Jane Eyre has been my favourite book since I was a teenager so a pilgrimage to the Brontë Parsonage at Haworth has always been on my to do list, but in spite of living only an hour away I hadn't managed to make it over there until this past summer. I had a free ride to nearby Bingley so all I needed was a place to stay and my literary trip was finally a go.
I ended up in the YHA Haworth which was perfect for a Brontë inspired trip. The building looks like an old manor house, a near prefect Wuthering Heights complete with a grand staircase and stained glass windows. It's a little outside of town but it isn't an issue if you have a vehicle or walking shoes.
Brontë Parsonage is right in the centre of town. The entrance to the house is through the walled garden. The building itself is beautiful, just how you would imagine it to look. Photography is only allowed outside but the inside is laid out wth a mixture of replicas and original items. There's only a handful of rooms so the whole walkthrough only takes about an hour. Tickets to the house and museum are £7.50 but if you're not a die hard fan of the sisters, the gift shop is free to enter and browse. You can even have your purchases stamped with an offical Brontë Parsonage stamp.
Next to the parsonage is the church where Charlotte and Emily Brontë are buried and beyond that, a school started by the sisters. The quaint streets of Haworth village are teaming with Brontë inspired souvenir shops and tea rooms.
If you're all Brontëd out, the Keighley and Worth Valley railway is worth a visit. Genuine steam trains run back and forth on the heritage railway. The railway has been used in a number of movies and TV programmes but the most famous is the classic 1970's version of The Railway Children. Return tickets are available from £4.80.
Also worth a visit are the nearby Bingley Five Rise Locks. It's remarkable feat of engineering even when not in use but I bet it's even more impressive in use. I had thought that a sunny weekend afternoon would be prime barge time but the entire hour we were there not a single boat went through the locks. It was a shame but there's always next time.
I can't believe it took me so long to visit Brontë Country but I am so glad I finally did. Sometimes as travellers we head off to far flung destinations but forget to explore our own backyard. In the future I'm going to make more of an effort to live like a visitor in my hometown.
Any tips on becoming a tourist in your own backyard?
