Haworth

 

At the beginning of the week, just after we had visited the pumpkin farm, we enjoyed a two night stay in Haworth, West Yorkshire. This was really down to the lovely Jo, who had piqued my interest in the area with this post here, 

I had been lucky enough to have booked us into a small cottage in a very convenient location,  just off the historic, cobbled Main Street. We were right across the road from the beautiful Central Park and a short walk up the hill from the railway station. Main Street is lined with the most charming, independent shops, it really feels like you've stepped back in time, and at this time of year most of them were beautifully decorated for Hallowe'en. Our cottage was lovely and cosy, and just perfect for the two nights we stayed there. And after a wander around the village, we spent a quiet first night in front of the TV with a delicious curry.

The following morning, I packed up a lunch and we set off for the station. Haworth Station is part of the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, a heritage railway line, which runs along the 5 mile track between Keighley and Oxenhope. We travelled the full length of the line on a steam train, stopping to look around both Oxenhope and Oakworth stations. Oakworth is best known for the filming of The Railway Children, although now it is for where I enjoyed eating my picnic lunch on the platform, in the warm autumn sunshine :) 

The station is beautifully preserved, with an old style level crossing, separate waiting rooms for ladies, and it even still benefitted from an open fire in the booking office.

Returning to Haworth, we took a walk around the park, before enjoying another walk up Main Street, this time taking in the Church, The Bronte Parsonage, and The Old School Room. There might even have been a refreshment stop at The Black Bull pub, which Branwell Bronte used to frequent - for the historical interest, of course :) Then it was back to the cottage, once again, as by this time we were tired after our long day.

The next day, in order to enjoy the full Bronte 'experience', we walked out of the valley and on to the moors to view the picturesque Bronte Falls, the Bronte Bridge and Stone Chair. Then we walked further along the path up to Top Withens, the ruined farmhouse thought to be the setting for Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights. It was definitely wuthering that morning, although, thankfully, it wasn't cold.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Haworth and might gladly have stayed there a little longer, if only there hadn't been something even more exciting I needed to do...

J. X