View Details about Hebden Bridge History Group

Follow the Heptonstall Trail (booklet available at shops, pubs & cafes in Heptonstall) to explore the Octagonal Methodist Church and Parish Church ruins.

Don’t miss the Heptonstall Museum in the Old Grammar School building, telling the story of the infamous Cragg Vale Coiners and Heptonstall’s part in the English Civil War.

Nearby ‘Weaver’s Square’ is a fine example of different types of Yorkshire paving, from cobbles to flagstones.

Hebden Bridge

Take a walk around Hebden Bridge, looking out for the “over and under dwellings”. Houses were built in terraces with 4 – 5 storeys because space was limited by the steep valleys and lack of flat land. The upper storeys face uphill while the lower ones face downhill with their back wall against the hillside, each with separate entrances.

Visit Hebden Bridge Library for some great lectures, open nights when authors read from their works, facilities and events for children. Upstairs you’ll see prints and information about the history of the area.

Take a look at the Hebden Diary, which you can pick up in cafes and shops for an insight into the massive range of activities that take place in Hebden Bridge.

Take a trip back through 700 years of history at Hebden Bridge Mill, a splendid example of a water powered Pennine mill, built in local gritstone. Enjoy a drink in the cafe and see the waterwheel. The three and a half tonne 14 ft diameter waterwheel was hand crafted locally in cast iron, elm and oak.

Holmfirth

Explore the alleyways of Holmfirth. Can you find the old gaol in Holmfirth, hidden round the back of Daisy Lane cobbles and known as ‘Ow’d towser’? It opens once a year as part of the Heritage Open Weekend.

Take a trip around the villages of Hepworth, Honley and Upperthong near Holmfirth. Bill Owen, who played Compo in the BBC comedy Last of the Summer Wine, is buried at St. Johns in Upperthong. Upperthong hosts the World Welly Wanging Championships each year at the Village Gala on the last weekend in June.

Join Sue Clay, textile designer and feltmaker, on a workshop in her Holmfirth Studio.

Wander around Holmfirth’s cobbled streets such, as Bunker’s Hill and Rattle Row, and see the mullioned windows of weaver’s cottages.

Rest in flower-filled Holmfirth Memorial Gardens whilst listening to one of our local brass bands; Hepworth, Holme Silver or the famous Hade Edge Band, on a sunny summer Sunday.

Enjoy a night to remember at The Picturedrome! Live concerts nearly every weekend from old favourites like Steve Harley, Elkie Brooks and Nik Kershaw.

Haworth

Take a picnic from one of the shops in Haworth, such as the Cheese Place, and stride out over Haworth Moor to absorb the atmosphere of the ruins of Top Withens Farm, the inspiration for Wuthering Heights.

Take a trip down memory lane, exploring Haworth’s many shops with a vintage and antiques theme – try Oh La La, the Piano’s Not For Sale, Mrs. Beighton’s Sweets, Holmes Antiques, Venables and Bainbridge Books and Hatchards & Daughters.

The Keighley and Worth Valley Railway

Book a place on one of the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway’s Pullman Dining trains, where you can enjoy a 6 course dinner on a 1930s or 1950s train.

Take a trip on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railways to Oakworth Station to get a real feel for the atmosphere captured in the film of the Railway Children. Friendly volunteers will show you the various historical features in the station and you can even buy an old-fashioned ticket to keep as a souvenir.

Walking

Climb up Stoodley Pike between Hebden Bridge and Todmorden for expansive views of beautiful countryside and wooded areas – take a torch to help you see as you walk up the steps. This 121 foot high monument is visible from miles around.

Marsden Moor Estate includes 6000 acres of open moor with a wealth of industrial archaeological remains. Public footpaths and the Pennine Way give easy access to many unspoilt valleys, reservoirs, peaks and crags.

Enjoy the spectacular incredible 360 degree views over much of Marsden Moor from Pule Hill, Marsden, an impressive rocky outcrop. See a fantastic sunset at Wessenden near Marsden, a wild and remote valley looking down across Blakeley and Butterley reservoirs.

Explore Hardcastle Crags with its 400 acres of unspoilt woodland. Gibson Mill, a 19th Century former cotton mill, is located at the heart of the Crags.

Action Sports

Enjoy water sports, walking, orienteering and bird watching at Scammonden, surrounded by the rugged grandeur of the Pennines.

Try one of MTB Cycle’s 2 day “Yorkshire Trails ’n’ Ales” guided rides. Follow one of Yorkshire’s natural trails and taste some of its finest ales, brewed by traditional micro breweries.

Take a look, not only inside Heart Gallery which occupies a former Baptist Chapel and has been sympathetically restored by its owner, but also in the grounds where ancient gravestones bear interesting inscriptions, including one about a gentleman being ‘cruelly murdered’.

Discover Pennine Yorkshire

As you travel around Pennine Yorkshire, look out for rows of weavers cottages which would once have had loom chambers on the top floor. You’ll recognise them from the long rows of upper floor windows to let in all available light.

See Pennine Yorkshire from a different perspective. Pennine Helis have several themed pleasure flights. On a 15 minute flight you can see Hebden Bridge, Scammonden Bridge crossing the M62, the Pennine Way, the Calder Valley, the Canal network and some wonderful Pennine moorlands. Get a bird’s eye view of Last of the Summer Wi

ne Country with ‘Compo’s Country Trail’ above Marsden, Slaithwaite, Marsden Moor, Meltham, the Holme Valley and Holmfirth itself.

