Manchester and Haworth Trip
Aug 6th, 2006, 10:26 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Manchester and Haworth Trip
Hello,
We are planning to take a trip to England next March, and the two places we want to visit are Manchester (Oasis!) and Haworth (Brontes!). We'll have about a week, and I'm pondering whether we should base out of Manchester, or whether there might be a self-catering cottage somewhere that would be convenient to what we want to get to, particularly by rail.
It seems like it might be easier just to base out of Manchester, shop and visit museums and eat curry, and take some day trips. I'm wondering if Manchester is easy to get around by public transportation or not. I've been to Haworth before several times so I know that our visit there will involve changing trains and catching a bus.
On our last trip we stayed at a wonderful B&B in a market that had a self-catering cottage, and I would love to find a similar set-up where we could stay for a week and easily get to where we want to go. That seems like the most economical way to do it, and price is definitely a factor. But it doesn't seem like there's anyplace in the Manchester/West Yorkshire area that is convenient to both our destinations and is also an attractive town with some indoor things to do in bad weather.
Obviously this trip is a long way off, so I have a good six months to mull possibilities. I just thought I would open it up to the knowledgeable people on this board (especially Janis who gave us such great tips for our first day of a London trip four years ago!)
Best to all,
Julie
We are planning to take a trip to England next March, and the two places we want to visit are Manchester (Oasis!) and Haworth (Brontes!). We'll have about a week, and I'm pondering whether we should base out of Manchester, or whether there might be a self-catering cottage somewhere that would be convenient to what we want to get to, particularly by rail.
It seems like it might be easier just to base out of Manchester, shop and visit museums and eat curry, and take some day trips. I'm wondering if Manchester is easy to get around by public transportation or not. I've been to Haworth before several times so I know that our visit there will involve changing trains and catching a bus.
On our last trip we stayed at a wonderful B&B in a market that had a self-catering cottage, and I would love to find a similar set-up where we could stay for a week and easily get to where we want to go. That seems like the most economical way to do it, and price is definitely a factor. But it doesn't seem like there's anyplace in the Manchester/West Yorkshire area that is convenient to both our destinations and is also an attractive town with some indoor things to do in bad weather.
Obviously this trip is a long way off, so I have a good six months to mull possibilities. I just thought I would open it up to the knowledgeable people on this board (especially Janis who gave us such great tips for our first day of a London trip four years ago!)
Best to all,
Julie
Aug 6th, 2006, 11:10 PM
#2
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 1,635
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Aye, it's grim oop north!
Two places spring to mind -
Firstly Hebden Bridge. It's a Pennine town, fairly good transport links, beautiful countryside, and would be a very nice place to base yourself in. If you do a search I am sure you will find numerous self catering cottages or B and B's to stay in. This website will give you more idea about the town.
www.hebdenbridge.co.uk/tourist-
info/index.html#events
Ted Hughes was born nearby, and Sylvia Plath is buried at Heptonstall, which is also close.
My second idea is Skipton, a market town (with castle)that calls itself 'the gateway to the Dales'. Nice little town, bustling and again with good links although not quite as convenient for you as Hebden Bridge.
You are not planning too early - many nice cottages and B and B's get booked up very quickly so it's defintely worth doing some research now.
Give me a yell if you have further questions. I live in North Yorkshire, but know West Yorkshire well (but not Manchester).
Two places spring to mind -
Firstly Hebden Bridge. It's a Pennine town, fairly good transport links, beautiful countryside, and would be a very nice place to base yourself in. If you do a search I am sure you will find numerous self catering cottages or B and B's to stay in. This website will give you more idea about the town.
www.hebdenbridge.co.uk/tourist-
info/index.html#events
Ted Hughes was born nearby, and Sylvia Plath is buried at Heptonstall, which is also close.
My second idea is Skipton, a market town (with castle)that calls itself 'the gateway to the Dales'. Nice little town, bustling and again with good links although not quite as convenient for you as Hebden Bridge.
You are not planning too early - many nice cottages and B and B's get booked up very quickly so it's defintely worth doing some research now.
Give me a yell if you have further questions. I live in North Yorkshire, but know West Yorkshire well (but not Manchester).
Aug 6th, 2006, 11:15 PM
#3
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 1,635
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Meant to give you a website for Skipton.
www.skiptonweb.co.uk/tourist/index.htm
www.skiptonweb.co.uk/tourist/index.htm
Aug 6th, 2006, 11:48 PM
#4
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,159
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hebden Bridge sprang to my mind as well
http://www.wymetro.com/NR/rdonlyres/...ainDiagram.jpg
It's quite close to Haworth, but over the moors, so no direct train, but you can get a bus, or connect through Leeds. Nice place to stay a week, too.
http://www.keighleyanddistrict.co.uk/
http://www.wymetro.com/NR/rdonlyres/...ainDiagram.jpg
It's quite close to Haworth, but over the moors, so no direct train, but you can get a bus, or connect through Leeds. Nice place to stay a week, too.
http://www.keighleyanddistrict.co.uk/
Aug 7th, 2006, 07:46 AM
#5
A trifecta 
because I also first thought of Hebden Bridge.
