Calderdale %26 Around

Calderdale is a borough mostly situated in the Yorkshire Pennines. It is known for walking (including part of the Pennine Way), industrial heritage, and quirky towns (esp. Hebden Bridge). It is easily accessible by train and bus (and car) from the Northern centres of Manchester and Leeds.

Calderdale Towns

• Brighouse
• Elland
• Halifax
• Hebden Bridge
• Heptonstall
• Luddenden / Luddendenfoot
• Mytholmroyd
• Old Town
• Ryburn
• Sowerby Bridge
• Todmorden

Why Go?

• Walking/Hiking/Rambling
• Local markets
• Organic retail
• Flee the city!
• Lesbian community (Hebden Bridge)
• Canal boating
• Sylvia Plath grave (Heptonstall)
• World Dock Pudding Championships (Mytholmroyd)

Things To Do

Look for a copy of the Hebden Diary (A3, brightly coloured paper) which most cafes stock. It is packed with local regular and special event listings. You can also download it here.

• Check out the Alternative Technology Centre (along the towpath in Hebden Bridge) – energy room (try peddling a bicycle-powered generator) and green shop
• Explore Heptonstall (pick up a copy of the Heptonstall Trail from the Hebden tourist office)
• Walk to Stoodley Pike (near Tod) and enjoy the view
• Splurge at the Hebden sweet shop
• Go to a gig at the Trades Club. Past acts have included Chumbawamba, Gruff Rhys and Transglobal Underground.
• The Hebden Bridge tourist office has heaps of local info including maps, walking and canal guides, and bus timetables.

Food

• Todmorden
  • The Tenth Muse - Tod's GLBT venue, with a downstairs cafe/bar and upstairs restaurant. Vegetarian-friendly menu, good coffee and hot chocolate, Yorkshire GLBT newsletters to read plus copies of Gay Times and Diva available. Couches downstairs.
  • The Bear Cafe - above The Bear Wholefoods. Fully vegetarian and can cater to particular diets. Ongoing charity book sale to browse through too.
• Hebden Bridge
  • Mooch - Market St. Funky wee cafe/bar serving ciabattas, salads etc. Lots of vegetarian options, and an interesting drinks menu.
  • Organic House - Market St. Cafe-cum-organic store-cum-alternative therapies centre. Totally vegetarian, and do a great hot chocolate. The specials board is well worth a look at, and don’t miss out on the cakes and juices!
  • AJs – Fish & chip takeaway/restaurant (different doors for each). Reliably good with vegetarian menu and can fry in vege oil.
• Halifax
  • World Peace Cafe - Vegetarian/Vegan Buddhist cafe with its own meditation space. Couches to sit on and Buddhist books to browse. Does a great £3.50 salad bowl. Limited opening hours.
  • Okra House – Vegetarian café above healthfood/organics shop. Caters to special diets. Not as good as World Peace Café.

Drink

• Todmorden
  • Bare Arts Gallery & Brewery – fabulous real ales in bottles and mini-kegs to buy. Also a small in-house bar where you can sample the wares at good value prices.
• Heptonstall
  • Cross Inn – one of Heptonstall’s two pubs. Real ales in bottles (including vegan beer). Food served till 4pm, and occasional bands in the evenings (including punk!). Roaring fire through winter, and dog and walker friendly.

Getting Around

You can get good value travel with Metro’s Day Rover passes. You can buy these on trains and at stations, and also at post offices. They are valid after 9.30am and cover the whole West Yorkshire area (including Leeds and Bradford). Trains only - £5 Buses and trains - £5.50 Family (up to two adults and two children, but you don’t have to travel with children to get it) - £8 You can also buy day passes on FirstWestYorkshire buses for £3.20-£3.70 (though you are restricted to their buses). If you are staying in West Yorkshire for a week or more, consider investing in a MetroCard.

Couchsurfing

There are couchsurfing hosts in Halifax, Hebden Bridge and Todmorden, and a Calderdale CS Group. Couchsurfing is very strong in Manchester, growing in Leeds, and getting off the ground in Bradford.

Local Guide

Attilathenunlives in Heptonstall.