A Weekend in Yorkshire: Wild Hills, Waterfalls & Woven Histories
- wanderingcraftretr
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
We slipped away for a short summer holiday down to Yorkshire—a pocket of England rich with wild beauty, literary ghosts, and a deep, textured history you can almost reach out and touch. Just a few days, but the kind that lingers.
Our journey began in Haworth, Michael's home town, where cobbled Main Street climbs steeply between crooked stone buildings, and independent shops spill out with charm and character. It’s impossible not to feel the Brontë sisters’ presence here—especially when you look up toward the moors. We wandered in and out of vintage stores and antique shops, hunting for little treasures. I was lucky enough to come across some old weaving shuttles, their wooden bodies smooth from years of use. They’ll be making their way into upcoming art projects, a quiet nod to Yorkshire’s incredible weaving heritage.
We didn’t stop there—among the shelves and dust and stories, we also unearthed a hoard of vintage tins, each one perfect for storing brushes, pigments, or becoming part of future assemblages. There’s a joy in rescuing the forgotten. Once back home, I couldn't wait to have some fun and already
turned one tin into a concertina art book.
Our boots took us up to Top Withens, thought to be the inspiration for Wuthering Heights. It sits wind-beaten and solitary in the hills, with views that open wide and wild. We paused for lunch at the top, letting the moorland wind carry our thoughts, and imagined the voices of Cathy and Heathcliff tangled in the heather.
We chased waterfalls next—Aysgarth and Hardraw, both thundering and serene. And we walked deep into the Yorkshire Dales National Park, where butterflies danced, berries ripened, and wildflowers painted the path. Summer was everywhere: soft light, the scent of grass, the hum of bees.
We stayed at a cosy pub tucked beside a waterfall, the only one with direct access to its cascade. For fans of All Creatures Great and Small, it might look familiar—it was used as the Drovers Arms in the show. Inside, old wooden beams and a welcoming fire. Outside, the water whispering sleep.
More than just a weekend away, it was a restoration. The landscape, the layers of history—from the Brontës to the weavers, from ancient sheep paths to stone-walled fields—offered a deep well of inspiration. I came home feeling full: of ideas, of stories, of quiet joy.
