Keighley to Silsden and back canal walk

8.85mi Keighley to Silsden and back canal walk

Keighley to Silsden Canal Walk – 8.85 Miles Along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal

Looking for a longer but relatively easy walk in West Yorkshire? This 8.85-mile Keighley to Silsden and back canal walk follows the Leeds & Liverpool Canal through the Aire Valley, offering a mostly flat waterside route between Keighley and Silsden.

Lyn and I personally walked, photographed and GPS recorded this route for The White Shire.

At 8.85 miles, it's longer than many of the walks we normally feature, but don't let the distance put you off. Because much of the route follows the canal towpath, it's mostly flat and we found it an enjoyable walk rather than a particularly difficult one.

And there's another option.

If you get to Silsden and decide you've walked far enough, you don't necessarily have to walk all the way back. You could finish your walk in Silsden and look at catching a bus back towards Keighley instead.

Discover more West Yorkshire circular walks

Keighley to Silsden Canal Walk at a Glance

Distance: 8.85 miles

Route: Keighley to Silsden and back

Difficulty: Easy to moderate, mainly because of the distance

Terrain: Predominantly flat canal towpath

Location: Keighley to Silsden, West Yorkshire

Area: Aire Valley

Waterway: Leeds & Liverpool Canal

Highlights: Canal scenery, countryside, industrial heritage, Silsden and views across the Aire Valley

Alternative: Walk one way to Silsden and consider public transport back to Keighley

Walked and photographed by: Michael and Lyn Palmer, The White Shire

About the Keighley to Silsden Canal Walk

This is a slightly different walk from some of the routes Lyn and I normally feature on The White Shire.

At 8.85 miles, it's certainly longer.

But longer doesn't necessarily mean harder.

Because you're following the Leeds & Liverpool Canal for much of the route, the terrain is predominantly flat, making this a good option if you fancy increasing your walking distance without tackling lots of steep hills.

The canal also gives you something to follow throughout the walk.

There's water beside you, boats passing occasionally, old industrial buildings, bridges, wildlife and views across the surrounding Aire Valley countryside.

For us, that's one of the attractions of canal walking.

You can simply settle into a comfortable pace and enjoy the journey.

Walking from Keighley to Silsden

The route takes you from the Keighley area towards Silsden along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.

As you leave the more built-up surroundings behind, the character of the walk gradually changes.

Industry gives way to increasingly open countryside, with the canal threading its way through the Aire Valley.

You'll pass bridges, former industrial sites and stretches where the surrounding fields and hills make it difficult to imagine the canal was originally built as one of the great transport arteries of the Industrial Revolution.

Today it's peaceful.

Two hundred years ago, this was working infrastructure.

That's one of the things Lyn and I enjoy about walking Yorkshire's canals – you're following a route that tells you something about how the county developed.

The Leeds & Liverpool Canal

The Leeds & Liverpool Canal is one of Britain's great historic waterways.

Construction began during the 18th century as industrial growth created demand for a waterway linking Yorkshire and Lancashire.

The complete canal was finally opened in 1816 after decades of construction.

Stretching for around 127 miles, it connected Leeds with Liverpool and provided an important transport route for goods including coal, limestone and industrial materials.

The canal played a major role in the development of communities along its route.

Today, the cargo boats have largely disappeared, but the canal has found a completely new purpose.

Walkers, cyclists, anglers and leisure boats now use a waterway originally created to serve Britain's rapidly expanding industries.

If you enjoy discovering Yorkshire's industrial heritage, explore more Yorkshire attractions and historic places to visit.

Keighley: From Market Town to Industrial Powerhouse

Keighley sits where the River Worth meets the River Aire and has a history stretching back long before the Industrial Revolution.

The town appears in the Domesday Book and remained relatively small for centuries.

Then industry transformed it.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, Keighley developed into an important centre for textile production, engineering and manufacturing.

Mills, foundries and engineering works changed both the town and the surrounding valley.

Its position beside waterways and later the railway helped connect Keighley's industries with markets across Britain.

Keighley and the Railway

Transport has played an important role in Keighley's development.

The arrival of the railway connected the town with Leeds, Bradford, Skipton and other industrial centres.

Keighley later became the starting point for the railway through the Worth Valley.

Today, that route survives as the famous Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, with heritage steam and diesel trains travelling through places including Haworth and Oxenhope.

It's another reminder of just how important transport and industry have been to the history of this part of West Yorkshire.

Following the Canal Through the Aire Valley

One of our favourite things about this walk is the changing scenery.

You start in an area strongly associated with Yorkshire's industrial past, but as you make your way towards Silsden the surroundings become increasingly rural.

The canal winds through the Aire Valley with fields, stone walls and hills forming the backdrop.

Because the towpath is mostly flat, you can concentrate on what's around you rather than worrying about the next climb.

It's a lovely way to explore this part of West Yorkshire at a slower pace.

Arriving in Silsden

Silsden makes a natural destination for the outward part of the walk.

