The 2025 Friends of Ilkley Moor Bird Survey has recently been published. This is the result of a collaboration between the Friends of Ilkley Moor and the Wharfedale Naturalists Society. The survey data was collected between April and June 2025 and identified more than...
Moors for the Future Partnership, Friends of Ilkley Moor and Bradford Metropolitan District Council invite you for a day of conservation volunteering to plant sphagnum moss on Ilkley Moor. Participants will plant sphagnum moss to help restore blanket bog habitat...
A plan to restore Ilkley Tarn as a thriving natural habitat 50 years ago, there were sticklebacks in Ilkley Tarn. 30 years ago, the population of toads breeding in the Tarn was so large that, on an April evening, walkers had to be careful not to tread on them when...
Bradford Pennine Gateway is one of the new King’s Series of National Nature Reserves. It is the first in West Yorkshire. Size and scope: The reserve encompasses 1,274 hectares, with 738 hectares (58%) designated as Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) Habitat...
The Golden Mattock On Tuesday 18th March about 30 volunteers were up on Heber’s Moss. Planting sphagnum plugs. Although this is the first time for a while that we have had so many volunteers on the Moor at the same time, it seems appropriate to devote a Newsletter to...
We shall shortly be launching a campaign to try and dissuade the public from feeding ducks on the Tarn. The notices have been printed and as soon as they are in place we shall issue a Press Release to the Ilkley Gazette, Ilkley Chat etc. The notices to be put up have...
Jacob’s Ladder Did you know that the steps up from the Rocky Valley onto the Dick Hudson’s Path over the Moor are known as ‘Jacob’s Ladder? Well I didn’t and I have lived in Ilkley and been involved with the Moor for about 45 years. However, diligent research has...
We are delighted to inform our members that The Friends of Ilkley Moor have been awarded a £64,000 grant by The National Lottery Heritage Fund. This substantial grant will help us conserve the heritage of Ilkley Moor and provide opportunities for people to learn about...
After damage done during filming of Emmerdale TV soap, restoration work has begun to re-surface the track from opposite the Cow & Calf Hotel and the footpath route leading towards Backstone Beck, a total length of approximately 500 metres. The total cost of the...
31 March 2012: The Friends of Ilkley Moor have received £50,000 funding from WREN, a not-for-profit business that awards grants to community projects from funds donated by Waste Recycling Environmental Group. Tracy Gray, the Friends Project Officer said “This is...
The Friends of Ilkley Moor are celebrating their fifth anniversary. Since their inception they have published four Events and Learning Programmes with the help of the programmes the Friends Project Officer Tracy Gray has oraganised over eighty events including Bat and...
Bradford Council Countryside Service Team have restored and resurfaced 370 metres of pathway through Heber’s Ghyll Wood. Workers from the Countryside Service Team, assisted by volunteers, also carried our improvements to the drainage, and erected new wood benches on...