If you were willing to rent a car after Manchester - then you'd have more choices of towns/villages. But what you want to do is possible using buses/trains. (yes getting around Manchesterter is very easy by public transport)
Glad you could use my suggestions for London - had to change my screen name due to logon glitches last year.
because I also first thought of Hebden Bridge.If you were willing to rent a car after Manchester - then you'd have more choices of towns/villages. But what you want to do is possible using buses/trains. (yes getting around Manchesterter is very easy by public transport)
Glad you could use my suggestions for London - had to change my screen name due to logon glitches last year.
Aug 7th, 2006, 08:07 PM
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thank you so much, Morgana, Sheila, and Janis! Looking at Sheila's map of train routes, I can see that Hebden Bridge would indeed be a good spot for day trips to Manchester and Haworth. I have not yet found that Holy Grail of cottages, though - one that is charming, central, and in our price range - but I will keep looking.
Janis, nothing is out of the question at this point as far as renting a car, so if there is some great place you want to recommend that is not on the train line, please do! It might be that a less expensive cottage and renting a car would be the same as a more expensive cottage on a train line.
I am also starting to think that the place we found before - a Laura Ashley decorated self-catering cottage with breakfast of regional foods included for 250 pounds was a steal!
Janis, nothing is out of the question at this point as far as renting a car, so if there is some great place you want to recommend that is not on the train line, please do! It might be that a less expensive cottage and renting a car would be the same as a more expensive cottage on a train line.
I am also starting to think that the place we found before - a Laura Ashley decorated self-catering cottage with breakfast of regional foods included for 250 pounds was a steal!
Aug 7th, 2006, 10:51 PM
#7
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,159
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Aug 8th, 2006, 06:18 AM
#8
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 1,635
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Another thought - how about basing yourself in Haworth??? I know this would mean a longer trip to Manchester but it does have definite advantages. The biggest one (for me anyway!) would be the chance to stay such a historic place, and as you obviously love the Brontes this might appeal. The best time to walk up the steep High Street and through the graveyard outside the Parsonage is first thing in the morning, or in the evenings when the tourists have left. Very atmospheric! There's things to do in the village itself apart from the Parsonage Museum - you've got the Steam Railway for instance, and also wonderful walks behind the Parsonage and up to the Bronte waterfall and to Top Withins on the Moors. There's plenty of pubs and places to eat, including an excellent restaurant called Weavers. Or the Black Bull next to the Parsonage where Branwell drank himself into oblivion.
It's also more geared up to tourists than Hebden so you will get more choice of cottages.
www.haworth-village.org.uk
Worth thinking about!
M
It's also more geared up to tourists than Hebden so you will get more choice of cottages.
www.haworth-village.org.uk
Worth thinking about!
M
Aug 8th, 2006, 11:01 AM
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi all,
So much to think about! One thing I am mulling now is that we might want to just spend a couple of nights at a dreary hotel in Manchester (since we might want to go see a band while we're there - the next Arctic Monkeys?), and then moving to a self-catering at Skipton or one of these other places that have been suggested. I love all the great suggestions - you all are a wonderful treasure trove of information.
I have a question about the moors. That's what my husband really wants to see. Of course my first thought was Haworth, but I don't remember the moors around there being that spectacular. Is my memory blurry, or is there somewhere farther afield that I should take my husband for craggy, windswept moors?
Best to all!
So much to think about! One thing I am mulling now is that we might want to just spend a couple of nights at a dreary hotel in Manchester (since we might want to go see a band while we're there - the next Arctic Monkeys?), and then moving to a self-catering at Skipton or one of these other places that have been suggested. I love all the great suggestions - you all are a wonderful treasure trove of information.
I have a question about the moors. That's what my husband really wants to see. Of course my first thought was Haworth, but I don't remember the moors around there being that spectacular. Is my memory blurry, or is there somewhere farther afield that I should take my husband for craggy, windswept moors?
Best to all!
Aug 8th, 2006, 11:13 AM
#10
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 202
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Spending a couple of days based in Manchester itself is an excellent idea - having to get back to somewhere like Hebden Bridge would rule out just about anything evening-related, especially 3am curries in Rusholme 
There's plenty of decent hotels in the city centre, from traditional 4* places down to travelodges. Apart from Salford Quays, Old Trafford or Rusholme (tram for the first two, and bus or taxi for the latter), there's little likelihood that you'll be venturing far enough to need to worry about public transport. Which is good, because Manchester's bus system is a prime example of deregulation gone wrong, with supposedly over fifty different companies on the roads.
