Beatles, Brontë and indulgent shopping
Three days in Liverpool, Leeds, and Yorkshire’s heritage sites
Three Day English Experience
Day 1
Arriving in Liverpool by rail from Manchester Airport will take 1 hour and
30 minutes or from London by rail, 2 hours and 15 minutes to 3 hours and
20 minutes depending on the rail service.
Liverpool is officially the World Capital of Pop and in 2008 European
Capital of Culture. It is also one of the friendliest cities in England.
Start your day on a coach tour of Liverpool or a Beatles Magical Mystery
Tour exploring the many hallowed Fab Four sites in and around the city
including the bright-red Strawberry Fields gates in the charming Woolton
Village where John Lennon grew up. Die-hard Beatles fans can go one step
further by booking a National Trust tour of John Lennon’s childhood home,
Mendips, along with Paul McCartney’s childhood home in nearby Allerton.
Tours are restricted to 15 people at a time so you’ll need to book in
advance to avoid disappointment.
Stop for lunch at one of Hope Street’s renowned restaurants before
spending the afternoon exploring Albert Dock, home to the largest group
of Grade I listed buildings in Britain.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the docks are full of fascinating attractions
including the free-entry Merseyside Maritime Museum, where you can
discover the untold story of the Titanic. In the same building is the
International Slavery Museum, the only national museum in the world
dedicated to the history of the transatlantic slave trade.
Culture vultures will enjoy a wander through the Tate Liverpool which has
a permanent collection featuring Picasso and Matisse. Head to the
Museum of Liverpool to explore how the port, its people, and their
cultural and sporting significance have shaped the city’s story.
Cameras at the ready for the magnificent Three Graces buildings at nearby
Pier Head which include the Royal Liver Building crowned with mythical
Liver Birds, the Cunard Building and the Port of Liverpool Building – each
Grade I or II listed and part of the UNESCO World Heritage site.
Away from the water, make some time for the Walker Art Gallery which
houses one of Europe's finest collections of paintings, drawings, sculpture
and decorative art from the 13th century to the present day. A few doors
down, you’ll find the Grade I listed St George’s Hall – widely regarded as
one of the finest neo-classical buildings in the world. Or for a spot of retail
therapy, stop by Liverpool ONE, a huge open-air shopping and leisure
district in the heart of the city.
In the evening, take your seat at the Echo Arena for a live concert, head to
the world-famous Cavern Club to twist and shout or pull up a pew and
make friends with the locals in one of many traditional pubs or trendy
cocktail bars.
Did you know? Liverpool’s waterfront is a designated UNESCO World
Heritage Site, putting it on a par with the Taj Mahal and the Great Wall of
China.
Day 2
Depart Liverpool and travel east towards Manchester/ Leeds (M62) to
Junction 24 - follow the signs for Halifax and through Hebden Bridge, a
pretty canal town nestled in the Yorkshire Pennines. Alternatively, travel
directly to the charming town of Haworth on the A629 north from
Junction 24, towards Keighley. The journey directly to Haworth from
Liverpool takes 2 hours by road.
A wander through Haworth’s cobbled streets lined with quaint shops and
tea rooms is like taking a step back in time. It’s where the Brontë sisters
lived with their brother in the Parsonage – now a visitor attraction known
as the Brontë Parsonage. Emily Brontë’s gothic masterpiece Wuthering
Heights was inspired by the dramatic moorlands behind the Parsonage.
Next, head towards Shipley, (the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway runs
along the route – eg Oxenhope, Haworth to Keighley) east of Haworth, via
Keighley to Shipley (A629/A650) and to the World Heritage Site of Saltaire.
During the 19th century Bradford became ‘Wool Capital of the World’ - a
boomtown of the Industrial Revolution led by Sir Titus Salt. This forwardthinking industrialist and philanthropist founded Saltaire in 1853 - a vast
textile mill and village that provided self-contained living space for
workers, a welcome alternative to the then ‘dark satanic mills’ of other
West Yorkshire cities at the time.
More recently Salt's Mill has been converted into a modern complex
complete with shops, restaurants and the 1853 Gallery which houses a
collection of the works of the famous artist, David Hockney, who was born
in nearby Bradford.
Travel on to Leeds (half an hour depending on traffic).
Enjoy a cocktail at one of Leeds’ rooftop bars, grab dinner at the trendy
Trinity Kitchen or The Cross Keys - an award-winning gastropub, and then
catch a play at the Leeds Grand Theatre.
Day 3
Start the day browsing opulent offerings from the likes of Mulberry, Paul
Smith and Vivienne Westwood in the ornate Victoria Quarter. For
something less harsh on the bank balance, pop into The Corn Exchange to
shop for independent goods under a vast, grade-I listed dome.
Follow that with a visit to the Royal Armouries. One of the largest
collections of historic arms and armour in the world, it’s comprised of the
National Collection of Arms and Armour, the National Artillery Collection,
and the National Firearms Collection. It’s also the Keeper of the Tower of
London history. In the reign of Elizabeth I, selected items began to be
arranged for display to visitors, making the Royal Armouries heir to one of
the oldest curated visitor attractions in the country.
Next, travel on the M1 South to Wakefield (25 minutes) to visit The
Hepworth Wakefield - one of the finest contemporary art museums in
Europe. Wakefield’s collection of modern British art features some of the
most significant British sculptors of the 20th Century including
Barbara Hepworth who was born in Wakefield, and who the museum is
named after, and Henry Moore, born in nearby Castleford.
Just 20 minutes south (A636/M1 Junction 38/A637 towards
Huddersfield), is the Yorkshire Sculpture Park – an international centre for
modern and contemporary art, experienced and enjoyed by thousands of
visitors every year.
Explore open-air displays by some of the world’s finest artists including
Henry Moore, enjoy fascinating exhibitions throughout four stunning
galleries and be inspired by the beauty of an historic estate.
The centre is free to enter but be aware there are parking charges.
Travel to Manchester/Manchester Airport via M1 north/M62 west
Overnight Manchester/Manchester Airport