Neighbourhood know-how, places and people
Location, Location
Set in the heart of Yorkshire - halfway between Manchester and Leeds – Calderdale includes the market towns of Halifax, Hebden Bridge, Todmorden, Brighouse, Elland, and Sowerby Bridge and a series of hill-top and valley-side villages, including Heptonstall, Luddenden, Mytholmroyd, Ripponden and Walsden; each with their own distinct, independent spirit. The area is famous for its eclectic mix of beauty and history, culture and creativity. The winding hills of the Calder Valley have long offered an irresistible challenge to adventurers, enticing climbers, cyclists, runners and walkers from across the country. The region is also a cultural melting pot with a thriving grassroots arts scene and an abundance of living heritage thanks to a huge amount of investment breathing new life into its many historical buildings, from iconic Georgian landmark, The Piece Hall and neighbouring arts centre, Square Chapel, to the Victorian elegance of Dean Clough, once the world’s largest carpet factory and now a thriving arts and commercial hub.
You may also recognise this ruggedly spectacular landscape as the backdrop to a number of major TV shows including Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax, Ackley Bridge and the critically acclaimed HBO/BBC drama, ‘Gentleman Jack’, starring Suranne Jones, filmed at her historic family home, Shibden Hall in Halifax. Calderdale has long celebrated its LGBTQ+ culture with pride (the town of Hebden Bridge is widely recognised as ‘the lesbian capital of the UK’) and the ‘Gentleman Jack effect’ has seen lesbian tourism surge in the region.
Bag a property
Properties in Calderdale have been in the news for the wrong reasons after floods swept through riverside homes at the end of February. Nevertheless, the area is a great place to live, with dramatic landscapes and heritage properties reflecting an industrial past.
Find grand views in a barn conversion for the £500,000 mark around Ripponden or a Grade II listed 18th Century farmhouse in Todmorden for £475,000. The £1m mark buys you a grand vicarage on the outskirts of Hebden Bridge while new buyers can snap up characterful terrace in Ripponden for around £150,000.
Explore
This quirky corner of Yorkshire is home to a vibrant independent music scene which includes legendary The Trades Club in Hebden Bridge; The Grayston Unity (the smallest music venue in the UK with a capacity of just 18) and live music bar, The Lantern in Halifax, and the quirky The Golden Lion in Todmorden.
It’s also a fantastic place for families, with Eureka! The National Children’s Museum in Halifax; ROKT Climbing Gym in Brighouse, and Another World Adventure Centre, a giant playground which offers archery, go karting and grass sledging in Ogden.
Café and Cocktails
Calderdale offers something to tantalise all taste buds. It boasts an array of independent pubs and eateries where you can enjoy quality local produce and craft ales alongside views of the peaceful canalside or dramatic hills and valleys. Our favourites include The Moorcock Inn and the family-run Gimbals in Sowerby Bridge; The White Rabbit in Todmorden and The Hinchliffe Arms in Cragg Vale.
You can also pick-up everything from locally reared meat and home-grown fruit and veg to burritos and Thai noodles at Halifax Borough Market, the town’s Grade II* Listed Victorian market hall. Todmorden is also home to Incredible Edible, an initiative based on the principle of kindness, which sees local people grow and share fruit, herbs and vegetables with the aim of making the town self-sufficient.
Retail Therapy
The Piece Hall in Halifax, boasts more than 30 retail outlets offering beauty, homeware, fashion, toys, books, vinyl and more. Culture vultures are catered for with independent book shop, The Book Corner; rare vinyl and limited-edition artwork at Loafers (plus great coffee!) or pick up a piece of original artwork from The Yorkshire Gallery.
Calderdale’s towns and villages also offer a treasure trove of independent shops – from the Afghan Rug Shop in Hebden Bridge to the family-run Czerwik in Brighouse – where you’ll find the finest range of wines, whisky, port, hampers, cheeses, chutneys, pickles and more.
