Last updated on May 1st, 2012 | Written By Laura Stimpson
Things to do and see in Holmfirth
Home of Last of the Summer Wine. Holmfirth. Photo attribution: Philip Talmage.
Holmfirth is one of my favourite places to visit in Yorkshire. A quaint town, surrounded by the beautiful landscape of the Pennines, it’s no wonder it was used as the backdrop of a TV series. Of course I’m talking about Last of the Summer Wine, the long running TV series that put Holmfirth on the map. But there’s more to this charming town than blue rinses and wrinkled stockings.
The Wrinkled Stocking
I said, there’s more to Holmfirth than wrinkled stockings, but I have to admit, the Wrinkled Stocking Tea Room is a charming place to stop of for a cuppa or preferably a traditional afternoon tea. Situated next to Nora Batty’s house, yes, you too can pose on the famous steps to the back of the tea room. Your food and drinks will be served on special Wrinkled Stocking hand painted plates and tea set complete with a cartoon style picture of Nora Batty. Their home made scones and cakes are truly delicious.
Sid’s café
Yes, it’s the one from the show, Sid’s café is worth a visit just because it feels like somewhere you should visit, and you can pose with Compo himself, of course not the real compo, but a statue of him outside. As you first enter the café, you get an eerie feeling that you’ve been here before, that was of course the charm of the Sunday night show.
It may not look like the most glamorous café in Holmfirth (there are lots of pretty looking ones), but that’s because it’s in keeping with the programme. You certainly won’t be disappointed by the quality of food and drinks on offer here, you can see why Compo kept going back!
Holmfirth is a great place to shop, whether you’re looking for presents or just something a little different, these are three of my favourites:
The Gift Horse
As the saying goes, ‘Don’t look a Gift Horse in the mouth’, but you really should take the time to look in this Gift Horse. This is a beautiful shop, selling a great selection of cards, jewellery, homewares, posh toiletries and unusual gifts, take the time to look around and you’ll be sure to come out with some presents for your loved ones, or more likely, for yourself!
Hebe home
Hebe home is just around the corner from Compo’s café, and is worth the short walk. Hebe home sells lots of interesting items for the home, and if you like cute kitchen gadgets you are in for a real treat! They offer a wide range of homewares, kitchenwares, cards and gifts, so it’s another lovely little shop to visit.
Fair traders Cooperative
The Fair Traders Cooperative always offers a warm welcome. The shop is spread over three floors, and has some fantastic ethically sourced products. The products range from bags to books, beer to boxes! It really is worth a look in this deceptive shop.
Markets
Holmfirth Markets are always worth a visit, with a General Market on Thursday’s, Craft and Food Market on a Saturday and a farmers market on the third Sunday of the month. At the general market you can pick up fruit and veg, meats, cheeses and plants.
The craft market is charming, with a number of different handmade crafts available including cards, jewellery, pictures and toiletries. The farmers market is one of the oldest in the country where you can pick up some great quality local produce.
Picturedrome
The Picturdrome is Holmfirth’s entertainment centre – a cinema and concert venue. It’s a relatively small venue but there’s something on nearly every night, and some great names have played here in the past, as well as some pretty specialist performers on stage today, it even hosts a festival of funk! So if it’s definitely worth checking out what’s on if you’re planning to visit Holmfirth.
Summer Wine Exhibition
If you’re going to Holmfirth because you love Last of the Summer Wine, of course there’s a small museum dedicated to the show, the Summer Wine Exhibition. It’s situated in Compo’s house just next to the Wrinkled Stocking Tea Room. There’s a TV screen where you are instantly reminded of the programme and can view some amusing outtakes from the show.
There are a number of photographs and show memorabilia. It’s not the biggest museum in the World, but definitely worth a look if you’re a fan of the show. You can even take home a souvenir from the museums gift shop!
If all that isn’t enough for you, Holmfirth is only 4 miles away from the Peak District National Park where you can go on beautiful walks, cycle or camp in the stunning countryside.
Map of Holmfirth
Browse the map and click on the pins to find the location of the places featured in this guide.
