Itinerary Planner

Heritage Adventures

Heritage Adventures

Take the opportunity to discover some familiar and more unusual locations across Bradford.

Bradford has a rich and fascinating history, here are some ideas for you to get out and start exploring for yourself!

Bradford

Download the Bradford Heritage Trail and take a self-guided tour of the city centre, the tour will take you around the city’s compact centre where you will discover a host of impressive buildings, click on the QR codes to take an even closer look inside!

Undercliffe Cemetery located high above the city, contains many grand nineteenth-century monuments: tombs fit for pharaohs, finely decorated obelisks, extravagant mausoleums and huge columns abound. The six listed monuments, amongst others, have QR codes so that you can find out more about who they commemorate with a click of your smart phone.

Explore the history and heritage of Bradford Cathedral, which is situated within tranquil gardens. It is a hidden gem just waiting to be discovered. Check out the exhibitions, installations, and scheduled performances that are part of the Bradford Cathedral Artspace's ongoing cultural programme.


Haworth

Ride the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, an atmospheric 5-mile heritage railway line, travelling through breath-taking Brontë Country. Keep an eye on our website for details of their many special events and services.

Check out the Grade I Listed Brontë Parsonage, which tells the Brontë Sisters' story. The most well-known books by the sisters, including Charlotte's Jane Eyre, Emily's Wuthering Heights, and Anne's Agnes Grey, were written in this location. 

Put on your walking boots and follow in the footsteps of the Brontës into the wild and inspiring landscapes around Haworth. Well marked trails will take you to the Brontë Waterfalls and Top Withens, said to be the inspiration for Wuthering Heights.


Ilkley

The Manor House, the most historic building in Ilkley, hosts regular exhibitions which look into the history of Ilkley as well as locally produced arts and crafts.

Download the Origins of Ilkley Trail and go back in time to meet Sir Peter de Middleton to hear about his influence on the town today. Ellis Ickeringill shares how Ilkley became a famous spa town and look out for virtual appearances from Donkey Jackson, Rombald the Giant, a Roman Soldier and the Goddess Verbeia 

Historic Ilkley Moor is a wonderful place to explore, with panoramic views across Wharfedale and surprising historical features, look out for the carved cup and ring stones which date back to the Bronze age, or the Twelve Apostles stone circle. Download a map and guide for the heritage walks on Ilkley Moor in PDF format.


Saltaire

The UNESCO World Heritage Site is always a pleasure to explore, did you know many of the streets are named after members of Sir Titus Salts family, including his wife Caroline, and children including George, Herbert, Helen and Ada. 

If you like to explore, take one of the two toast rack trams that run at the old Shipley Glen Tramway on Sundays from 12:00 to 16:00 for a nostalgic trip through the woods. This unique tramway was built in 1895.

Go to Salts Mill & 1853 Gallery ‘The Saltaire History Exhibition’ is on display on the third floor, where you may learn a lot about Saltaire's industrial past and its people.



Around Bradford 

Plan a visit to Bradford Museums and Galleries. Across their four sites you can explore the history of Bradford, from Bolling Hall one of the city's oldest-surviving buildings, to the Industrial Museum with its working machinery, Cliffe Castle home to opulent interiors and unique collections and the inspiring artwork in Cartwright Hall.

Visit South Square Centre, a gallery and arts centre housed in a collection of 19th century workers cottages in Thornton village, known for its connections to the Brontës and its majestic 20-arch viaduct.

Step back in time at East Riddlesden Hall an intimate 17th century manor house, which was once at the heart of the agricultural estate of Riddlesden. An oasis of calm, the hall is a beautiful place to escape the hustle and bustle of the modern world.

Product Information

  1. Bradford City Centre Heritage Trail

    Bradford

    Step back in time on the Bradford City Centre Heritage Trail. This self guided walk takes you on a fascinating route around Bradford's historic city centre.

  2. Undercliffe Cemetery

    Bradford

    Bradford's historic cemetery.

  3. Bradford Cathedral

    Bradford

    City Centre's hidden jewel set in attractive gardens. Visitors experience a warm welcome, exploring its pace, beauty, varied worship schedule, exciting events, reflecting civic and national life.

