Ten miles south of Leeds, Wakefield Westgate Railway Station serves the area of Wakefield with regular trains on the Leeds branch of the East Coast Main Line, the Huddersfield Line, and the Wakefield Line. Trains from Wakefield Westgate run to London Kings Cross and Leeds every half-hour, with typical journey times to London running approximately two hours. Trains to Newcastle, Edinburgh, and Glasgow also serve the station. East Midlands operate several early morning and late afternoon trains to and from London St Pancras. Northern trains to Leeds, Doncaster, Sheffield, and Huddersfield all call at the station.
www.nationalrail.co.uk
Take a walk through the formal flower and rose gardens, discover unusual plant species in the climate controlled conservatory, say hello to the friendly birds in the aviary and feed the mallards and moorhens by the lake. Younger visitors can jump, slide and swing in the play area or improve their skate boarding tricks in the nearby skate park. Take the whole family on an adventure around the park and see if you can find the entrance to the secret garden. This small garden includes stonework dating back to 1866 along with beautiful flowers and pathways. Open all the time: Activities have seasonal opening times. Please check this website link for further information
Newmillerdam Country Park is ideal for short walks or longer rambles on the surrounding network of public rights of way. The lakeside path is accessible to all including wheelchairs, booster scooters and pushchairs. The bridleways and dis-used Chevet Branch Line permissive path offer good off road routes for horse riders and cyclists. Please not cycling and horse riding are not permitted on the lakeside path.
Open all the time
Step into a world of mystery at Wakefield Museum to discover stories of people and their lives, some over a thousand years in the making, others are only just beginning. Little visitors can dress up in vintage outfits, play with the Rhubarb Express train and cook up a storm in the 1950’s kitchen. Pick up a Digitrail for an alternative way of experiencing the museum.
Opening times: Monday & Tuesday: 9.00am – 5.00pm Wednesday & Thursday: 9.00am – 7.00pm Friday: 9.00am – 5.00pm Saturday: 9.00am – 4.00pm Sunday: Closed
Xscape doesn’t do dull – the Xscape mission is simple: give you an unforgettable experience packed with whatever floats your boat. From testing your strength and learning new skills to laughing out loud and sharing experiences, Xscape has hundreds of ways to leave you longing for more.
Opening times Monday to Sunday 6.30am till 23.30pm
www.xscapeyorkshire.co.uk
Anglers Country Park is perfect for nature lovers, walkers, cyclists, picnickers – and not forgetting those little adventurers. Explore the country park on two wheels and hire a bike from the Visitor Centre. Take the little ones on an adventure they won’t forget! Follow the mysterious footprints along the Room on the Broom Trail to find the well-known characters from the story.
Open all the time
www.wakefield.gov.uk/anglers
George Gissing, born in Wakefield in 1857, wrote 23 novels between 1880 and 1903. Some believe him to be one of the best three novelists of his generation alongside George Meredith and Thomas Hardy. He also enjoyed friendships with fellow writers such as Henry James and H.G. Wells. The centre houses family memorabilia, exhibition material and a large collection of books by and about George Gissing. The centre welcomes visitors who want to learn more about the literary heritage of the area.
The Gissing Centre is open from May – September every Saturday 2.00pm – 4.00pm.
The National Coal Mining Museum for England provides a great day out with a unique opportunity to travel 140 metres underground to explore England’s last deep coalmine.
Discover the different ages of mining, from Victorian times when women and children worked underground alongside men, find out about the role of pit ponies and how modern machinery changed coalmining
Open Daily 10.00am-5.00pm except 24, 25 & 26 December and 1 January annually
www.ncm.org.uk
Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP) is the leading international centre for modern and contemporary sculpture. It is an independent charitable trust and registered museum situated in the 500-acre, 18th-century Bretton Hall estate in West Yorkshire. Founded in 1977 by Executive Director Peter Murray, YSP was the first sculpture park in the UK, and is the largest of its kind in Europe, providing the only place in the world to see Barbara Hepworth’s The Family of Man in its entirety.
Opening details: Please see www.ysp.co.uk
The Hepworth Wakefield is an award-winning art gallery in the heart of Yorkshire, set within Wakefield’s historic waterfront overlooking the River Calder. Designed by the acclaimed David Chipperfield Architects, the gallery opened in May 2011. Named after Barbara Hepworth, one of the most important artists of the 20th century who was born and brought up in Wakefield, the gallery presents major exhibitions of the best international modern and contemporary art and has dedicated galleries exploring Hepworth’s art and working process.
Open Monday to Friday 10am till 5pm
www.hepworthwakefield.org