There's plenty of decent hotels in the city centre, from traditional 4* places down to travelodges. Apart from Salford Quays, Old Trafford or Rusholme (tram for the first two, and bus or taxi for the latter), there's little likelihood that you'll be venturing far enough to need to worry about public transport. Which is good, because Manchester's bus system is a prime example of deregulation gone wrong, with supposedly over fifty different companies on the roads.
Aug 8th, 2006, 11:17 AM
#11
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 5,641
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A neat way to reach Haworth, even if you have a car, is to take the old steam trains that run rather regularly to Haworth and beyond from Keighley (pronounced 'Keeley'). Otherwise sans car you can take the train to Keighley then frequent buses to Haworth.
I enjoyed the walks in the moor here - desolate of course just like you'd expect.
I enjoyed the walks in the moor here - desolate of course just like you'd expect.
Aug 8th, 2006, 11:31 AM
#12
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,159
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Pal, my sweet, I'd stop giving hints on pronunciation if I were you
Julie, if you walk 10 minutes (unfortunately uphill in any direction) out of Hebden, you're on the moors.
Have a look at Heptonstall.
Julie, if you walk 10 minutes (unfortunately uphill in any direction) out of Hebden, you're on the moors.
Have a look at Heptonstall.
Aug 8th, 2006, 11:35 AM
#13
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 5,641
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sheila - this time i'm positive i'm right because i discussed it with the bus driver on the bus from Keighley ("keethly" to Hawworth and he said i was right in what i had read. Granted i've had some mistakes but i think not this time, unless the locals don't know how to say it.
to Hawworth and he said i was right in what i had read. Granted i've had some mistakes but i think not this time, unless the locals don't know how to say it.
Aug 8th, 2006, 11:48 AM
#14
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 5,641
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
[PDF] Christopher UpwardFile Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML
like BLAKELEY, folod by Yorkshrs Keighley with its unique pronunciation ... Lamb, Bernard (1992) A National Survey of UK Undergraduates’ Standards of English ...
http://www.spellingsociety.org/journ...oks/aston4.pdf
Sheila- note:
Keighley with its unique pronunciation - i guess even UK folks don't know how to pronounce it!
like BLAKELEY, folod by Yorkshrs Keighley with its unique pronunciation ... Lamb, Bernard (1992) A National Survey of UK Undergraduates’ Standards of English ...
http://www.spellingsociety.org/journ...oks/aston4.pdf
Sheila- note:
Keighley with its unique pronunciation - i guess even UK folks don't know how to pronounce it!
Aug 8th, 2006, 12:10 PM
#16
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 5,641
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sheila - my humble apology as of course i meant Keethley the first time - don't know how that came out! You had me worried that it wasn't Keethley even because i knew you had to know. Oh well better stop giving pronunciations like you say - but this one stood out in my mind as weird - the bus driver said some kind of old local dialect.
Aug 8th, 2006, 10:14 PM
#20
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 1,635
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Blimey, I was confused at first as well. I live in Yorkshire - and I knew it wasn't pronounced Keeley!!! It's most definitely Keith - Lee.
The Moors stretch down almost to the back of the Parsonage Museum. They are pretty wild and windswept, even on a summers day. If you want to do any sort of walking on them you do need 'proper' boots and treat it as a serious walk. They can be very boggy and also the rocky footpaths can be slippery.
The walk to the Bronte waterfall is great - Emily Bronte's ghost has supposedly been seen on the footpath, and it is certainly a place where you keep looking behind you.
Another thought (sorry!). If you stay around Skipton then you are practically in the Yorkshire Dales. Do you know this area? Very different from the bleak Pennines and their moors. The Dales are picturesque (very!), beautiful, dry stone walls, sheep, lovely villages..........have a look at the photos on this site to see what I am attempting to describe -
www.buyimage.co.uk/photonet/dales/dales.html
M
The Moors stretch down almost to the back of the Parsonage Museum. They are pretty wild and windswept, even on a summers day. If you want to do any sort of walking on them you do need 'proper' boots and treat it as a serious walk. They can be very boggy and also the rocky footpaths can be slippery.
The walk to the Bronte waterfall is great - Emily Bronte's ghost has supposedly been seen on the footpath, and it is certainly a place where you keep looking behind you.
Another thought (sorry!). If you stay around Skipton then you are practically in the Yorkshire Dales. Do you know this area? Very different from the bleak Pennines and their moors. The Dales are picturesque (very!), beautiful, dry stone walls, sheep, lovely villages..........have a look at the photos on this site to see what I am attempting to describe -
www.buyimage.co.uk/photonet/dales/dales.html
M
