What Is Living In Otley Like? A Guide To Otley

Last Updated March 2023

Otley is a quaint market town that is just 10 minutes away from the bustling city of Leeds. There are picturesque cobbled streets with lots of independent shops and of course a market that runs three times a week that dates back to over 800 years ago. There are lots to see and do for outdoor lovers too with plenty of local parks, woods, the River Wharfe and a great view over Lower Wharfedale from the top of Otley Chevin.

We cover everything you will need to know in this comprehensive guide about living and working in Otley.

Is Otley a Nice Place to Live?

Otley has been named several times as one of the best places to live in Leeds! Not only that, Otley was also named one of the top places to live in Britain in the Sunday Times 101 best places to live in Britain in 2014. It won the recognition for the great schools, shops, pleasant parks, pubs (there are 17 in Otley), cafes and all the other amenities whilst being in the heart of the countryside. Not only are there plenty of walks and cycle tracks to enjoy along the river or rolling hills but Otley benefits from being in close proximity to Leeds city centre so you can venture into the city for work or shopping etc. whenever you need to.

What Is The Otley Population? 

The population of Otley is around 14,864 people living in the market town in 2021. The biggest age range of the population is between 50-59 years with the majority of the population born in the UK. Over 67% of the people in Otley identify as Christians followed by over 30% who have no religion. Why not look at local places around with bigger populations for the busier lifestyle, like Leeds with 780,000 residents?

Is Otley a Safe Place to Live?

For the month of September 2022 Otley saw 1120 crimes take place in total. 443 of these were marked as violence and sexual offences, 134 were for public order, 102 were vehicle crime and 83 were for other thefts and 46 of those offences were for burglary. If you’re worried about burglary and would like to improve your home security simply give us a call on 01943 663209 and we would be more than happy to improve and update your security. We also have lots of advice for the DIYers over on our Home Security Guide! 

Which Is Best Ilkley or Otley?

Whilst both are lovely places to visit or live in, there are pros and cons to both areas. They both have beautiful scenery and flowing rivers, but with no train station in Otley it can be more difficult to get around.

House prices are slightly more expensive in Ilkley than in Otley, however that does not translate to the crime rate, with crime rates being generally better in Otley. Otley is the 37^th safest town compared to Ilkley being the 41^st safest town overall out of West Yorkshire’s 118 towns. Overall, if you’re deciding where you’d want to settle down then we’d recommend spending time in both places have a look around at what town you would prefer.

Average House Prices in Otley

The average house cost over the past year for Otley is around £320,369. If you want to live somewhere close by but in a slightly cheaper price range, then why not look at our Wakefield area guide, with a house average of  £223,930, you’ll find something in your price range!

The following shows the average property cost in Otley :

House Pricing by Property Type

Detached- £487,679

Semi-detached- £292,511

Terraced- £288,018

Flats- £203,430

Renting in Otley

The following shows how much a rental property costs in 2022 Otley:

Room – £300

Flat – £748

House – £843

Average Property Rental Cost Per Room (PCM):

1 bed –  £545

2 beds – £819

3 beds – £995

4 beds – £923

Travelling in Otley

Otley is conveniently located on the A660 and just off the A65 close to Leeds, Bradford and Harrogate.

Buses in Otley

The bus X84 offers a regular journey to and from Otley and Leeds City Centre and will take around 45 minutes.

Trains in Otley

The nearest train station to Otley is located in Menston and is accessible with a quick 10 minute direct bus trip from Otley Bus Station. If you are travelling to Leeds it will take you around 40-50 minutes total time from Otley centre and just over 4 hours if travelling to the UK capital, London.

Airport near Otley

The closest airport to Otley is Leeds Bradford Airport; it takes just 8 minutes to reach by car along Otley Old Road and just 25 minutes via bus on the number 25!

Schools in Otley

Otley is home to some great schools so you can be rest assured your children are going to receive a good education. Some of the best primary schools in the area include Ashfield Primary School, Guiseley Primary School and Otley All Saints CofE Primary School, all of which achieved an Ofsted rating of Good. The best secondary schools in the area are St. Mary’s Menston which achieved an Ofsted rating of Outstanding and Otley Prince Henry’s Grammar School which achieved a rating of Good.

Universities near Otley

The closest university to Otley is the University of Leeds which is just a short 30 minute or so journey. The university is one of the largest higher education institutions in the UK and offers a magnitude of courses to suit almost anyone. Course subjects include arts and media, biological studies, business, chemistry, education and sociology, engineering, humanities, languages, law, math’s and medicine just to name a few.

Eating and Drinking in Otley

Pubs

Some of the best pubs in Otley include The Junction Inn, Potting Shed and The Old King’s Arms. All of which offer you a traditional country pub feel with plenty of pub grub up for offer.

