Beyond Bradford and the Brontës
The Bradford Pennine Gateway Trail, launching this weekend, aims to ‘change perceptions of Bradford’ by taking in the moors and the area’s new national nature reserve
TL;DR
- The Bradford Pennine Gateway Trail is a new 18-mile route connecting Ilkley, Saltaire, and Haworth.
- The trail runs through the newly established Bradford Pennine Gateway national nature reserve, the first of its kind in West Yorkshire.
- The route covers diverse landscapes including Rombalds Moor, Baildon Moor, and Harden Moor, featuring heather, bracken, peat bog, and gritstone outcrops.
- Historical elements such as abandoned coal pits, WWII tank training sites, quarries, and dry-stone walls are present along the trail.
- Shipley Glen, a historic ravine with a past as a site for rallies and Victorian pleasure gardens, is a recommended break point.
- The trail also incorporates sections of the Leeds-Liverpool canal, including the Five Rise Locks and Three Rise Locks.
- The initiative aims to promote sustainable tourism, improve air quality, carbon capture, and reduce risks of wildfires and floods.
- Bradford's rural character and the natural beauty of its district are emphasized as key aspects the trail seeks to highlight.