Neighbourhood know-how, places and people about the popular West Yorkshire village.
Explore
Many villages are dotted around this part of the West Riding, but none is more celebrated than Hebden Bridge. Named on National Geographic’s ‘Cool List’ and awarded ‘Best Small Market Town’ at the Great British High Street Awards, the area is now a haven for writers and creatives who’ve added a vibe that is certainly different to other areas. The ‘quirky, hippy’ label has definitely disappeared and today’s Hebden Bridge is one of those places you can spent a day properly mooching about, chatting with genuine friendly people who run stores, galleries, cafes and canals.
Ed Sheeran spent his early childhood here and comedians Jon Richardson and wife Lucy Beaumont have made their home nearby.
It’s brilliant to arrive by train (about an hour from Leeds) - not least because parking can be tricksy. The Victorian station is lovely – thanks to The Friends of Hebden Bridge Station who strive to keep the station, gardens and entrance tidy and spruced.
Hop off the platform and you can make your way to the town centre via a canal path - which brings you to the iconic image of one of the town’s former mills peeping beyond a bridge and gives you taste of calming canal boat life.
Pass the iconic Trades Club music venue and mosey up to the centre of this thriving and so-friendly town. In the centre you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to cafes and pubs. All do a roaring trade keeping hungry and thirsty visitors refreshed. One recent addition has been The People’s Pizzeria, started by locals Ian and Jimmy who used to organise food at festivals. When the pandemic came, the festivals disappeared so they decided to change tack. The roaring pizza oven and local ingredients have been a definite hit. There are plenty of specialist food shops too, including the very classy Goo Cheese where you can feast on a cheese tasting plate and wine as you watch the world go by. Try a bowl of tasty soup at Mooch, craft beer at Vocation or a G&T at The Albert.
Bustling Market Street is worth a stroll. The Heart art gallery is a beautiful space dedicated to up-and-coming local artists and designers – really cool stuff showcasing the creativity which Hebden is all about. Element jewellers has lovely pieces and is close to The Afghan Rug Shop, a lovely independent book store and the great (and witty) footwear store, Rubyshoesday. If you love well-chosen womenswear, Dragonfly Boutique is a must-visit. Great cool Scandi-sh and eco brands chosen by lovely owner Joanne Gas who is living her dream after a career in teaching and hairdressing.
Heading out of town, the National Trust’s Hardcastle Craggs is a stone’s throw away; and Hebden Bridge River Cruises offer a more tranquil form of transport through the Calder Valley. If walking is your thing, Hebden Bridge is ideal for The Pennine Way, a trip to Heptonstall, a climb up by Widdop reservoir, or for the more energetic, the bracing ascent to Stoodley Pike is always good to clear the cobwebs away.
Bag a Property
From whichever direction you arrive in Hebden Bridge, you drop down into the town and it opens up around you. If you want to be in the heart of the action, there are some lovely places that are in high demand for someone wanting to settle here. From the centre there is a myriad of buildings all built on top of one another and looking down on you. Tiny streets, cottages and apartments nestle within walking distance but within a short distance, you’re out in the countryside where you can find solid and spacious family homes and stunning countryside views.
According to Rightmove, properties in Hebden Bridge had an overall average price of £209,689 over the last year. The majority of sales in Hebden Bridge during the last year were terraces, selling for an average price of £195,648. Flats sold for an average of £193,679, with semis fetching £218,596.
The nearest big supermarket is a couple of miles down the road in Todmorden but there are plenty of independent shops, butchers and plentiful organic veg and health food stores – plus a thriving market on Thursday.
Education is well catered for with many primary schools in the town and secondary schools not too far away. Although to some city dwellers Hebden Bridge may seem remote, it has excellent rail links to Manchester, Halifax and beyond. You could also make a life on a canal boat...
Town People
Boom Radio presenter Derek Webster has lived in Hebden Bridge for ten years after moving over from Lancashire. ‘It’s an interesting place to walk around and there is always something new to spot and see. I walk everywhere; down by the canal, into town, for a coffee or maybe to West Yorkshire’s first Co-operative pub, The Fox & Goose. One of the best things about Hebden Bridge is The Picture House. It’s an independent, good old-fashioned cinema and the theatre always has something on worth seeing, and being a music fan a night at The Trades Club is definitely worth checking out.
Within ten minutes, you can be in the middle of nowhere in the countryside. A walk up to Stoodley Pike or Heptonstall clears the mind.I feel Hebden Bridge is now a tourist destination with some brilliant offerings. It does make a lot of money from people coming into town by train, eating and drinking in the many cafes, restaurants and then shopping.
