Hebden Bridge

Steam trains still chuff through this former mill town, where cobbled streets wind between converted textile buildings now housing independent shops and galleries. Hebden Bridge sits in a steep-sided valley where the Pennine hills close in, creating a microclimate that attracts artists, writers and weekenders escaping Manchester's urban sprawl.

The town wears its industrial heritage well. Salem Mill houses studios and workshops, while the Fustian Knife Sculpture celebrates the area's textile past. But it's the surrounding moorland that really draws visitors - Withins Height and the atmospheric ruins at Top Withins (allegedly the inspiration for Wuthering Heights) offer proper fell walking just minutes from the high street.

Walk upstream and you'll find Lumb Hole Falls tucked into woodland, a lovely spot that most tourists miss entirely. The Walshaw Dean reservoirs provide more gentle rambling, though the weather up here can turn nasty without warning.

Todmorden sits just down the valley, connected by the Calder Valley line that runs between Manchester and Leeds. It's a straightforward train journey from either city, making this corner of West Yorkshire surprisingly accessible for a weekend escape.

Camping or caravanning nearby makes perfect sense - you're close enough to nip into town for dinner at one of the decent pubs, but far enough out to wake up to proper countryside views. The surrounding Pennine landscape offers walking that ranges from gentle valley strolls to serious moorland treks across Standing Stone Hill and beyond.