CANAL PLACES TO GO
These are some of the towns and villages you can explore
on a Yorkshire canalboat holiday. Most are beside the water, but
for some you catch the train or bus for a good day out - there
are frequent stations near the canal.
For more places to go, see pennineyorkshire.com or
Yorkshire.com.
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THINGS TO DO
As well as boating itself, there are loads of
boating things to do and
sights to see. |
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Places
you can get to by boat |
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Hebden Bridge
The original plastic bag-free town, and one of the first
to be Walker Friendly, Hebden is always ahead on green
issues and anything alternative. Interesting shops and
food make this a great place to visit. Co-op
supermarket. |
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Sowerby Bridge
Two canals and two rivers. Shops on main street, market,
Tesco, Lidl (canalside). Big choice of places to eat
out, from Thai to Mongolian via Europe. New
swimming pool coming soon. |
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Skipton
The Gateway to the Dales. Excellent shops,
department store, markets (including a real one with cattle),
castle. Moorings in small, bustling basin. |
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Uppermill
A mix of wool and cotton spinning shows this was another
border town. Characterful but real tourist destination.
Small museum, craft shops, restaurants, Summer Wine
connections. |
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Brighouse
Moor in a pleasant basin by the river, and dream of
owning a Sagar barge.
Sainsburys canalside, Tesco, market, interesting shops
and restaurants. |
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Mirfield
Quite a good range of shops, including an ironmongers
(our favourite kind of shop) on main road near canal.
Lidl canalside. |
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Selby
Red brick in contrast to the stone everywhere else. Abbey, market.
Trains to York. See the ships on the tidal Ouse, and if you're
really lucky the railway bridge will swing for one. |
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Leeds
The big city. Harvey Nichols, Henry Moore
sculptures, Opera North… Moor outside he Royal
Armouries: or by the railway station and relax to the
sound of rushing commuters. |
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Places
worth a train or bus ride |
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Halifax
One of the best-preserved
West Riding town centres. Grade 1 listed Piece Hall (a
piece was a length of cloth) and
many other fine buildings. Full range of shops, good
small department store. A bus ride from Salterhebble. |
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Huddersfield
An excellent shopping town
with interesting small shops as well as the chains. Fine
Victorian town hall and station. Moor by the University
and explore. Sainsburys canalside. |
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Bradford
Excellent Waterstones in old Cloth Hall, but otherwise
unremarkable shopping. Very grand town hall (a West
Riding feature, built on wool wealth and pride). A bus
ride from Halifax or Shipley - till the Bradford Canal is
rebuilt..... |
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York
The Minster, the Archbishop's Palace,
the City Wall and Yorvik take you back in history, but
are firmly of the present day: the present Archbishop
camped in the Minster to draw attention to world
poverty. |
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Manchester
The other big city, in proud Victorian red brick. Serious
sport and culture happen here, including of course the set of
Coronation Street, which you can visit. |
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Todmorden
A fresco on the pediment of the Town Hall
tells the story of Tod, meeting place of Yorkshire and
Lancashire, and of weaving and spinning. Good shops,
interesting buildings, market. |
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Elland
Up the hill from Elland
Basin. Shops, restaurants, delicatessen, Co-op supermarket. The Rex
Cinema has unmissable organ recitals before the Saturday night film. |
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Wakefield
A fair walk
into town across the Calder on one of few surviving
chantry (chapel) bridges. Barbara Hepworth gallery under
construction by the river. Big shopping centre, small
cathedral. |
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