Cafes

According to TripAdvisor, the best three cafes in Otley are; Salami & Co who offer spectacular looking dishes, reviewers rave about their brunches! Cranberry, who reviewers said was a little hidden gem and their food and coffees were brilliant and Sift Café & Bakery, a café to visit if you’re a lover of good cake!

Restaurants

The top three restaurants reviewers have voted for on TripAdvisor are Westbourne Spice, a delicious Indian/Asian restaurant, The Mill Bar and Bistro offering British food and M’deena Moroccan Restaurant a warming Lebanese/Moroccon place to eat!

Shopping in Otley

Every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday Otley hold their market which sell fresh fruit and veg, eggs, cheese, herbs and spices! Nearby there are butchers and bakeries so you can cook up a storm with fresh, local ingredients. There are also old fashioned sweet shops around the town for those with a sweet tooth and a patisserie for some yummy truffles!

There are a whole array of shops selling clothes, books, household items and other collectables in Otley that will be sure to give you a unique shopping experience! Check out Otley’s shops over at Buy in Otley for more information.

Places to stay in Otley

There are a few places to stay in Otley including hotels, B&B’s and camping options! Here are a select few!

Chevin Country Park Hotel and Spa

This hotel and spa consists of 16 bedrooms in the main hotel, 28 cabins and 4 lodges so there are plenty of accommodation options for you to choose from. The hotel rooms have a cosy wooden cabin vibe, the cabins are super cosy and are perfect for a romantic getaway and the lodges are great for all the family. There is a spa on site, a great restaurant, tennis courts and even a lake, perfect for a woodland getaway. Prices start from £89 a night on Booking.com.

Otley Chevin B&B

This old Victorian coach house and stables resides in an impressive 6 acres of woodland and gardens that overlooks Otley and the Wharfedale Valley. There are a few luxury rooms to choose from with Egyptian cotton bedding to ensure you have a blissful night’s sleep. There is a full Yorkshire breakfast on offer here, cooked how you like and a range of cereals and sourdough toast from the local bakery. If you enjoy breakfast that much there is also a dinner option on offer, choose from a luxury 3 course meal or a speedy supper!

Clarion Lodge Campsite

There is camping and glamping on offer at the Clarion Lodge! The fully insulated and heated wigwams sleep up to 5 people and include a bed, lighting, electricity, fridge, microwave and toaster! If staying in your motorhome here there are 10 hard standings with electric hook ups and there is a toilet and shower block in the communal log cabin for those pitching tents!

Heritage, Arts and Culture in Otley

The picturesque Wharfedale Valley was formed thousands of years ago from the melting glaciers from the Ice Age. There are megalithic stone boundaries and Paleolithic rock art up on the Chevin but the town of Otley itself dates back to Saxon times, of which you can see some of the history in the Parish Church.

Much later, in the 18^th and 19^th century and the birth of the Industrial Revolution came a wool industry shape up Britain in Otley as well as the Wharfedale Printing Press which revolutionized Britain’s printing industry.

One of the things Otley is becoming known for is their Black Sheep Folk Festival. There is street entertainment, food, concerts and a great time to be had by all. Last year’s festival was cancelled due to the pandemic but we are keeping our fingers crossed for this year’s festival to go ahead! As well as the annual festival, be sure to visit Otley Courthouse for quizzes, live performances, exhibitions and comedians! If you’re interested in joining in on the fun there are also artist spaces for hire, classes and workshops and more for people of all ages!

What Is Otley Famous For?

One of the things Otley is famous for, aside from the stunning scenery you see on walks and a great selection of traditional pubs, is cycling. In 2014, Otley was honoured during the Grand Depart of the Tour De France and hosted stages of the Tour De Yorkshire.

Top 10 Things to do in Otley

1. The Knotties Stone
2. The Chevin
3. Wharfe Meadows Park
4. The Navvies’ Memorial
5. Otley Courthouse
6. Otley Parish Church
7. Browns Gallery
8. Braythorne Bees
9. Puffin Pottery
10. Rainbow Factory

Need a Locksmith in Otley?

When moving into a new home changing the locks is vital as you never know how many keys are out there and risk the keys falling into the wrong hands. Arrange for an Otley Locksmith to come and fit a new lock the day you get your keys to provide you with peace of mind. We at Keytek® Locksmiths Otley provide a professional local mobile Locksmith service complying with British Standard and Home Insurance policies to ensure your home is as secure as can be! What’s more is all our customers benefit from a FREE home security check on site.

There are many other things you need to consider when moving home in Otley so check out our Moving Home Checklist to help you along the way! Once you’re in consider improving the security of your home in Otley further still by checking out our Ultimate Guide to Home Security here!

View our Keytek® Locksmiths Otley page to find your local Locksmith today or call us on 01943 663209!