Discover Cowling: the Pennine Way and historic sites

Cowling combines a clearly identifiable location with a variety of destinations for walkers and travellers interested in culture. The village is situated on the A6068, halfway between Keighley and Colne. This gives Cowling a clear geographical orientation for anyone planning a trip that combines landscape experiences with historic discoveries. Those looking for a holiday apartment can view the village as a starting point for a range of day-trip ideas, without having to commit to just one type of holiday.

Walking through fields and moorland

One particularly distinctive experience is the Pennine Way. From Cowling, the long-distance trail runs for 4½ miles (7 kilometres) through pasture and moorland to Thornton-in-Craven. The route makes the landscape around the village immediately tangible and provides a specific reference point for planning your trip. Opposite the old mill, a sign points to the Pennine Way. From there, the path heads northwards across fields and gains height steadily; Stansfield Beck valley lies to the right.

Another route is given as a total distance of 3¼ miles (5¼ kilometres). It runs southwards across Ickornshaw Moor and then south-eastwards across Oakworth Moor. Together with the Pennine Way section, this provides different ways to experience Cowling and its surroundings through pasture, fields and moorland. For families with varying levels of interest in walking, it may be helpful to take the route distances into account when putting together your holiday itinerary and choose between the longer Pennine Way section and the shorter route.

Historic impressions in Cowling

Cowling also has notable historic points of interest away from the trails. The Church of Holy Trinity was built in 1845 by R D Chantrell and is designed in the Perpendicular style. Its furnishings include choir stalls dating from 1956, made by the workshop of Thompson of Kilburn. These details give the village a cultural dimension that fits well with a stay in which not every day is devoted exclusively to walking.

The Snowden Memorial is a memorial cairn built in 1937 from mortared sandstone rubble. A black stone plaque is set into the memorial. It commemorates the death of Philip Snowden, 1st Viscount Snowden of Ickornshaw, on 15 May 1937, and describes him as a statesman and Chancellor of the Exchequer. Anyone interested in regional history, political figures and visible places of remembrance will find another tangible connection to the village’s past here.

The historic character also includes the Lime Kiln, Wainmans Bottom, in Front of Carr Head. It is probably a draught-operated lime kiln dating from the late 18th century and consists of roughly dressed, coursed stone. The combination of its construction, material and presumed former function makes this an interesting detail for travellers who would also like to notice less obvious evidence of the landscape’s history during their stay.

Which accommodation suits your travel plans

When looking for a holiday apartment in Cowling, you can therefore first consider which focus should shape your stay. The Pennine Way and the moorland routes favour an itinerary with walking days planned in advance. The Church of Holy Trinity, the Snowden Memorial and the Lime Kiln complement this focus with culture and history. This allows you to choose accommodation based on your own day-trip ideas, without reducing Cowling to a single holiday theme.

If you would like to compare more local pages, you can also find Flaxton, Settrington, Egton, South Kilvington, Hawnby, Scalby, Dalton and Ganton.

For the overarching travel overview: North Yorkshire.