Our Trip to Bronte Country, Yorkshire 2017

After a taxing 4 hour journey, finally we began to see rolling hills in the distance. Having been lead to the Hewenden Mill Cottages office, the lovely Janet came outside to greet us and the jumped in her car to lead us to where we would be staying. Evidently knowing the narrow and winding roads extremely well, Janet shot up a steep hill and straight round the tightest bend my Mum has ever encountered, from here we could see everything from the viaduct to the cows and sheep (probably 10+ miles away). What goes up must come down and this was no exception - we ventured, slower than Janet, down a set of dainty lanes that lead back down into the valley. A few more tight bends and we were there rolling down a hill in awe of the beauty of the Mill in all its grand velocity.

The Viaduct

Hewenden Mill Cottages

We were given the tour and I have to say I was impressed; the apartment was spotless and smelled lovely. Janet and John had given every thought to the place and there was everything you could ever need for a short term stay. We even had Scrabble. Various maps had been printed and put into a binder for us and Janet happily stayed to inform us of how to get to places and of multiple local places to eat.

Having arrived around 3ish, we decided to venture out for a stroll and then to try and find the local Co-op. We took a chance on a leafy wooded walkway and discovered we were not equipped with the right footwear for this excursion - mum being in pumps and me in converses which are renowned for having no grip whatsoever! :P So we changed direction and headed up a steep bridal was that passed in between a couple of lovely fields full of horses. Bordered with dry stone walls the bridal way eventually turned onto a road and happened to be the road we needed to be on ( good old google maps ) and we found our way to the shop with no further problems.

On our return to the mill we had a ponder in their games room which all guests were welcome to use and found a ping pong table and shelves full with books and dvds. We picked one to watch and borrowed it for the evening and divulged in our dinner and an early night.

Day 2

Bright and early, we set off for Haworth! We drove up the main high street which must be at a vertical degree of 60! It was extremely steep and cobbled and I have never heard our car struggle as it did along that highstreet.

We found the car park for the Bronte Parsonage Museum and payed for a full day. and we went straight to the ticket office. Its a beautiful sight and I always feel inspired in places I know have been written in or about.

To see inside this famous house I'm afraid you'll just have to visit (my youtube channel to watch a few clips I have of some of the rooms) >.< https://youtu.be/4FEuRdpLp_Y

As an aspiring writer I didnt have to be asked twice when a spritely lady asked me if I wanted to help rewrite a line in a recreation of the lost manuscript of Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte! Mum and I both got to write a line and were given the pencil we wrote in as a souvenir of the act. It's going on show in 2018 so I'll just have to go back ;)

After seeing the parsonage we did a little shopping in the gift shop then explored the high street and visited The Cabinet of Curiosities and then had an old fashioned pub lunch before we set off on another adventure..

We could hardly come to Bronte Country and not see the Bronte Waterfall, Chair and Bridge could we?! So off we set, walking boots on feet and with water in our bag!

The Bronte Waterfall

The Bronte Bridge

Again if you wanna see some of the actual walking check out the video I created!

Day 3

Senior Way sounds like something anyone could do right? Well I've never been on a more challenging walk. Absolutely beautiful but challenging none the less. Turns out the Senior Way walk is called Senior after the man that create the walk and not because its old.

My New Favourite Place

We met some Flower Pot People!

And then got lost!

"To benefit the weary walker, rest a while"

Oh we rested!!

We ended up following google maps along roads instead of public footpaths - google footpath maps please!! - to find our way to the viaduct (old unused railway bridge that is now a footpath). And honestly I was super disappointed when we did reach it. I've seen some really cool abandoned and up-cycled rail bridges, especially in New York. So pure concrete was kind of a let down.

However we didn't let this disappointment ruin our day, as soon as we got back to the refurbished cotton mill we were saying in we changed our shoes had a snack and got straight into another adventure!

A Steam Train - the KWVR - the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. We got on at Haworth, travelled to the end of the line at Keighley and back again to Haworth.