Motorhome Hire in Halifax

Halifax is a town that has reinvented itself with remarkable flair. Once a powerhouse of the woollen trade, its steep streets and dramatic hillside setting give it a character that is wholly its own. The restoration of the Piece Hall — the last surviving cloth trading hall in the world — has transformed the town centre into one of the most exciting cultural destinations in the north. At roughly 40 minutes from our Pontefract depot, Halifax is well within reach for motorhome collection from Heath's Motorhome Hire.

The Piece Hall, completed in 1779, is an extraordinary building. Its open courtyard, surrounded by 315 rooms arranged across elegant colonnades, now houses independent shops, galleries, restaurants, and a regular programme of live events and markets. Standing in the courtyard and looking up at the tiers of stone arches, you get a genuine sense of the ambition and wealth that once flowed through this town. The Piece Hall hosts a popular outdoor cinema in summer and Christmas markets in winter, making it a year-round attraction.

Just north of the town centre, Shibden Hall is one of Yorkshire's most fascinating historic houses. Dating from 1420, it is best known as the home of Anne Lister, the remarkable diarist and landowner whose story was brought to a global audience by the BBC series Gentleman Jack. The hall is set in a beautiful park with a boating lake, miniature railway, and walking trails through the Shibden Valley.

Halifax sits at the upper end of the Calder Valley, one of the most characterful stretches of landscape in West Yorkshire. The valley runs westward from Halifax through Mytholmroyd — birthplace of Ted Hughes — and on to Hebden Bridge, a town that has become synonymous with independent spirit, creativity, and an alternative way of life. The cafes, bookshops, and galleries of Hebden Bridge are a draw in themselves, and the walking above the town, along the Pennine Way and through Hardcastle Crags, is among the finest in the county.

Wainhouse Tower, visible from miles around, is the tallest folly in the world at over 275 feet. Built in the 1870s, originally intended as a chimney for a dye works, it was finished as an elaborate observation tower. It opens to the public on occasional weekends, and the views from the top are extraordinary — stretching from the Pennine moors to the distant outline of the Peak District.

For motorhome travellers, Halifax's position in the upper Calder Valley gives you immediate access to the Pennine ridge. The A58 runs westward over Blackstone Edge toward Rochdale and Greater Manchester, crossing wild moorland with panoramic views. The M62, accessible within minutes, takes you east toward Pontefract and the M1, or west toward the Lake District and Lancashire. The A629 heads north through the Ryburn Valley toward Keighley and the Yorkshire Dales.

The Eureka! National Children's Museum, located next to the railway station, is a fantastic attraction for families. With over 400 interactive exhibits designed for children up to eleven, it makes for an enjoyable morning before collecting your motorhome and heading for the hills. Dean Clough, a former carpet mill converted into galleries, studios, and performance spaces, adds another layer to the town's thriving creative economy.

The drive from Pontefract to Halifax follows the M62 westward before dropping down into the town on the A629. As you descend, the landscape shifts from the broad plain of the Aire-Calder corridor to the tight, tree-lined valleys of the upper Calder. It is a journey that encapsulates what makes West Yorkshire such rewarding motorhome territory — the variety of landscape packed into such a compact area.