Exploring Brontëbus

Discover steam trains, stunning moors and picturesque Hebden Bridge on this dramatic journey across the wild Pennine moors

Your BrontëBus B3 journey begins in the heart of Keighley, a bustling Airedale town with good shopping and leisure facilities. We head south from the town and soon pass the Ingrow Museum of Rail Travel, with its collection of beautifully maintained railway carriages, and adjacent Locomotive Museum and Workshop, with two steam locomotives and railway memorabilia to see.

We continue along the Worth Valley – keep your eyes peeled on the right for steam trains as we approach Haworth and the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. The five-mile (8 km) route runs alongside our BrontëBus from Keighley through Haworth to Oxenhope, and hosts events throughout the year including Steam Galas and in October, a popular Beer and Music Festival. Enjoy 20% off travel on the railway with a Transdev Treats voucher from your Brontëbus driver.

Haworth needs no introduction to literary fans the world over, as the home of Charlotte, Emily, Anne and Branwell Brontë, who lived at Haworth Parsonage, now the Brontë Parsonage Museum. Wander up and down the famous cobbled main street and enjoy shopping and dining in the many gift stores and cafes.

Back on our BrontëBus, we squeeze into the tightly packed lanes between the stone cottages of Oxenhope, southern terminus of the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, and begin our steep climb onto Oxenhope Moor. This is classic Yorkshire walking country, with Wadsworth Moor to our right and the Pennine Way long-distance footpath beyond. Hop off at the Waggon and Horses Inn on your left and drink in the scenery – or simply sit back and enjoy spectacular views in all directions as your BrontëBus reaches the summit – look out for the historic Boundary Stones on your right.

Time to begin the descent into Calderdale – hop off your BrontëBus at Crimsworth to enjoy a wonderful walk through Crimsworth Dean, one of the area’s distinctive wooded valleys, often referred to as ‘cloughs’. Our journey drops down Cock Hill into the stone village of Pecket Well, with its main landmark, the former Pecket Well Mill built from 1840, whose distinctive chimney can be seen on your left as we travel into the village. Weaving continued here until 1998 and the building is now housing.

In a few minutes we reach journey’s end in Hebden Bridge, an ideal centre for exploring the south Pennines. Its narrow streets and unique two-tier terraced housing, built to fit into the steep valley sides. provide the backdrop for a fascinating day out in this picturesque old textile mill town. Hebden Bridge has in recent years become famous for its creative community of artists and musicians, and offers artisan cafes, gift and book shops to discover. Enjoy peaceful waterside walks along the Rochdale Canal, and just outside the town, Hardcastle Crags with 15 miles of scenic walks plus the National Trust-run Gibson Mill, with its displays revealing the real-life stories behind the area’s amazing scenery.

#TransdevTreats

Many popular attractions offer money off admission fee or your bill with your bus ticket as part of our #TransdevTreats programme. Check here for our up-to-date list of our partners. Ask your driver to print you a Transdev Treats voucher and just show them at the destination to get your discount.