"West Yorkshire" West Yorkshire by leffe3

West Yorkshire Travel Guide: 1,243 reviews and 4,162 photos

University life in the city of Bradford (and a couple of years post-studying) introduced me to the wonders of West Yorkshire (as well as North Yorkshire and the Lake District).

Yorkshire evokes something of a dichotomy in people's mind - an 'eee by gum, it's tough up north' with the industrial towns of Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield etc, ' the dark satanic mills' of William Blake refering directly to the heavy 19th century industries of Bradford. On the other hand, it's Bronte land - the moody moor landscapes of Heathcliff and 'Wuthering Heights'.

But the industrialised cities, with the decentralisation from London, are undergoing a major regeneration, with Leeds one the most attractive of England's northern cities with its air of Victorian grandeur interspersed with the redevelopment of the canals and modern architectural gems (including the West Yorkshire Playhouse and the Armoury Museum): Bradford has the excellent National Gallery of Photography and Television along with the redeveloped Saltaire Mills: Huddersfield has the internationally renowned Contemporary Music Festival: Wakefield the Henry Moore Sculpture Park and Halifax the extraordinary Piece Hall and the converted mill, Dean Clough.

Hebden Bridge

But it's the countryside in such close proximity to these towns and cities that is the big attraction to West Yorkshire, although it does play second fiddle to the more dramatic North Yorkshire.

But Haworth and Bronte country is 9 miles from both Leeds and Bradford; Holmfirth and 'Last of the Summer Wine' country is a few miles from Huddersfield; the post-industrial canal town of Hebden Bridge (left) and stunning Calder Valley (main picture under snow) 10 miles west of Halifax; the historic Ilkley and Ilkley Moor again a few miles north of Bradford - the list is long - the Leeds/Bradford conurbation may be something of an inseperable sprawl, but travel only a few miles from either centre and you will find yourself in stunning countryside.

Last visit to West Yorkshire: Sep 2001
Intro Updated Apr 3, 2008
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Reviews (2)

Hebden Bridge Things to Do (1)

to follow more travel advice

Mountain Bike Transportation (1)

West Yorkshire is demanding but not impossible (mountain) bicycle country (as long as you can reach the pedals -:)) more travel advice

Comments (2)

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BlueBeth Dec 8, 2006 at 4:17 AM

Where did you live in Yorkshire Keith? Love the pics. Beth
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sandysmith Feb 4, 2004 at 12:15 AM

please let me know when this is done :-)