Trail Running Planet · South Pennines · Rombalds Moor
The Twelve Apostles and Rombalds Moor Trig from the Cow and Calf
You touch the highest point of the moor and a Bronze Age stone circle inside eight kilometres, on paths good enough to run nearly all of. It is the best hour available on Ilkley Moor.
Distance
7.7 km
Ascent
248 m
Descent
244 m
Max elevation
402 m
Route type
Loop
Est. time
1h 5m – 1h 25m
Grade
Moderate
Navigation
map_skills
Parking
LS29 8BT
Dogs
Welcome
Best seasons
spring, summer, autumn, winter
About this route
A 7.7km loop from the free car park at the Cow and Calf, climbing past White Wells to the 402m trig on Rombalds Moor and returning over the Twelve Apostles stone circle and Gill Head.
Hazards & notes
The summit plateau is genuinely featureless and Ilkley Moor sits in cloud more often than its modest height suggests, so carry a compass even on a short loop. The peat between the trig and the Twelve Apostles stays wet most of the year. Back at the start, the quarry and crag tops around the Cow and Calf are unfenced above graded climbing routes, which matters in the dark or in mist.
Emergency
Call 999 or 112 → ask for Police → request Mountain Rescue. Register Emergency SMS: text "register" to 999.
Full route, GPX download & live conditions:
https://trailrunningplanet.com/routes/england/south-pennines/rombalds-moor/twelve-apostles-rombalds-moor-trig-cow-and-calf
trailrunningplanet.com