Blog
Out & About in Calderdale - Cragg Vale
Tuesday 27th June 2017
Although Cragg Vale - known affectionately as "Cragg" by locals - is secluded and peaceful it is close to all necessary urban facilities. The bustling local market town of Hebden Bridge is just 3 miles away, the much larger town of Halifax is 9 miles from us, with Bradford, Leeds and Manchester 30 miles away and easily accessible via the M62, M61 and M6 motorway system in well under an hour. The local bus runs out of Hebden Bridge as the Route C service, otherwise affectionately known to locals as The Cragg Flyer.
Cragg valley is a ribbon village development of old stone farms, chapels, houses, pubs and a church. There are a few modern dwellings, though these are mostly hidden behind their extensive landscaped tree lines.
There are 2 caravan sites for visitors, an excellent village pub and a country restaurant and bar, a Protestant church of St. John The Baptist in The Wilderness, and another Protestant church in Mytholmroyd, St. Michael's, as well as a Roman Catholic church in the same village, The Good Shepherd.
The community remains dominated by hill farming of sheep, cattle fattening and small holdings. Many residents are home workers, being offcomers who have settled into the uniquely relaxed atmosphere of Cragg and left the rat race behind - well, almost. We have our own brewery - oh yes - and numerous other small and medium sized businesses operate out of the valley, though you need to know where to look to find them.
The Calder Navigation provides local recreational opportunities for those of a nautical disposition, with narrow boats and barges for hire from the other local town of Sowerby Bridge (pronounced Sorbee Bridge).