Saturday 25 May 2013

Holmfirth

We've spent today in Holmfirth. It's somewhere I've wanted to visit for two reasons, firstly because I wanted to have a look in Up Country, a yarn shop which stocks Rowan and Debbie Bliss, and secondly because it's somewhere I've never been before.


Daniel and Eleanor didn't want to come with us, it's getting more and more usual for them to stay at home when we have our days out now. At eighteen and nearly fifteen, they've got their own agendas, so off we toddled on our own.


Our first port of call was Up Country. To say it was a disappointment would be an understatement. I had hoped that as a stockist of Rowan and Debbie Bliss, I'd be able to see a good selection of colours in each of the ranges but most of the yarn was in bags, and there didn't seem to be many colours to choose from.


Holmfirth itself is geared towards tourists. It was the setting for BBC's Last Of The Summer Wine, and has an exhibition dedicated to the show, though we didn't visit it. I've never actually seen the programme, though it's one of my dad's favourite shows and he even watches the repeats when they're shown. We saw the Holmfirth Tour Bus, but as we've never watched Last Of The Summer Wine we didn't bother looking out for the sights from the show.


We did stumble upon Sid's Cafe, and a few other tea rooms which were cashing in on aspects of the show.


Holmfirth itself is very hilly. I've been suffering a bit with my back and it didn't do it any favours. I found I had to have a rest on a bench part way through the day, a sign of me getting old no doubt.


There's some lovely little cobbled areas with lots of shops, and more tea rooms, tucked away behind the main streets.


It's nice to be able to say I've been, but it's not somewhere I'll be in a rush to go back to, although it was a pleasant enough day and at least the sun was shining.

16 comments:

  1. Hi, if you watch a few episodes of Summer Wine on Youtube, you might get a taste for it. I love Holmfirth, the bus tour is great, the driver is a bit of a character, lots of humour in it. For me the magic of it is to find the places where they filmed.

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    1. I can imagine it's a great place to visit if you've seen the programme. I'm sure my dad would have been interested in all the sites from where they filmed. There were lots of references from the show all over the village with shops named after certain characters, and there were loads of tea rooms.

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  2. Beautiful photos, lovely blue sky.

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    1. It was a beautiful day, the sky was so blue and we were out in just t-shirts which made a change.

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  3. I like Holmfirth Jo but have to say we dont go often. There is a lovely old cinema/theatre/music venue called the Picturedome and its very popular. They have some brilliant acts on.I also love the shops, I can browse for hours.

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    1. There were some lovely gift shops which stocked lots of things I haven't come across before. It's a great place for browsing. I didn't know about the Picturedome.

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  4. We went to Holmfirth in 1991 when I visited UK for the first time, but don't remember much as we drove around a little and then carried on elsewhere. It was March and very cold and wet.
    We all have places we love and others just don't have the same zing. I think you are doing better with your camera than me so far. Pity the yarn shop was a disappointment. Enjoy the rest of the weekend. (You aren't old yet).

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    1. I was surprised how warm it was yesterday, such a lovely day. I don't really know what I was expecting from Holmfirth, it just didn't really do it for me, which is a shame.

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  5. I've never been, but it does look beautiful on your sunny photographs. My Dad loved the programme too. Disappointing about the wool shop :(

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    1. It is a picturesque place, very hilly though. Last Of The Summer Wine is one of my dad's favourite programmes, he laughs and laughs at it.

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  6. That's a shame about the yarn shop being so disappointing.
    I've been a couple of times, once before Summer Wine, and it was noticeable the second time how it had 'geared up' to cater for the tourist trade.
    A nice place but I'm sure you'll agree there are more enjoyable places worth visiting. Flighty xx

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    1. I went in the yarn shop twice just in case I'd missed something the first time, so disappointing. I've only heard good things about it so I don't know if it's just me. I think Last Of The Summer Wine will have done a lot to improve Holmfirth, it certainly brings the tourists in. It just didn't click with me somehow.

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  7. What a shame about the wool shop, hope you manage to find what you're looking for elsewhere. Maybe a good reason to have another day out soon!
    Holmfirth does look very pretty, LOTSW isn't a programme I've ever seen before really either but everyone knows about Nora Batty and her stockings!
    Lisa x

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    1. I'll definitely be planning another trip somewhere with a yarn shop, preferably one which stocks both Rowan and Debbie Bliss. I think everyone knows about Nora Batty's stockings whether they've seen the show or not. Holmfirth is really pretty but the hills aren't for people with bad backs.

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  8. We had to visit here with Jon's business - a pleasant little town with amazing surrounding countryside.

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    1. The countryside around Holmfirth is gorgeous. I think we should have spent less time in the town centre and more time exploring the outer area.

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