50 walks in west Yorkshire is published by AA Publishing, priced £11.99

THERE is nothing like a bracing walk to blow away the cobwebs.

Many people walk the same familiar routes time and again, but if you are keen to step out and see some new sights, take a look at a book that will slip easily into your rucksack.

The AA’s 50 Walks in West Yorkshire is one of a series of guides covering England and Wales.

Illustrated with easy to read maps and photographs of sights along the way, it contains a number of walks within the Bradford district - both urban and rural - including Shipley Glen and Saltaire, Bingley and the St Ives Estate, Ilkley Moor and Addingham.

The routes vary in length between two and ten miles and, conveniently, the book also includes the time each takes. Details of the gradient and level of difficulty are includes as is the type of ground covered and the presence of any stiles or gates.

The 5.5mile walk from Addingham to Ilkley takes two hours alongside the River Wharfe, as well as field paths, with some road walking, while Shipley Glen and Saltaire can be enjoyed on a 2.5miles walk.

A description of the towns and villages is included. Addingham’s history as a textile hub with six woollen mills, will, for instance, be of interest, as will the discovery of medicinal springs in the locality.

A potted history of the Brontes accompanies the 7.5 mile walk from Haworth along the Bronte Way to Top Withins, the ruin which was the possible inspiration for Emily Bronte’s novel Wuthering Heights.

Mapping is sourced from Ordnance Survey, giving a clear picture of the route with points of interest such as churches and country houses marked.

Information on where to eat and drink is included. ‘Sir Titus Salt wouldn’t allow public houses in Saltaire, but that prohibition didn’t extend to Shipley Glen, where the Old Glen House, near the upper tramway station, is open for lunches and evening meals from Tuesday to Saturday and lunch on Sunday,’ says the guide.

It also includes information about what to see while you’re passing through - landmarks such as Salts Mill and Bracken Hall Countryside Centre.

Just outside the district, walks include the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal near Horsforth and Rodley and Otley Chevin.

With so many walks in so many settings, the guide should keep even the most enthusiastic rambler on his toes for many months.

Helen Mead