Verges – Page 2 – Otley in Bloom

Trees on Bradford Road

Some of the trees on Bradford Road were looking decidedly crooked, and their metal guards were even worse. We don’t know how they got like this, maybe they were bashed by lawn mowers or wheelie bins, or maybe backed into by cars. Anyway for this month’s taskforce we’ve straightened them up as much as possible, removed tree ties where they were no longer needed, weeded around the base of the trees and mulched them with bark chippings, and they’re looking a lot better now. If you live on Bradford Road and there is one of our trees outside your house, maybe you’d like to help us by generally keeping an eye on it, and letting us know if there are any problems with it. We may be able to plant a few more trees along here in the future.

More daffodils on Rotary Way

Otley in Bloom and the Rotary planted more daffodils along Rotary Way.

Ilkley Road gateway opened

A stunning looking stone cyclist has started greeting motorists as they enter Otley from the Ilkley direction. It is the centrepiece of a new dry stone wall gateway that has been installed beside the A660, near the turn-off for Wharfebank Business Centre. It was officially opened in February by Otley’s Town Mayor, councillor Nigel Gill.

The feature is the latest in a series of gateways that Otley in Bloom have been positioning on routes into town. Others are on Pool Road, Leeds Road and Bradford Road, near Ellar Ghyll. More gateways are planned for the future.

It was made by dry stone waller Gordon Simpson, who said “It’s a nod to the Tour de France, which came past this very spot, and Otley’s very long tradition of cycling. And having the wheels made out of millstones was a way of referencing Yorkshire. It took about three weeks to make. We actually built the wall at home in two pieces and then transported it.”