Famous for its incredible wealth of sporting and wellness activities, Ilkley has long been known as a place to boost your health and fitness.

Now residents and visitors can look forward to an event which will showcase the businesses who make the town such a mecca for those wanting to improve their body and mind.

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f you speak to any Ilkley resident they will extoll the virtues of moorland air, country walks and riverside scenery to improve their general wellbeing, for it is a town that has long been famous for its life- enhancing health benefits. 

In the 17th and 18th centuries Ilkley gained a reputation for the healing effects of its water with the Middleton family constructing White Wells, an early example of a spa building containing dressing rooms and a bath fed from a spring,

In the 19th century the town became established as a fashionable spa town with tourists flocking there to ‘take the waters’ and bathe in the cold water spring with Charles Darwin even enjoying hydropathic treatment at Wells House when his book ‘On the Origin of Species’ was published in 1859.

This legacy of holistic health and wellness continues today with a huge selection of local businesses and top-class sporting facilities offering active lifestyle choices to encourage people to look after their health, improve their fitness and enhance their general wellbeing by taking time to focus on themselves. 

In April this year, Ilkley was named the Sunday Times Best Place to Live 2022 with Ilkley’s indoor and outdoor sports facilities contributing to this accolade. 

The town has well established gyms, including those at Anytime Fitness, Craiglands Hotel and at Dillon’s Premium Fitness Training. 

There are retailers stocking activewear kit such as Dobson and Robinson, Alpkit and Lululemon at Pure Pilates, and stores selling luxury products with health benefits such as Bath House, Yorkshire Flower Essences and Holland and Barrett. 

If you need movement restoration and pain relief there is GK Physiotherapy and for podiatry treatment to fully enjoy those moorland walks, there is LFW Podiatry. 

For those looking for pampering and relaxation, there are salons at Luxe Beauty Lounge and Fresh Skincare & Beauty alongside the new spa at Craiglands Hotel. While for homeopathy, massage and therapy there is Ilkley Complementary Therapies. 

Mental wellbeing is supported in Ilkley too, with many community groups and top-class counselling available, and who doesn’t feel better when surrounded by nature, with Moss & Moor garden centre home to a huge selection of plants. 

Outdoor and indoor sports are important to the town with everyone from ages 8-80 years getting involved. There is a world class tennis centre, the Ilkley Lido, active rugby and cricket clubs, the largest cycling club in the country plus lots more. 

To celebrate Wellbeing Week, between September 5th and 11th 2022, Ilkley Business Improvement District is highlighting these fantastic businesses and facilities, culminating in an event at the Winter Garden on September 10th where the businesses will showcase their own products, services and values. 

The details of all the health and wellness businesses the town has to offer can be found by visiting the Directory on the Discover Ilkley website: discoverilkley.co.uk