Take a creative writing course at the Ted Hughes Arvon Centre. Lumb Bank, the 18th century mill owner’s house which once belonged to Ted Hughes, stands in acres of steep woodland close to Heptonstall near Hebden Bridge.

Join a breadmaking course at The Handmade Bakery in Slaithwaite.

Visit Colne Valley Museum to see the restored weavers’ cottages of 1845 with working hand looms, Spinning Jenny and a clogmakers’ workshop.

Music at Walshaw presents a weekend of classical concerts at Walshaw Lodge coming up on the 26th and 27th June 2010. This year, we are having two events, both featuring Moshe Friedman (cello) and Margaret Bruce (piano). Moshe and Margaret are two of the most popular performers that we have had in previous years and this year’s event is sure to be just as successful.

The artists have compiled a demanding programme of work including pieces by Beethoven, Brahms, Debussy, Liszt, Chopin, Tučapský and Martinu. This year the great modern composers, Antonín Tučapský, will be joining us in person and his work will be celebrated as part of the programme.

The concerts are being held at the time of the Hebden Bridge Arts Festival so there are plenty of other great cultural events happening in and around Hebden Bridge at the same time. In the past these concerts were officially part of the festival but this year they may be considered part of the ‘fringe’. Tickets for each event are £15.

Saturday 26th June at 3.oo pm  & Sunday 27th June at 11.00 am

MUSICAL PROGRAM AND REFRESHMENTS

• Brahms Sonata for cello and piano no.1 in E minor
• Debussy: Cello Sonate
• Antonín Tučapský: Moto Appassionato for cello and
  piano (written for Moshe Friedman, first performance)
• Martinu: Sonata no. 1 for cello and piano

How T0 Book

Tickets for both events are limited and are offered on a strictly first come, first served basis and are £15 each, including refreshments. Please call 08432 896570 for bookings and additional information.

Make a Weekend of It

We are also pleased to offer for the first time a VIP package which includes:

• Reserved seating for the Saturday afternoon concert and tea
  Saturday dinner with the musicians and the great living composer – Antonín Tučapský
  Overnight accommodation at Walshaw Lodge
  Sunday breakfast
  Reserved seating for the Sunday morning concert and refreshments
  Sunday lunch at Walshaw Lodge

The cost for the VIP package is £200 per person (sharing) or £250 per person (single room), with strictly limited availability.

Read more via A beer for every day of the week… and one for every month – Halifax Today.

As a result there is a constant demand for accommodation in Hebden Bridge.

The exquisite setting, the luxurious decor and the unique character of Walshaw Lodge make it a unique and popular offering. Walshaw Lodge is officially categorised as a self catering property which means that guests have to book the whole property as a unit. For this reason we do have minimum requirements for bookings as detailed in our rate sheet.

We do receive a number of enquiries from people looking for just a small number of rooms. Unfortunately we are unable to rent rooms on an individual basis. However, there are plenty of other excellent options in and around Hebden Bridge for such accommodation. Here are some links.

Hebden Bridge Accommodation Options

The Packhorse Inn

The Packhorse Inn is one of the best and most loved family run pubs in the area. They now have a luxurious apartment to rent next door.

The first floor boasts a modern open plan lounge & kitchen, fully equipped with washing machine and microwave, TV and wall mounted flame effect fire with stunning moorland views. There is also a  twin bedded room with en suite bathroom. On the second floor, accommodation comprises a spacious master bedroom with king size 4 poster bed with enough room for an extra bed for a child. En suite bathroom with bath.

The apartment is situated amid 5 reservoirs, each in it’s own stunning environment whether it be a windy day with plumes of water crashing over the bankings, the dazzling blue waters in sunlight or the still calmness on frosty days – all sights to be beheld and a mecca for budding photographers.

With a traditional country inn ‘The Packhorse’ only yards away and harbouring a great reputation for good honest food at reasonable prices, you may wish to use the term ‘self catering accommodation’ loosely.

Moyles Hotel

Moyles Hotel is a boutique hotel with a fine attention to detail that offers that touch of luxury right in the town centre of Hebden Bridge. It also has a bar and restaurant where the ingredients are fresh and as many as possible are sourced locally. This hotel brings an air of sophisticated yet unpretentious elegance to the accommodation sector in Hebden Bridge.

The White Lion Hotel

The White Lion Hotel is a traditional coaching inn, with a warm and friendly atmosphere. On a riverside location in central Hebden Bridge and dating back to 1657, the inn is well known for excellent food, wines and a wide choice of real cask ales. With 10 spacious en suite bedrooms and famous for its cooked-to-order breakfasts, it is ideal accommodation for visitors wishing to explore the Calder Valley and Brontë country.

Kersal House

Kersal House bed and breakfast is centrally located with convenient access to all the local facilities of Hebden Bridge. They offer modern B&B accommodation, with all rooms having en suite bathrooms. The Hebden Bridge location is ideal for those exploring The Pennine Way, Bronte Country, or the historic villages nearby such as Heptonstall and Haworth.

Angledale

Angledale is a traditional Pennine B&B Guest House catering for tourists, cyclists, walkers and railway enthusiasts alike, all of whom can expect a very warm welcome from their hosts Christine and Stephen.

They are situated in a charming conservation area only a 2 minute easy level walk, from Hebden Bridge centre with all its substantial amenities: pubs, restaurants and tourist attractions.