The Yorkshire moors have been in the spotlight again with Emerald Fennell’s film version of Wuthering Heights. While recent filming happened around the Yorkshire Dales National Park, the moors that inspired Emily Brontë sit around Haworth in West Yorkshire. I grew up on the edge of the Pennines; Brontë portrayed these landscapes as bleak and tempestuous, and at times they are—but they’re also achingly beautiful and have shaped some of Britain’s great artists and sculptors.
People from this part of Yorkshire can seem blunt or brooding, perhaps shaped by the terrain and weather. But beneath that ruggedness is warmth and a dry humor. What felt small and confining to me as a restless teenager now reads as honest and quietly lovely. West Yorkshire doesn’t preen; it wears its beauty like a well-worn pair of boots—untamed, raw, and romantic. Here are places across the county that celebrate that spirit.
Haworth Village and Brontë Country
Begin in the cobbled village of Haworth, about 16 kilometers from Bradford, the heart of Brontë Country. Visit the Brontë Parsonage Museum to see Charlotte’s desk, Emily’s journal pages, and Anne’s pebbles from Scarborough. From the village you can walk to Top Withens, the ruined farmhouse long associated with Wuthering Heights, and to Penistone Hill Country Park, now a National Nature Reserve. Haworth is unexpectedly twinned with Machu Picchu—both rely on tourism, textile history, distinctive landscapes, and global curiosity.
Keighley and Worth Valley Railway
The short Keighley and Worth Valley Railway—only about eight kilometers—was opened in 1867 to serve mills and coal works. Today it’s a heritage line with steam trains, afternoon teas, fish-and-chips and classic Yorkshire lunches onboard. It’s a charming slice of industrial history and a delightful way to travel through the valleys.
Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Sprawling over 500 acres near Wakefield, the Yorkshire Sculpture Park is Europe’s largest outdoor sculpture venue. Pastures, lakes, and woodland frame works by Henry Moore (sheep often graze nearby), Damien Hirst’s towering Virgin Mother, Jaume Plensa’s Wilsis, and James Turrell’s contemplative Deer Shelter Skyspace. There are restaurants, a boutique and Bretton Hall, an 18th-century manor that anchors the site. It’s a place to roam, reflect and let art and landscape converse.
The Hepworth Wakefield
Barbara Hepworth was born in Wakefield in 1903 and cited the West Riding’s hills as formative influences. The Hepworth Wakefield, designed by David Chipperfield on the riverside, offers original works, models and rotating exhibitions of modern and contemporary art. It’s intimate, thoughtfully curated and a clear reminder of the region’s enduring creative legacy.
Saltaire Village and Salt’s Mill
Saltaire is a UNESCO World Heritage village on Bradford’s outskirts, founded by industrialist Sir Titus Salt in the 1850s as model housing for millworkers. The Italianate architecture, well-kept houses and gardens create a surprisingly refined industrial aesthetic. Salts Mill, the restored textile factory, now houses the 1853 Gallery with over 400 David Hockney works, Salt’s Diner and an excellent bookshop. Walk the towpath on the Leeds–Liverpool Canal or picnic in nearby Roberts Park.
Ilkley Moor and the Cow and Calf
Ilkley Moor is famed in song and local lore—wrap up before you go. The Cow and Calf rocks make for a bracing walk and great scrambling, with expansive views over the Wharfe valley. Afterward, warm up at the Cow and Calf country pub or descend into Ilkley town for boutiques, florists and a visit to Betty’s Tea Room, a Yorkshire institution.
Holmfirth
Holmfirth, where I grew up, is known to many as the filming location of Last of the Summer Wine. The town still offers cafes like The Wrinkled Stocking Tea Room and The Archive, and an evening music and pub scene centered on the historic Picturedrome cinema. More importantly, Holmfirth is a gateway to excellent walking in the Peak District, from easy reservoir rambles to more challenging moorland hikes.
Hebden Bridge
Hebden Bridge is an eccentric, artsy town hugged by hills—a haven for artists, musicians and independent shops. It has long attracted creative figures, from photographer Martin Parr to a young Ed Sheeran; Ted Hughes was born nearby and Sylvia Plath is buried in Heptonstall. Explore Hardcastle Crags for waterfalls and woodland, or take a narrowboat cream-tea cruise along the Rochdale Canal.
The Piece Hall
Halifax’s Piece Hall dates to 1779 and is the only surviving Georgian cloth hall, built for trading 30-yard “pieces” of fabric. The Grade I-listed arcades and courtyard feel almost Mediterranean on a sunny day. Today the Piece Hall hosts independent shops, artisans, cafes and a summer concert season, preserving a tangible link to the region’s textile wealth.
Leeds
Leeds is the North’s bustling, sophisticated metropolis—sometimes called the London of the North—with sharp architecture, shopping arcades and cultural institutions like Northern Ballet and Opera North. Museums include the Royal Armouries and the Thackray Museum of Medicine; Kirkgate Market is where Michael Marks began Marks & Spencer. The city has a lively music scene, festivals and strong hospitality, from the restored Queens Hotel to boutique stays. Leeds proves West Yorkshire’s urban heart can match its rural drama.
How to visit
Travel between these places is straightforward by train or car; many towns are linked by regular services and heritage lines like Keighley’s make journeys part of the experience. Pack layers for sudden weather changes, sturdy boots for moorland, and leave time for cafés, independent shops and small museums—this region’s charm lives in both landscape and community.
West Yorkshire refuses to be prettified. Its beauty is earned: wind, stone, industry and imagination have combined here to produce landscapes, towns and art that are simultaneously stark and tender. Visit, and you’ll find blunt warmth, dry humor, and a countryside that rewards exploration.
