Motorhome Hire in Barnsley

Barnsley sits in the heart of what was once the South Yorkshire coalfield, and its story is one of resilience, community, and reinvention. The mines have closed, but the spirit that built them endures in the town's warm welcome, its proud market traditions, and its growing cultural confidence. At approximately 20 minutes from our Pontefract depot along the M1, Barnsley is one of the closest towns we serve — and it offers motorhome travellers a surprisingly rich base from which to explore.

The town centre has been transformed in recent years, with the Glass Works development bringing new shops, restaurants, and public spaces to the heart of Barnsley. But the real draw remains the outdoor market, which has been trading since 1249 and is one of the largest in the north of England. Held three days a week, the market fills the streets with stalls selling everything from locally grown vegetables and fresh fish to fabrics, household goods, and hot food. The atmosphere is lively, unpretentious, and entirely authentic.

Elsecar Heritage Centre, a few miles south of Barnsley, is one of the most interesting industrial heritage sites in Yorkshire. Built around the former Elsecar Colliery and ironworks, which were owned by the Earls Fitzwilliam, the centre now houses antiques dealers, craft workshops, a working steam railway, and the Newcomen Beam Engine — the only Newcomen engine still in its original location. The centre hosts regular events, including vintage fairs and craft markets, and the canal towpath running past it makes for a pleasant walk.

Cannon Hall, a Georgian country house set in 70 acres of parkland and gardens west of Barnsley, is home to the Regimental Museum of the 13th/18th Royal Hussars and also hosts art exhibitions, family events, and seasonal displays. The walled garden and grounds are beautiful year-round, and the adjoining Cannon Hall Farm is a popular family attraction with rare breed animals and tractor rides.

The countryside around Barnsley is varied and often underappreciated. The Trans Pennine Trail, one of England's coast-to-coast walking and cycling routes, passes through the borough. The Dearne Valley, running east from Barnsley toward the lowlands around Doncaster, has been extensively restored following the closure of the coal mines, and its network of nature reserves — including Old Moor RSPB reserve — now supports a remarkable range of birds and wildlife. Old Moor is particularly good for wading birds and waterfowl, with comfortable hides and viewing screens overlooking the lakes and scrapes.

To the west, the landscape rises toward the Pennines. Penistone, a small market town on Barnsley's western edge, sits on high ground overlooking the Don Valley and serves as a gateway to the moorland above. The road from Penistone over the Woodhead Pass toward Manchester crosses some of the bleakest and most beautiful terrain in the north of England — a drive that is at its most atmospheric on a misty autumn morning.

Worsbrough Mill, a working corn mill dating from the seventeenth century, sits beside a reservoir that is now a country park and local nature reserve. The mill produces flour using its original water-powered machinery, and the surrounding trails offer easy walking through woodland and waterside meadows.

From Barnsley, the M1 gives you rapid access to the wider motorway network. Head north and you reach Wakefield and Leeds. Head south and you are in Sheffield within 25 minutes, with the Peak District beyond. Head west over the Pennines and you reach Manchester and the Cheshire Plain. Collect your motorhome from our Pontefract depot — a quick 20-minute drive — and the whole of Northern England opens up.