Itinerary Planner

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!

STAY & EXPLORE

There are a variety of accommodation options to choose from when planning your visit to Bradford. If you prefer a more traditional experience, you can opt for hotels, guesthouses or B&Bs. However, if you prefer more independence, holiday lodges and serviced apartments are a good choice.

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HERITAGE INSPIRATION

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.