  4. Keighley and Worth Valley Railway

    Keighley

    The Keighley & Worth Valley Railway is a heritage railway that was reopened in 1968 and runs from Keighley to Oxenhope through beautiful Brontë country. Board our steam train and enjoy the sound of the engine climbing the steep sides of the valley, while great clouds of steam and smoke add drama to…

  5. Bronte Parsonage Museum

    Haworth

    The Brontës are the world's most famous literary family and Haworth Parsonage was their home from 1820 to 1861. Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë were the authors of some of the best loved books in the English language.

  6. Top Withens

    Haworth

    Top Withens is a ruined farmhouse near Haworth, which is said to have been the inspiration for Wuthering Heights the novel by Emily Brontë.

  7. Brontë Waterfalls

    Haworth

    Discover the inspiration for Wuthering Heights by taking a walk to Top Withens, where you will find the Bronte Waterfalls.

  8. Ilkley Manor House

    Ilkley

    Situated within the beautiful surroundings of the Wharfe Valley, one of Ilkley's oldest buildings, the Ilkley Manor House, has been converted into an attractive museum, arts and heritage centre run by the Ilkley Manor House Trust.

  9. Ilkley Moor Heritage Walks

    Ilkley

    The Friends of Ilkley Moor is a voluntary and democratic group composed of people who love Ilkley Moor and want to see it conserved and improved for future generations. The group have created a selection of self guided Heritage walks around Ilkley Moor.

  10. Saltaire Village

    Saltaire

    Mill owner Sir Titus Salt built the village for his workers and today Saltaire attracts millions of visitors to its magnificent architecture and visitor attractions.

  11. Shipley Glen Cable Tramway

    Shipley

    Britain's oldest working cable hauled tramway opened in 1895 run entirely by volunteers.

  12. Salts Mill & 1853 Gallery

    Saltaire

    Four comprehensive art galleries featuring over 400 works by David Hockney. Grade II Listed historic mill building set in a picturesque village which was built for the mill workers in 1853.

  13. South Square Centre

    Thornton

    South Square Centre is an arts led community centre in the heart of Thornton, Bradford. The centre comprises of art galleries, community spaces, bar and cafe.

  14. East Riddlesden Hall

    Keighley

    National Trust owned historic house, garden, shop and tearoom. This award winning attraction offers a lot to discover and explore.

Itinerary Distances

FromToDistance * (metric)
Bradford City Centre Heritage Trail (53.79237,-1.75475)Undercliffe Cemetery (53.80528,-1.73794)1.63
Undercliffe Cemetery (53.80528,-1.73794)Bradford Cathedral (53.7954,-1.7477)1.15
Bradford Cathedral (53.7954,-1.7477)Keighley and Worth Valley Railway (53.831,-1.9487)12.41
Keighley and Worth Valley Railway (53.831,-1.9487)Bronte Parsonage Museum (53.83106,-1.95741)0.52
Bronte Parsonage Museum (53.83106,-1.95741)Top Withens (53.81484,-2.03007)4.59
Top Withens (53.81484,-2.03007)Brontë Waterfalls (53.81874,-2.0038)1.6
Brontë Waterfalls (53.81874,-2.0038)Ilkley Manor House (53.92669,-1.82489)15.12
Ilkley Manor House (53.92669,-1.82489)Ilkley Moor Heritage Walks (53.91663,-1.80322)1.63
Ilkley Moor Heritage Walks (53.91663,-1.80322)Saltaire Village (53.8376,-1.78991)7.96
Saltaire Village (53.8376,-1.78991)Shipley Glen Cable Tramway (53.84509,-1.79443)0.8
Shipley Glen Cable Tramway (53.84509,-1.79443)Salts Mill & 1853 Gallery (53.83888,-1.78859)0.71
Salts Mill & 1853 Gallery (53.83888,-1.78859)South Square Centre (53.79011,-1.85129)6.14
South Square Centre (53.79011,-1.85129)East Riddlesden Hall (53.87614,-1.88142)8.8
Total Distance *63.05 miles
Estimated Journey Time2.03 hours

* Approximate distance by road

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