Leeds / Yorkshire

[ImInStealthMode]

This feels like a stupid question as I'm from Yorkshire, but left nearly 20 years ago when I was still a teen.

Now we can travel domestically again I'm taking my DP for a few days in the Leeds area next month and then hopefully again later in the year. He's not British and has never been anywhere up North, so I'd like to impress him!

Any ideas for nice days out or just fun / quirky / different things to do? Where we live now is quite rural and a bit sheltered so keen to take advantage of the 'big city' too! Any great bars or restaurants we should make note of?

We won't have a car, don't mind the train up to about an hour each way from Leeds, haven't got thousands to spend but can splash out a bit within reason. Day trips ideally as we'll have family commitments in the evenings to fit around too, but on the next trip up we could maybe manage an overnight stay somewhere other than the city.

Thanks in advance x

Take an early train from Leeds to York (about half an hour). Walk the walls of the City and browse the shops in the Shambles. There is also the Jorvik Viking Village if you’re interested in history or you can take a boat trip along the Ouse.
Take the train to Keighley (25 minutes). Then hop on the Keighley Worth Valley Railway steam train to Haworth. It’s full of little independent shops (including amazing chocolates!), art galleries and places to eat. There’s also the Bronte Parsonage Museum.
The train to Ilkley is pretty quick. You could go for a walk on the Ilkley Moor and find the Cow and Calf rock formation. There’s also a branch of Bettys Tea Rooms in Ilkley.
Saltaire is a UNESCO site. Entrance is free and it’s got a big collection of works by David Hockney. It also has lots of independent shops, restaurants and cafes.

You've got to go to Betty's in Harrogate. There's also great restaurants cafes and bars in Harrogate. The charity shops are fantastic too ☺️

Further in from @Fivemoreminutes1, Harrogate is a quick journey by bus or train from Leeds. Also has a Betty's, load of lovely bars and restaurants....try the Fat Badger. Can have a drink and eat there but also eat next door at William and Vics (book ahead). Walk the Valley Gardens but there is also Harlow Car Gardens up the road. There is also the Turkish Baths when they reopen

Thank you! York was top of my list already, DP is Scandi so would be almost rude not to take him to Jorvik I have fond memories of school trips there.

Lots of great ideas to add to the list, keep them coming!

Kirkstall Abbey and Roundhay Park both on bus routes.
When open Abbey House museum (near the Abbey) and Tropical world (near the park).
Harewood House (I think the bus to Harrogate goes right past it??)
Yorkshire Sculpture Park (not sure about public transport, maybe train to Barnsley then bus???).

Hepwoth gallery in Wakefield (when open)

I have nothing to offer OP but my DD and her DP are moving to Leeds soon so I am hoping I will find some good places to visit when we go to stay with them.

Train to Hebden Bridge, then walk around Heptonstall and Hardcastle Craggs.

If your DH is Scandi I'd go for Baltzersen's rather than Betty's in Harrogate. Not so old fashioned and less of a queue!

Saltaire is great for art at Salts Mill plus if you got the train there you could then walk along the canal to Bingley to see the Five Rise Locks before getting the train back.

Another vote for Saltaire the UNESCO world heritage village. Built by Victorian mill owner Titus Salt to house his workers away from the centre of Bradford (where mill workers conditions were grim and overcrowded). He built a mill, houses, a hospital, school, workers dining room, communal bath house, a park, church etc etc.

The whole village is really well preserved and since becoming a UNESCO world heritage site has become even better so you get a really authentic idea of what it would have been like. The Mill has shops inside, an art gallery, cafe and exhibition of the Mill's history. Also has a huge David Hockney exhibition (he's from Bradford)

You can get the train from Leeds, it's 17 minutes. Could easily fill a day with visiting the Mill and then walking along the canal and back along the river (flat, easy circular walk). Titus Salt made his money when he bought some Alpaca wool in Liverpool and brought it to the Mill on the Leeds/Liverpool canal. At the time no one wanted alpaca wool so it was very cheap and then his mill workers turned it into a really sought after material and it became all the rage! He was renowned for this and equally his philanthropy and the way he cared about his workers.

You can also take the Shipley Glen tram up to Shipley Glen - a few minutes ride up a huge hill and then you can walk onto the Glen which is breathtaking. There's a pub at the top - the Old Glen House - which does great food and had heated outdoor seating. Then you can either get the tram back or walk down the Glen, it's steep but a good path and takes about 20 mins.

So much to do and see round here, you'd have a lovely time!

A lot of the independent shops in the village are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays at the moment but when things are more open I think Monday is the only day to avoid as a lot is closed. Up on the High St a few minutes walk there are more cafes, coffee shops and independent gift shops.

When you get the train back you could hop off at the new stop at Kirkstall Abbey to see the ruins and then on to their high street for loads more browsing in indie bars/cafes and some of the best charity shops ever!

I would also like to suggest that as the OP is going to Leeds that she spends some time in Leeds itself as there is a lot to see and do.

The Corn Exchange, Leeds market and the beautiful Victorian arcades are worth a visit. The Thackray Musuem of Medicine is fascinating. Then there is Leeds Art Gallery, The Royal Armouries, Temple Newsam, Leeds Industrial Museum as well as Roundhay Park and Kirkstall Abbey as mentioned upthread.

Oh my gosh thank you SO much!! Brilliant ideas. Lots of reminders of day trips when I was small, good to know to that they're still worth visiting so many years later.

Keighley & Haworth definitely on the list but it seems they're only doing round trips on the steam train just now so that might have to wait until August.

Saltaire is now on the list too, I vaguely remember my Grandad telling me the whole Titus Salt story while my Gran scoured the mill shops that bored me then but will thrill me now!

DP has been browsing himself and already flagged Kirkstall Abbey and the Corn Exchange (he's obsessed with the latter, it'll be our first port of call!).

Thank you again