ONE of Aireborough’s unique landscape features is being celebrated with a new walk leaflet.

In 2016 Aireborough Neighbourhood Development Forum reported that the Guiseley Gap, had been “lost from official documents and local understanding.”

But the group said it was the first intriguing feature the President of the Royal Geographical Society, Nicholas Crane, noted when he visited the area. The forum promised to improve knowledge of the feature, and it has now written and published Guiseley Gap Circular Walk, in conjunction with the North West Leeds Country Park using funds donated by Guiseley and District Lions.

“Writing on the forum’s website chairman Jennifer Kirkby said: “In the Aireborough Neighbourhood Forum’s 2017 Landscape Study, we concluded that the most important part of the Aireborough landscape – known to geologists as The Guiseley Gap – had been overlooked in both Leeds and Bradford Council’s strategic planning. This was a detrimental oversight owing to the crucial part the Gap plays in the water tables, drainage, and ecology networks – as well as its part in the cultural and historic landscape.

“The Gap has been a means of easier travel in northern Britain from prehistoric times, with tracks crossing north south and east west. The Roman, Viking, Medieval and Civil War periods have all seen it play a part in defence. The local water and wood resources were the reason for the development of the area, first for cattle farming and subsequently textile mills. In the late 19th and early 20th century there are regular reports of queues of people at Leeds Tram Terminus on Bank Holidays waiting to catch a tram to White Cross and explore the landscape.

“The Guiseley Gap is also little appreciated by current local people, its profile and features having to a great extent been hidden by increasing development since the early 20th century. Yet, when you know the landscape characteristics or look at them from afar the glacial and water features around us become more obvious. The Gap is perhaps at its most dramatic coming along Yorkgate from The Royalty towards Chevin End.”

The Guiseley Gap is a millstone grit ‘hanging valley’, between Airedale and Wharfedale. It was formed in the Devensian glacial period which lasted from 70,000 to 10,000 BC.

The walk leaflet is available in local libraries, as well as Otley Courthouse and Aireborough Leisure Centre. Anyone unable to obtain a copy should email aireboroughnp@gmail.com.