Discover Addingham

Addingham lies in the valley of the River Wharfe. Rombald's Moor rises to the south, while Beamsley Beacon lies to the north – two distinctive landscape features that shape the character of the village. Those planning a trip combining riverside scenery, moorland paths and village history will find a wide range of opportunities here for active days and days rich in culture.

Walking between the Wharfe and the moor

Circular walks of varying lengths and difficulty begin in Addingham. In many sections, the extensive network of public footpaths dates back to the Middle Ages. At the edge of the village, the long-distance Dales Way follows the River Wharfe. Another option is the self-guided Addingham Moorside Connections Walk, which leads uphill from the village to the moor and passes local wildlife areas and nature restoration projects, or highlights them.

Several options are available for planning a specific day. Walk 6, “Moorside and Millstones”, is around 5 miles long; shorter options cover approximately 4 or 3 miles. The full route passes through the rocky Millstone Lumps quarry. Walk 8 runs through the Daniel Palmer Nature Reserve at Marchup Ghyll, includes a section on Addingham Low Moor and passes the Round Dykes on the return journey. The Addingham walking collection also offers optional shortcuts. This allows you to choose a route that suits the time available and your preferred pace for the day, without having to commit to a single walking distance.

The River Wharfe and peaceful discoveries

There is also plenty to observe around the main river. Grey wagtails, dippers, kingfishers and herons are often seen there. The Addingham Angling Association issues day permits, allowing anyone to fish in the River Wharfe at Addingham using any method permitted by law. A public footpath leads upstream from Bark Lane, passing the weir and the caravan park to the lower boundary of the fishing section.

Dawson Crossley Field is leased by the Parish Council and is free for everyone to use. It is suitable for a picnic or fishing. The footbridge leads via a footpath to the Parish Church of St Peter. Anyone wishing to combine wildlife observation, walks and a break by the water during their stay can incorporate these different options into their plans.

Village history and historic traces

The Addingham Conservation Area includes the historic village centre and important outer areas of the elongated settlement. Buildings from different periods of the village's history give the place a multifaceted historical character. Addingham is also one of the few places in West Yorkshire to be documented before the Norman Conquest.

Near St Peter’s Church stands a protected monument on a gravel ridge overlooking the River Wharfe. It comprises the underground remains of an Anglo-Saxon cemetery and a medieval manor house with fishponds and parts of its associated open-field system. The land slopes gently towards Town Beck. For another way to explore the area's history, 17 plaques on the Addingham Blue Plaque Trail can be found in the village and its surroundings. The plaques can be explored with an app; downloading it from Google Play or the Apple App Store is not required.

The industrial history is also visible. Low Mill was built in 1787 and later became the largest mill in Addingham. At the same time, it was the first successful worsted spinning mill. Cottages Nos. 23, 25, 27 and 29 on Low Mill Lane housed workers from Low Mill, the first operating spinning mill in West Yorkshire. A plaque at the weir provides information about the history of Low Mill. It can be viewed by walkers through Low Mill Village and by hikers on the Dales Way.

Further historical highlights include Farfield Meeting House, one of the earliest Quaker meeting houses, dating from 1689, and Farfield Hall, a country house from 1722 or possibly 1729 that is considered part of the Yorkshire Baroque. The Meeting House is now used for Quaker meetings only a few times a year. Addingham's war memorial was erected in 1919; the lower plaque was added after the Second World War.

The right accommodation for your travel plans

If you are looking for a holiday apartment or holiday cottage in Addingham, the choice of where to stay depends primarily on the focus of your trip. For walking plans, the various circular routes, the Moorside Connections Walk and the Dales Way are important points of reference. Those more interested in history can include the village centre, the Blue Plaques, Low Mill and the sites around St Peter’s in their stay. Accommodation in Addingham therefore provides a good base for shaping your days flexibly between the river, moorland scenery and culture.

For more travel ideas, you can also explore Skelmanthorpe, Ripponden, Harewood, Brighouse, Bramham, Queensbury, Knottingley and Almondbury.

To the main travel overview: West Yorkshire.