West Yorkshire Tourist Information

West Yorkshire encompasses much of the old West Riding of Yorkshire. To the west of the County are the southern Pennine Hills and lovely Calder Valley, providing opportunities for walking and cycling. West Yorkshire Tourist Information is available in the county's main centres.

West Yorkshire Tourist Information can be accessed in the cosmopolitan city Leeds, the second commercial centre after London. Leeds offers superb shopping, dining, entertainment and nightlife.

Within the City are many excellent attractions such as the Royal Armouries, the first National Museum to house part of the Royal Collection from the Tower of London, the Henry Moore Institute, and historic Armley Mills, home of Leeds Industrial Museum. Leeds City Art Gallery houses a superb collection of 20th century art. Kirkstall Abbey is a particularly fine example of the remains of a Medieval Cistercian Monastery.

Just four miles from Leeds is Temple Newsam House a magnificent country house, whose grounds contain the largest rare breeds centre in the world. Seven miles from Leeds is Harewood, one of the great treasure houses of England.

Wakefield was the centre of the clothing industry before Leeds and Bradford came to prominence, the fine Georgian buildings in the city reflect the prosperity of these times. Dominating the city centre the Spire of Wakefield Cathedral is the tallest in Yorkshire at 247 feet. On the medieval bridge over the River Calder is the best of the few remaining bridge chapels, the chapel of St Mary is richly carved and dates from the 14th century.

Wakefield Museum, in Wood Street is fully interactive and a great place for families to visit. A short stroll from the city centre is Wakefield Art Gallery, showing early works by the sculptors Henry Moore, born in Castleford and Barbara Hepworth born in Wakefield.

Anyone interested in sculpture should visit Yorkshire Sculpture Park, set in historic gardens and parkland where art and nature are brought together for all to explore and enjoy.

A short drive away at Overton is an attraction in complete contrast! - The National Coal Mining Museum for England, where you can travel 140 metres underground in one of Britain’s oldest working mines.

Pontefract, in the Wakefield district, was where Richard II died in the Norman Castle, which was destroyed during the English Civil War. The ruins of the castle and the underground magazine chamber, are open to visitors. The town is famous for the production of liquorice sweets known as Pontefract Cakes, although liquorice is no longer grown in the area, the sweets are still manufactured here.

The town is home to Pontefract Park Racecourse, one of the best appointed courses of its kind in the Country.

West Yorkshire Tourist Information can be found in the Kirklees district in Albion Street, Huddersfield, one of the largest towns in England. Castle Hill is a local landmark over 900 feet above sea level, and the site of an Iron Age hill fort. On top of the hill is Victoria Tower built in 1897 to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. The railway station built in 1847-8 with long colonnades is one of the finest railway buildings in England.

The area is home to Kirklees Light Railway, visitors can enjoy an 8 mile steam train ride through beautiful countryside. At Batley, Bagshaw Museum, makes for an interesting family outing.
Nearby at Birstall is Oakwell Hall, a beautiful Elizabethan Manor, featured by Charlotte Bronte as Fieldhead in her novel Shirley.

The town Holmfirth is where the long running television series 'Last of the Summer Wine' is filmed. There is an exhibition located in Compo's house, with photographs, memorabilia and inventions created by the characters.

The small town of Marsden on the Huddersfield Canal is close to the Standedge Tunnel, the highest, longest and deepest canal tunnel in Britain. Trips are available into the tunnel and along the canal.

Calderdale, named after the River Calder, is a fairly rural district and encompasses part of the Pennines. The Calderdale Way, a circular walk approximately 50 miles/80km, follows old packhorse routes and moorland paths, circling high around the Calder Valley.

Halifax is the main town in the area, where West Yorkshire Tourist Information is available in the historic Piece Hall in the town centre. Halifax contains many fine buildings such as the town hall, designed by Sir Charles Barry who designed the Houses of Parliament.

Bankfield Museum in Akroyd Park, is home to the Duke of Wellington's Regimental Museum, and also exhibits contemporary crafts. Families can spend a great day at historic Shibden Hall, set in parkland with plenty of attractions for all ages.

West Yorkshire Tourist Information is located in City Hall, Bradford, once one of the major textile producers. Today many of the textile mills have closed, replaced by modern engineering, chemical manufacturing and light industries keeping Bradford a thriving city. Bradford has many fine Victorian buildings such as the Wool Exchange. The city offers good shopping and leisure facilities, there are museums, galleries, parks and gardens.

Bradford's most visited attraction is the National Museum of Photography and Television, with amazing interactive galleries.

Bradford Industrial Museum and horses at Work gives an insight into Bradford's historic past. Just one mile from the city centre is Bolling Hall, dating from the 15th century, set in a quiet garden, well worth a visit.

The area surrounding Bradford has many villages and towns, each with a unique history. Saltaire was built in the 19th century by Victorian philanthropist Sir Titus Salt, a 'model village' of houses surrounding Salts Mill, opened in 1853. Today following the restoration of the town, Saltaire is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The impressive mill has been transformed into galleries showing the works of Bradford born artist David Hockney, as well as designer shops and restaurants.

Situated in lower Wharfedale is the Victorian spa town of Ilkley, the starting point for the Dales Way footpath. The town lies below Ilkley Moor, immortalised by the song "On Ilkley Moor baht 'at". The Moor is a great place for walking, orienteering and rock climbing.

To the west of Bradford is the village of Thornton, birthplace of Charlotte, Emily, Anne and Branwell Bronte. Their parents, the Reverent Patrick Bronte, his wife Maria and two elder daughters lived in Thornton between 1815 and 1820, during these years the four younger children were born. The family then moved to Haworth Parsonage, which is now the Bronte Parsonage Museum.

Haworth is a delightful village with cobbled streets, attractive shops, tearooms and restaurants. The Black Bull Inn, much visited by Branwell, still exists and exhibits his favourite chair. A walk taken by the Bronte sisters can still be explored, the path leads two miles west beyond the cemetery along Enfield Side to the Bronte waterfall. On the moorland above Haworth, the ruin of High Withins was the inspiration for Emily's Wuthering Heights.