With summer and warm temperatures finally here, I decided to take a look at one of Bradford's scenic towns.
A 30 minute bus ride from Bradford city centre , costing £2.50, will get you to Thornton, a scenic little town which was once home to some of Yorkshire's most famous natives. The Brontë sisters were born in the town, and their former home is now a museum in the town.
I decided to visit Thornton and see what it has to offer for those needing somewhere local for a quick day-trip. Getting the bus to Thornton is pretty simple, it's a straight line from Bradford Interchange which takes around half-an-hour, dropping you off on the main street of the town, Market Street.
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At first, the town looks much like any other in Bradford, with old Victorian buildings lining the road, which is fairly busy throughout the day. But, when you look a bit closer you'll see it has plenty to offer. For me, I was looking for a relaxing day in the sunshine and so got to work exploring.
The first thing I noticed was Thornton Viaduct, an utterly stunning example of Victorian railway-building. It crosses a small valley to the side of the village, and once saw trains crossing over it regularly.
As with many train routes and stations in Yorkshire, it has since closed down, but the viaduct remains. I walked around the viaduct, underneath it and past it to try to get a better view, when I discovered you could now walk on top.
The viaduct was reopened back in 2008 as part of the Great Northern Railway Trail, and can be accessed from a path near to the school in Thornton. On top, you can get some truly beautiful views of the countryside and of Thorton itself.
Bradford gets maybe one or two days of decent sunshine a year, but when it is sunny there's nothing quite like the Yorkshire countryside.
A walking trail then continues past the village towards Queensbury, making it a brilliant spot for a walk. Getting public transport in to Thornton means you can get it out of Queensbury back into the city instead of returning for a car as well.
If walking isn't your thing there are other things to do. Much of Thornton is made up of local shops, from Chinese food to antique stores. Thornton also has some great cafés for a quick break, which is important in the warmer temperatures we're feeling now.
After a quick drink, I decided to look around the town a little more after spending a fair amount of my time on the outskirts exploring the viaduct. Just off of Market Street, I ran into the home of the Brontë sisters, now a museum.
Sadly it was closed and is only open on weekends, so if you're planning a visit then Saturday and Sunday would be perfect. The town is quite clearly proud of its literary heritage, with displays honouring the Brontës in shop windows and advertised on libraries across the town.
Eventually it was time to call it a day, and a £2.50 bus ride saw me head back into Bradford centre. Thornton was a beautiful place, and only a small example of what Bradford's towns and villages have to offer.
It's a great spot for a day-trip, especially with the recent warm weather. Just remember to stock up on any anti-histamines if you're planning on spending any time in the countryside!
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