Holmfirth – guide for visiting this West Yorkshire town in 2023
Situated in the heart of the Holme Valley, Holmfirth is an excellent place to head to if you're looking for breathtaking views and lovely walks. It's well known as the location where Last of The Summer Wine was set, but there is much more to the town than that. We'll be outlining our favourite things to see and do, all updated for 2023. Let's get into the guide:
Where is Holmfirth?
What is there to do during your time in Holmfirth?
Holmfirth is a great place to visit, here are some of our favourite things for you to check out:
Last of the Summer Wine exhibition and sight-seeing
If you're a fan of the world's longest-running TV comedy 'Last of the Summer Wine', then a trip to the exhibition in Holmfirth dedicated to the tv show is an absolute must. The exhibition outlines the history of Last of the Summer Wine, and is also home to lots of memorabilia related to the tv show.
But even if you don't want to visit and pay for the exhibition, there is still plenty of chance to see locations that were featured in the show throughout Holmfirth. For example, "Sid's Cafe" appeared in many episodes but at the time it wasn't actually used as a cafe, however it now operates as an actual cafe and is a great place to grab a cup of coffee. You can also get your photo taken next to the steps where Nora Batty used to batter Compo with a broom (you could even recreate the scene if you have a willing participant). You can also head to St John's Church to see the graves of Compo and Cleggs.
Learn more about the exhibition here - summerwine-holmfirth.co.uk
Holmfirth Vineyard
If you're less interested in Last of The Summer Wine and more interested in drinking wine, then a trip to the Holmfirth Vineyard shouldn't be missed. Situated in the Holme Valley and with amazing views over the Peak District National Park, the vineyard is an excellent place to admire the beautiful surroundings while you enjoy a glass of wine. At only £10 per person, the tours are actually really reasonable given how much they include - if the weather is nice you'll get to stroll around the vineyard and learn about the different grape varieties, as well as obviously trying plenty of wine throughout the tour. There are other tours available too which include things like a 2-course lunch or afternoon tea if you feel like spending the day there. English wine is criminally underrated and we think Holmfirth Vineyard is an excellent place to fall in love with the wine we produce on these shores.
Learn more about the vineyard and book a tour here - holmfirthvineyard.com
Holme Valley Walks Holmfirth
The beauty and the unique terrain of the Holme Valley and the surrounding areas lends itself very well to a number of excellent walks and routes which can be followed. You might not get time to cover all of them, but here are a few of the most popular and best:
Digley Reservoir
You'll find two circular walks which take you around the Digley Reservoir, a shorter walk (just over 1 mile) and a longer walk (nearly 5 miles). The longer walks takes you across open moorland which is lovely.
Holme Valley riverside Way
Starting in Magdale, this 6-mile route is pretty long but very flat and takes you through villages such as Holmfirth and Honley.
Holme Valley Circular Walk
This is a very long circular route (24 miles) which can be started in any location along the way, but is typically started at Berry Brow. If you want to see Castle Hill then this is a great route to follow.
Holme Moss View Point
At 525m above sea level, this route is a steep climb but once you're at the top the views across the valley are spectacular.
There are more than 25 other Holmfirth walks, so plenty to explore.
Ashley Jackson Gallery
If you're into art, particularly watercolours, then a visit to the Ashley Jackson Gallery is a great little trip to take. The simple paintings of rolling hills and rocks isn't everyone's cup of tea (trust us, read some of the Tripadvisor reviews), but we think a visit to the gallery is a great way to see some art inspired by the local beauty. Ashley Jackson is known around the world for his art, and he is even known to be there at the gallery occasionally where he'll happily chat to punters. Overall, we're a fan of this gallery and think it's worth visiting. Learn more here - ashley-jackson.co.uk
Black Hill
If you enjoy walking and amazing views, then it doesn't get much better than a trip up Black Hill.
As the highest hill in West Yorkshire, it is by no means a straightforward walk up the hill, however, it is quite flat at points. There are a few routes you can follow but the most popular route is probably the circular walk which starts at Greenfield Road in Holmfirth. A few things to be aware of before setting off on this walk - be prepared! This is not easy and will require a good level of fitness as well as some decent footwear and supplies. You'll walk through Wessenden Head Moor which is unmarked and will require a bit of navigating. But if you're prepared we absolutely think it is worth exploring Black Hill.
A lovely view of Holmfirth from this walk.
Folly Dolly Falls
Ok, we're putting this towards the end of the guide because this is absolutely a hidden gem and locals wouldn't be too happy if we put it near the top! It is one of the very best walks in Holmfirth.
To the north of Meltham Greenway you'll find this waterfall in a wooded area which includes a circular walk that shouldn't take much more than 1 hour to complete. It isn't very well signed so our advice would be to keep an eye out for people walking along here and ask anyone who seems like a local.
This waterfall is like something out of a fairy tale and is a very relaxing area to visit, plus the rocks which formed the waterfall are estimated to be more than 300 million years old.
Things to be aware of before visiting Holmfirth
Like we mentioned previously, Holmfirth is best known as the location of Last of The Summer Wine and you'll probably find plenty of people taking photos of locations throughout the town. If this sounds annoying to you then definitely skip Holmfirth!
If you enjoyed this guide, check out our other guides about places in and around Yorkshire including the Yorkshire 3 Peaks, the Yorkshire Dales National Park, and the North York Moors. We also have a guide about underrated Yorkshire towns and villages here.
Finn H
Finn is the editor of You Well and has been writing about travel, health, and more for over 10 years.