Motorhome Hire in Wakefield

Wakefield is the closest city to our Pontefract base — just 15 minutes down the road — making it the most convenient starting point for any motorhome adventure with Heath's Motorhome Hire. But convenience aside, Wakefield is a city that punches well above its weight when it comes to culture, history, and access to the Yorkshire countryside.

The Hepworth Wakefield, designed by David Chipperfield and opened in 2011, is one of the largest purpose-built galleries in the country. Named after Barbara Hepworth, who was born in Wakefield in 1903, it houses an outstanding collection of modern and contemporary art alongside a rolling programme of major exhibitions. The gallery sits on the banks of the River Calder, and its angular concrete form has become an architectural landmark in its own right.

Just a few miles south of the city centre, the Yorkshire Sculpture Park occupies 500 acres of the Bretton Estate and is the first sculpture park of its kind in the United Kingdom. Works by Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Andy Goldsworthy, and Ai Weiwei are set across rolling parkland, open-air galleries, and indoor exhibition spaces. It is completely free to enter the grounds, making it one of the best value cultural attractions in the north.

Wakefield's history runs deep. The Cathedral, dating from the fourteenth century, features some of the finest medieval roof carvings in England. The Chantry Chapel on Wakefield Bridge is one of only four surviving bridge chapels in the country. Sandal Castle, where Richard of York was killed during the Wars of the Roses at the Battle of Wakefield in 1460, offers panoramic views across the Calder Valley from its hilltop ruins.

For motorhome travellers, Wakefield's location is superb. The M1 and M62 meet just to the east of the city at the Lofthouse Interchange, giving you direct access to virtually anywhere in England. Head north on the M1 and you reach Leeds in 20 minutes, Harrogate in 45 minutes, and the Yorkshire Dales in under an hour. Head south and you reach Sheffield in 40 minutes, Nottingham in 90 minutes, and the Peak District in little over an hour.

The countryside around Wakefield itself is often overlooked but well worth exploring. Newmillerdam Country Park, just south of the city, offers lakeside walks through ancient woodland. Pugneys Country Park provides a large lake popular for watersports and a pleasant circular walk. The Calder Valley stretches westward through Horbury and Dewsbury toward the Pennine hills, with plenty of walking trails and country pubs along the way.

Nostell Priory, a National Trust property east of Wakefield, is one of Yorkshire's finest stately homes. Built in the eighteenth century, it features an Adam interior and sits in 300 acres of parkland. Further afield, the National Coal Mining Museum near Overton tells the story of the region's mining heritage, with underground tours led by former miners.

Being so close to Pontefract, you can be at our depot within minutes of leaving Wakefield. Collect your motorhome, stock up at the local supermarket, and you could be heading through the Dales before lunchtime. For ease, speed, and flexibility, Wakefield is hard to beat as a base for motorhome hire.