Like Keighley, the town has strong connections with industry and the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.

Textile mills and other industries once provided employment for local families, while the canal helped transport goods and materials through the Aire Valley.

Today, Silsden is an attractive stopping point and somewhere to take a break before deciding what comes next.

And that's where this particular walk gives you a choice.

Don't Fancy Walking Back? Consider the Bus

Our complete route is 8.85 miles because Lyn and I walked from Keighley to Silsden and then returned.

But you don't necessarily have to.

If you've enjoyed the walk to Silsden and feel you've done enough for the day, you could finish there and use public transport to return towards Keighley.

That makes the route much more flexible.

You could complete the full there-and-back walk if you want the mileage, or turn it into a shorter one-way canal walk.

If you're planning to do that, we'd recommend checking the latest bus times before setting off, as routes and timetables can change.

Is the Keighley to Silsden Canal Walk Difficult?

We wouldn't describe it as particularly difficult.

The main consideration is the distance.

At 8.85 miles, it's longer than many of the routes Lyn and I normally feature on The White Shire.

However, much of the walk follows the canal towpath and is relatively flat.

For that reason, we'd describe it as easy to moderate overall – easy in terms of terrain, but requiring a little more stamina because of the mileage.

If you're comfortable walking several miles on relatively level ground, it's a very enjoyable route.

Is the Walk Mostly Flat?

Yes.

That's one of the main attractions of this route.

Following the Leeds & Liverpool Canal means you avoid the significant climbs you might encounter on many Yorkshire countryside walks.

There may still be occasional changes in level and conditions underfoot, but overall this is a predominantly flat route.

That makes it a good choice if you want to try a longer walk without tackling lots of hills.

How Long is the Keighley to Silsden Canal Walk?

Our complete there-and-back route was 8.85 miles.

How long it takes will depend on your walking pace and how often you stop.

We'd allow plenty of time rather than treating it as a race.

Part of the enjoyment of a canal walk is watching the boats, looking at the old bridges and buildings, stopping for photographs and simply enjoying the countryside.

Can You Walk Just from Keighley to Silsden?

Yes.

If 8.85 miles is longer than you'd like to walk, consider completing only the outward section to Silsden.

You can then investigate public transport back towards Keighley.

It's a useful option if you're starting to increase the length of your walks but aren't sure whether you want to commit to the full return journey.

Just check current public transport times before setting off.

Is the Leeds & Liverpool Canal Good for Walking?

We think so.

Canal towpaths are particularly good if you enjoy longer walks but prefer relatively level terrain.

There's also always something changing around you.

One minute you're passing reminders of Yorkshire's industrial past, then a little further along you're surrounded by fields, wildlife and open countryside.

And because the canal itself provides a continuous thread through the landscape, the route has a completely different character from a conventional countryside walk.

What Will You See Between Keighley and Silsden?

The attraction isn't one single landmark.

It's the journey.

You'll experience the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, views across the Aire Valley, bridges, boats, remnants of industrial Yorkshire and increasingly open countryside as you approach Silsden.

It's also an interesting walk for seeing how closely Yorkshire's towns, industry, waterways and countryside are connected.

When is the Best Time to Walk from Keighley to Silsden?

This is a route that could be enjoyed throughout much of the year.

Spring and summer give you longer daylight hours and greener surroundings, while autumn can bring some lovely colour to the valley.

Because this is a longer walk, we'd always check the weather before setting off and take enough water, particularly on warmer days.

Towpath conditions can also become wet or muddy following prolonged rain, so sensible footwear is recommended.

Explore More of West Yorkshire

If you've enjoyed walking between Keighley and Silsden, there are plenty more routes to explore with us.

Discover more West Yorkshire circular walks and find another route personally walked, photographed and GPS recorded by Michael and Lyn.

Or explore our complete collection of Yorkshire circular walks, with walks across West, North, South and East Yorkshire.

Looking for somewhere else to explore while you're out? Discover Yorkshire attractions and interesting places to visit.

You can also see what's on in West Yorkshire for events, festivals, shows and ideas for another day out.

About Michael and Lyn

Michael and Lyn Palmer explore Yorkshire together on foot, personally walking, photographing and GPS recording the routes featured on The White Shire.

Our walking guides combine first-hand experience with practical route information, local history and the character of the towns, villages and countryside we discover along the way.

We're not professional hikers – we simply enjoy getting out together, finding somewhere interesting to walk and discovering more of Yorkshire as we go.

And this particular route is a good example of why we enjoy it.

It's longer than our usual walks, but the mostly flat canal towpath makes the miles surprisingly manageable.

Keighley to Silsden and Back Canal Walk

View our GPS-recorded 8.85-mile Keighley to Silsden and back canal walk below and use it to help plan your own walk along this historic section of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.

If the full 8.85 miles feels a little too much, remember that you could make Silsden your finishing point and investigate catching a bus back towards Keighley instead.

Either way, take your time and enjoy one of West Yorkshire's great historic waterways.

Keighley to Silsden and back canal walk

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