail brings you to the gate that you encountered at the end of Point 2.
Don’t go through the gate this time. Turn right and 700yds (640m) later fork left, below a small car park, to cross Spicey Beck and meet a road beyond. Cross and hop up the bank opposite to find the path’s continuation. Turn left for 550yds (503m) to its intersection with the driveway for White Wells Spa Cottage. If you’re in need of refreshment and a flag is flying, turn right. Otherwise, turn left, down to Wells Road, and bear right there to return to the car park.
Terrain
- Quiet lanes, peaty paths and good moorland tracks
Landscape
- Urban fringe and open moor
Dog friendliness
- Dogs should be on leads near grazing sheep on the moor
Parking
- Darwin Gardens Millennium Green car park, Wells Road, Ilkley
Toilets en route
- White Wells Spa Cottage
About the walk
Today, we associate the swastika with the German Nazi party and the horrors of World War II, but for millennia before then, the swastika was a symbol of peace. In Hindu culture, it is a symbol that occurs in holy texts, standing for luck or rebirth. It occurs in Buddhism and the Indian Jainism... religion, as well as other Asian and European cultures. So, what is a 3,000 to 4,000-year-old swastika doing carved into a gritstone rock above the town of Ilkley? The answer is, of course, that no-one has a clue. The Swastika Stone is the best known of Ilkley Moor’s hundreds of examples of prehistoric rock art, though it is thought to be slightly more recent than the majority of cup and ring markings carved into rocks all over the moor. The artist who carved it had probably never seen the Camunian rose, carved into a rock in Sellero, ltaly, or the other rose designs in Val Camonica, but his work is virtually identical. The rose has been traditionally held to be a ‘good luck’ symbol but has also been interpreted as an image of the sun radiating life. Similar carvings are found elsewhere in Europe, including Sweden and Portugal, and one has even been reported in Australia, near Brisbane. Perhaps Ilkley’s Swastika Stone is an international symbol of good luck, perhaps it illustrates the heavens revolving around the sun. Perhaps it’s 3,000-year-old graffiti. Note that the one close to the railings on Woodhouse Moor isn’t the original but is a modern reproduction, provided to offer clarity to the design; the real Swastika Stone lies directly behind it and is slightly less distinguishable thanks to its exposure to the elements. There has been a spa in White Wells since the 18th century. The cottages were built in 1756 by the landowner, Squire Middleton, to provide plunge baths for visitors. It is the particularly cold nature of these mineral springs, believed to enhance their curative effect, that makes them famous. Today, when the cottages are open, you can see the chilly stone plunge pool and displays on Victorian ailments and cures.
"An ancient symbol for luck or prehistoric graffiti? Judge for yourself!"
Walk details
1hr 10min
Difficulty:
Medium
Gradient:
Gentle
Distance:
3 miles (4.8kms)
Ascent:
450ft (137m)
Walk directions
Take the ascending path from the uppermost corner of the car park, heading right at a fork, over a footbridge, then left at the subsequent three junctions to a driveway. Cross the grassy area in front of you to Wells Road.
1 of 5
Turn right along the pavement, keeping ahead into Westwood Drive when the road forks by Westwood Lodge. Maintain direction when the road bends off to the right, to enter quiet Westwood Drive, which in turn becomes Panorama Drive. Some 385yds (352m) later, by a house named Shambles Corner, take a walled path, signed ‘Hebers Ghyll’, to a wooden gate.
2 of 5
Pass through this into open country, turning right, past a small reservoir. A footbridge carries the path over waterfalls at Heber’s Ghyll. The less distinct moorside path beyond soon passes through a latched metal gate and crosses a second stream. Bear left at a junction encountered after 30yds (27m) to follow a moor-edge track right, to a small fenced enclosure on Woodhouse Crag, within which lies the Swastika Stone.
3 of 5
Stepping away from the crag edge you’ll find a broad track. Take this, heading back in the direction you came from, enjoying fine views towards the Cow and Calf rocks far ahead and, to your left, Wharfedale. After passing through a gate and crossing a beck, the trail brings you to the gate that you encountered at the end of Point 2.
4 of 5
Don’t go through the gate this time. Turn right and 700yds (640m) later fork left, below a small car park, to cross Spicey Beck and meet a road beyond. Cross and hop up the bank opposite to find the path’s continuation. Turn left for 550yds (503m) to its intersection with the driveway for White Wells Spa Cottage. If you’re in need of refreshment and a flag is flying, turn right. Otherwise, turn left, down to Wells Road, and bear right there to return to the car park.
Terrain
- Quiet lanes, peaty paths and good moorland tracks
Landscape
- Urban fringe and open moor
Dog friendliness
- Dogs should be on leads near grazing sheep on the moor
Parking
- Darwin Gardens Millennium Green car park, Wells Road, Ilkley
Toilets en route
- White Wells Spa Cottage
About the walk
Today, we associate the swastika with the German Nazi party and the horrors of World War II, but for millennia before then, the swastika was a symbol of peace. In Hindu culture, it is a symbol that occurs in holy texts, standing for luck or rebirth. It occurs in Buddhism and the Indian Jainism... religion, as well as other Asian and European cultures. So, what is a 3,000 to 4,000-year-old swastika doing carved into a gritstone rock above the town of Ilkley? The answer is, of course, that no-one has a clue. The Swastika Stone is the best known of Ilkley Moor’s hundreds of examples of prehistoric rock art, though it is thought to be slightly more recent than the majority of cup and ring markings carved into rocks all over the moor. The artist who carved it had probably never seen the Camunian rose, carved into a rock in Sellero, ltaly, or the other rose designs in Val Camonica, but his work is virtually identical. The rose has been traditionally held to be a ‘good luck’ symbol but has also been interpreted as an image of the sun radiating life. Similar carvings are found elsewhere in Europe, including Sweden and Portugal, and one has even been reported in Australia, near Brisbane. Perhaps Ilkley’s Swastika Stone is an international symbol of good luck, perhaps it illustrates the heavens revolving around the sun. Perhaps it’s 3,000-year-old graffiti. Note that the one close to the railings on Woodhouse Moor isn’t the original but is a modern reproduction, provided to offer clarity to the design; the real Swastika Stone lies directly behind it and is slightly less distinguishable thanks to its exposure to the elements. There has been a spa in White Wells since the 18th century. The cottages were built in 1756 by the landowner, Squire Middleton, to provide plunge baths for visitors. It is the particularly cold nature of these mineral springs, believed to enhance their curative effect, that makes them famous. Today, when the cottages are open, you can see the chilly stone plunge pool and displays on Victorian ailments and cures.
