Pretty Wuthering Heights village near misty moor is like stepping back in time

A enchanting gothic British village comes ‘well worth a visit’ and brims with independent retailers, several possessing an cosy atmosphere. This ‘mysterious’ location was also the residence of the three of Brontë sisters, including Emily who wrote the original Wuthering Heights novel. 

Emily, Charlotte and Anne Brontë are some of Britain’s most celebrated literary sisters and as the new film adaptation of Wuthering Heights premieres at UK cinemas this evening (February 13) the village of Haworth in West Yorkshire is a perfect follow up for an ideal weekend escape. With its distinct brooding character, Haworth looks across the moors where the new movie was filmed, while transporting visitors to another era through its cobbled streets and historic passageways. Some cobbled lanes here even lead you to an ancient church and burial ground where novelists Emily Brontë and Charlotte Brontë rest.

Younger sibling Anne Brontë is also interred at St Michael & All Angels Church cemetery in Haworth, with the three sisters having penned seven novels, including Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall here. 

The village’s main thoroughfare features ‘totally wonderful’ establishments, amongst them retailers with a mystical witchy atmosphere, a ‘divine’ confectionery merchant and numerous distinctive gift and book outlets to explore.

Food and shopping

The ‘magical’ establishments throughout Haworth promise a gothic ambience, while the village sits amidst breathtaking moorland and rural landscapes, in close proximity to where the new Wuthering Heights film was created. 

Spooks of Haworth operates as a ‘spiritual emporium’ within the village, stocking crystals, gifts and providing tarot card consultations. It originally launched in 1983 in Haworth, the centre of Brontë Country. 

One reviewer characterised this establishment as ‘magical, mysterious, and totally wonderful’ situated in a ‘beautiful gothic village, well worth a visit’.

Another ‘fabulous little shop’ is The Cabinet Of Curiosities in the village, described as a ‘little piece of heaven’ by one recent visitor who reviewed this treasure trove shop as ‘so interesting’.

“Every detail in the shop was very well presented, down to wrapping. It was like an adult sweet shop, of smelly stuff and other treasures”, the reviewer wrote.

The Haworth Artisan Market also ranks highly amongst village attractions on TripAdvisor. Though it operates just one Sunday monthly, it attracts considerable numbers of tourists and locals alike.

To encapsulate the Wuthering Heights feeling, there are a few unmissible places to visit in the area:

Haworth Moors

Discovering the surrounding Haworth Moors where Wuthering Heights is set is achievable on foot, but alternatively via a journey aboard the historic Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, which transports passengers on heritage steam locomotives.

Afternoon tea can even be enjoyed on board, according to one reviewer who took the rail journey three months ago with an all-day rover ticket on the heritage railway, describing it as a ‘very enjoyable day and highly recommended’.

The Keighley & Worth Valley Railway reviewer wrote: “Just had the traditional afternoon tea experience, absolutely blown away. Fantastic food, excellent service, in short a really brilliant day, when I felt I got full value for my money.

“There is a nice selection of sandwiches, meringues/ macaroons and large scones with cream and jam.”

Holdsworth House – a perfect place to stay

This beautiful four-star hotel ia a “Jacobean manor built in 1633, set just outside Halifax in West Yorkshire”.

Located just 20 minutes from Haworth by car, the Holdsworth House website describes a “historic, quietly grand house” offering a “calm, atmospheric base for visiting the Brontë Parsonage, Haworth itself and the wider landscape of Brontë country that shaped Wuthering Heights”.

Low Row, Richmondshire

Stone-built homes and rolling countryside views that were used as a backdrop for the new film. You’ll find countryside all around you, which is the perfect setting for walkers looking for a scenic route through the Dales,with a cosy pub, The Punch Bowl Inn waiting at the end – and here you can enjoy a pint, or a cup of Yorkshire Tea. 

Top Withens, West Yorkshire 

Fans of the novel and movies will want to add this stop to their itinerary, as the ruined farmhouse is said to have inspired Wuthering Heights. Starting from St Michael’s Church in Haworth, this walk takes you through Penistone Hill Country Park, before you reach the Brontë waterfall and bridge – a perfect spot for some photos.

Swaledale

One of the key dales featured on screen, Swaledale’s limestone valley, stone barns and open moorland provide the backdrop for several key exterior scenes. Today, it’s a haven for slow travellers, offering peaceful riverside walks, historic mining remains and postcard-perfect villages such as Reeth (which served as a base for the production and is expected to appear in or around several scenes).

Arkengarthdale

Also named as a major filming location, Arkengarthdale provides rugged valley views and remote moorland backdrops that feature in several exterior sequences. Its quiet lanes, high moors and sense of isolation make it ideal for visitors looking to experience the raw, windswept landscapes that define Wuthering Heights.

Brontë Parsonage Museum

Additionally, bordering the countryside leading towards the moorland sits the Brontë Parsonage Museum – thoroughly worthwhile for admirers of the Brontë sisters’ literary works, as this served as the family’s residence during the 1800s.

The website for the museum explains the significance: “We have the largest collection of Brontë items in the world, offering fascinating insight into the life and times of Yorkshire’s famous literary family.”

Historic Yorkshire towns

Byway’s have created a Historic Towns in Yorkshire trip too, which makes it easy for travellers to experience these landscapes first-hand, travelling by rail through cities and market towns including York and Skipton, with access to the Yorkshire Dales and wider Brontë Country.

Designed around scenic train routes and slower travel, the four-day itinerary provides a practical gateway for fans keen to explore the moors and settings linked to Wuthering Heights. Prices start from £468 per person based on a memorable trip of four days.