Crowds at The Piece Hall. Photo by Danny Payne and Futuresound EventsCrowds at The Piece Hall. Photo by Danny Payne and Futuresound Events
Crowds at The Piece Hall. Photo by Danny Payne and Futuresound Events

The best things to do and places to visit in Calderdale - as chosen by Courier readers

By Tom Scargill
Published 22nd Jul 2023, 19:00 BST
From museums and family-friendly attractions to towns and villages brimming with bars, shops and restaurants, Calderdale has something for everyone.

Whether you're born and bred in Calderdale or visiting for the first time, there's always something new to discover here, from the latest bar or restaurant to hidden gems tucked away that only locals might know about.

Here are what Halifax Courier readers suggested are the best things to do and places to visit in our brilliant borough...

Formerly known as Gletcliffe Hill, at 260m (853ft) stands approx. 120m (400ft) above Halifax town centre. During the 18th Century, the bodies of executed men, including the Cragg Vale Coiners, were suspended in chains at the top of the hill as a warning and a moral lesson for the local population. There are some spectacular views of Halifax, such as the one pictured, to be had from visiting Beacon Hill.

1. Beacon Hill

Formerly known as Gletcliffe Hill, at 260m (853ft) stands approx. 120m (400ft) above Halifax town centre. During the 18th Century, the bodies of executed men, including the Cragg Vale Coiners, were suspended in chains at the top of the hill as a warning and a moral lesson for the local population. There are some spectacular views of Halifax, such as the one pictured, to be had from visiting Beacon Hill. Photo: Bruce Fitzgerald

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The Grade I listed Piece Hall is the sole survivor of the great eighteenth century northern cloth halls, a class of buildings which embodied the vital and dominant importance of the trade in hand woven textiles to the pre-industrial economy of the West Riding of Yorkshire, from the Middle Ages through to the early nineteenth century. Dating from 1779, when it was built as a Cloth Hall for the trading of ‘pieces’ of cloth (a 30 yard length of woven woollen fabric produced on a handloom), The Piece Hall was the most ambitious and prestigious of its type and now stands in splendid isolation as the only remaining example. It is one of Britain’s most outstanding Georgian buildings. As well as offering several independent shops and businesses, it has recently been transformed into a venue for some of music's biggest names with the highly successful Live at The Piece Hall summer series of concerts, attracting the likes of Tom Jones, George Ezra, Noel Gallagher and many more, helping to put Halifax on the cultural map of the country.

2. Piece Hall

The Grade I listed Piece Hall is the sole survivor of the great eighteenth century northern cloth halls, a class of buildings which embodied the vital and dominant importance of the trade in hand woven textiles to the pre-industrial economy of the West Riding of Yorkshire, from the Middle Ages through to the early nineteenth century. Dating from 1779, when it was built as a Cloth Hall for the trading of ‘pieces’ of cloth (a 30 yard length of woven woollen fabric produced on a handloom), The Piece Hall was the most ambitious and prestigious of its type and now stands in splendid isolation as the only remaining example. It is one of Britain’s most outstanding Georgian buildings. As well as offering several independent shops and businesses, it has recently been transformed into a venue for some of music's biggest names with the highly successful Live at The Piece Hall summer series of concerts, attracting the likes of Tom Jones, George Ezra, Noel Gallagher and many more, helping to put Halifax on the cultural map of the country. Photo: sub

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Houses a collection of industrial machinery and artefacts over four floors. Some of the machines are the only surviving examples in the country and have been placed in settings to give a close representation to the time when they were fully operational in the not too distant past. The Museum is operated by the Calderdale Industrial Museum Association (CIMA). a registered charity and dedicated group of enthusiastic volunteers.

3. Calderdale Industrial Museum

Houses a collection of industrial machinery and artefacts over four floors. Some of the machines are the only surviving examples in the country and have been placed in settings to give a close representation to the time when they were fully operational in the not too distant past. The Museum is operated by the Calderdale Industrial Museum Association (CIMA). a registered charity and dedicated group of enthusiastic volunteers. Photo: Bruce Fitzgerald

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A beauty spot with more than 400 acres of unspoilt woodland. As well as being the home of the northern hairy wood ant, there are tumbling streams, glorious waterfalls and stacks of millstone grit, all crisscrossed by more than 15 miles of footpaths. At the heart of the woodland you'll find Gibson Mill, home to the Weaving Shed Cafe. Having no link to the national grid, the mill is unique in the UK and is the National Trust's flagship sustainable building.

4. Hardcastle Crags

A beauty spot with more than 400 acres of unspoilt woodland. As well as being the home of the northern hairy wood ant, there are tumbling streams, glorious waterfalls and stacks of millstone grit, all crisscrossed by more than 15 miles of footpaths. At the heart of the woodland you'll find Gibson Mill, home to the Weaving Shed Cafe. Having no link to the national grid, the mill is unique in the UK and is the National Trust's flagship sustainable building. Photo: Tony Johnson

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