In just an hour’s drive from Manchester, you can come across an extraordinary village with a diverse landscape of peaks, canals, valleys, and reservoirs. Located halfway between Manchester and Leeds, Marsden, in West Yorkshire, is nestled in the Colne Valley on the doorstep of a National Trust estate.
Its unique beauty has caught the attention of TV and film producers over the years. With its idyllic stone cottages and historic mills, the area is best known for ITV's Where the Heart Is series, filmed mainly in Marsden and neighbouring Slaithwaite, and the BBC's iconic Last of the Summer Wine comedy.
Fans of Last Tango in Halifax can stock up at the supermarket where Gillian, played by Nicola Walker, works - the Co-op in the centre of Marsden. In contrast to the pretty village centre, the surrounding, brooding moorland has played the backdrop to ITV period crime drama Jericho, the BBC Three zombie drama In the Flesh, and the dark fantasy blockbuster A Monster Calls - which stars Liam Neeson.
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Marsden has not only starred in great TV but has inspired other artists for centuries. If you follow the Stanza Stones trail to The Snow Stone, Pule Hill, you will be able to read stones carved with poetry by local playwright and poet Simon Armitage. You can also spot 15 sculptures between Milnsbridge and Marsden on the River Colne Sculpture Trail.
If the works of Liam Neeson and Simon Armitage aren’t enough of a draw, being home to the longest, highest and deepest canal tunnel in Great Britain also puts Marsden on the map. After standing derelict for 50 years, the 5.2 kilometers Standedge Tunnel is now one of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways.
It’s a good day out for families - with underground boat tours available - while Watersedge Cafe provides an ideal pitstop, offering freshly prepared locally sourced food and cakes. There is also a visitors centre, a wildlife garden and play area nearby.
The village is steeped in history, once known for woollen cloth production from the striking Bank Bottom Mill, and a sense of community remains at its heart. Contemporary arts and crafts sit alongside kooky events and village shops including the community-owned greengrocer.
Now a haven for craft beer, fans can try out the Riverhead Brewery Tap, The Sair Inn, Golcar Lily or Rose and Crown, to name a few. The village puts on an eclectic programme of events, including the Marsden Jazz Festival and a few traditional celebrations that date back hundreds of years.
Marsden Imbolc Fire Festival takes place on the 1st Saturday in February, following weeks of workshops. It is a festival based around the Celtic ‘Imbolc’, "marking the time when the earth begins to wake up after its winter sleep." The festival was started by Kirklees Countryside Volunteers about 20 years ago, primarily for the people of Marsden to come together at a quiet time of the year and to explore the environment around them.
The annual Marsden Cuckoo Day, which takes place in April, welcomes the return of the cuckoo to Marsden with artistic workshops, an all-day craft fair, a village procession, maypole and Morris dancing. In days gone by, it's believed the people of the village built a huge wall to try to prolong the cuckoo's visit.
How to get there
Marsden Moor has 5,000 acres of moorland to explore, making it the perfect place to get away from it all. There is a train station in Marsden village which provides great access. To access the northern section, including Haigh Gutter (Pennine Way) and Buckstones Car Park, take the A640. For the central area, including Pule Hill and Marsden village, take the A62. To access the Southern section, including Wessenden Head and the Wessenden Valley, take the A635.
There is a large car park at the Old Good's Yard (Postcode: HD76DH.) All parking is free.
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