Most visitors to Haworth follow the same pattern. They park on the edge of the village, walk up the cobbled main street, look around the Brontë Parsonage Museum, and consider the job done. If the weather holds, they walk out across Penistone Hill. Then they drive home.
There is a different way into Brontë country. The lakefront cabin near Haworth at Bronte Country Park sits at the edge of two private carp fishing lakes, set within 50 acres of West Yorkshire countryside, fifteen minutes on foot from the smallest operating railway station in Britain. In the evenings, Keighley and Worth Valley steam locomotives pass close enough to the property that you can hear the whistle from the lakeside deck before you see the train.
Quick Facts
Region: West Yorkshire, Brontë Country
Best for: Couples, families, anglers, rail enthusiasts, car-free breaks
Getting there: Train to Keighley (mainline from Leeds in around 20 minutes), then the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway to Damems (request stop), followed by a fifteen-minute walk to the park. By car: Halifax Road, Haworth, West Yorkshire, BD21 5QF.
Time needed: Two nights minimum to do the lake, the railway, and Haworth properly
The Lodge
The three-bedroom lodge at Bronte Country Park was built with a sedum living roof and larch cladding. From the lakeside, it looks like it grew into the hillside rather than was placed on it. The planted roof provides genuine insulation in both directions: the interior stays cool in summer and retains heat through winter. Visually, the roof changes across the year. In early spring it is pale and dormant. By May and June the sedums are in flower. By autumn they have turned rust-red and purple.
Inside: two king-sized bedrooms, each with its own en-suite bathroom. One has a freestanding bath and separate shower. The second has a walk-in shower. The third bedroom has twin beds, suitable for children or a third adult travelling with the group. The open-plan kitchen and living area runs the full width of the lodge, anchored at one end by a log burner, and giving onto a lakeside deck that sits directly above the water.
The deck is where most of the time goes. Two lakes spread out in front of it. The railway line passes at a distance through the trees. On still evenings, the water carries sound clearly: waterfowl settling in, the occasional fish moving in the margins, and, several times a day, the low sound of a steam engine building before the locomotive appears briefly through the tree canopy and then is gone.
The park has been running for more than 25 years and received the BHHPA 25-Year Loyalty Award in 2019. EV charging is available on site. A fire pit is available for guests. Dogs are welcome throughout the park, with a dedicated exercise area and waste facilities.
The Lakes and the River
Fifty acres of West Yorkshire countryside hold two fishing lakes and a river that runs through the lower section of the grounds. The lakes are private. Access comes with the lodge stay, not as a separate booking or day ticket.
The carp stock was recently supplemented with fish between 2lb and 9lb, introduced alongside the existing resident population. The fishing is unhurried. No other groups compete for the same water. Bank fishing from the margins or from the lodge deck both work. A rowing boat is available for guests who want to approach the middle of the lake or simply get out onto the water without a rod.
Going out in the rowing boat early, before the steam timetable starts and before the park comes alive, the lake is as quiet as anywhere in West Yorkshire gets. Grey herons work the shallows with patience. Kingfishers have been recorded on the river margin at the lower end of the park. Swans and geese are regulars on both lakes.
Woodland walking trails run through the park grounds, and field paths connect from the park boundary to the wider countryside surrounding the valley.
The Railway
Damems station, a fifteen-minute walk from the lodge, is the smallest operating passenger station in Britain. It was constructed to serve a single local mill and has remained in active use ever since. Damems is a request stop on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway: you notify the guard at Keighley before boarding, and the train will stop for you. Nothing else is required.
The KWVR runs five miles from Keighley to Oxenhope, passing through Ingrow West, Damems, Oakworth, Haworth, and Oxenhope. The line opened in 1867. It closed briefly between 1962 and 1968 after British Rail withdrew services, and was reopened by volunteers and has operated as a preserved line ever since. Full-sized steam locomotives haul period carriages on the original infrastructure. It runs to a published timetable, carries regular passengers, and is not a miniature or display railway.
From Damems, one stop north takes you to Oakworth. Oakworth station was preserved as a period-accurate late-Victorian station and served as the primary filming location for the 1970 film The Railway Children and its 2022 sequel. If you are travelling with children who know the films, they will recognise the platform immediately. For the full picture of where the Worth Valley has appeared on screen, the Secret Britain guide to filming locations in Yorkshire covers Oakworth and other sites across the county.
From Oakworth, you can walk to Haworth via the valley footpath, or stay on the train one more stop. Either way, Haworth station deposits you at the bottom of the cobbled main street and from there it is a short, steep climb to the village.
Haworth and the Moors
Haworth is well-visited and knows it. The main street runs its length from the station end to the Parsonage end with shops, cafes, and pubs aimed squarely at the tourist traffic. None of this is a problem if you approach it right. Go early, when the tour coaches have not yet arrived, or on a weekday in October when the numbers drop off.
The Brontë Parsonage Museum at the top of the village occupies the house where Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë lived and wrote. The rooms are smaller than most people expect. The light from the moorland-facing window is stark in a specific way. The furniture is original. For anyone interested in the conditions in which the novels were produced rather than simply the novels themselves, the museum makes the visit worthwhile.
From Haworth, the moorland above opens across Penistone Hill Country Park and then continues west. The path to Top Withens, the ruin traditionally associated with Wuthering Heights, takes around 45 minutes to reach from the village at a steady pace. The views across the plateau in clear weather extend north toward the Dales, and west across Lancashire. On a still day above the cloud line, the isolation is total.
The Worth Way footpath connects the valley from Oxenhope through to Keighley, running close to the railway line for much of its length. A day-circuit from the lodge is straightforward: walk fifteen minutes to Damems, take the steam train to Haworth, spend the morning in the village and on the moor, return to Oxenhope via the Top Withens path, take the train back through to Damems. That circuit fills a long day without requiring a car at any point.
For waterfall walking in the broader Dales area within an hour of the Worth Valley, the Secret Britain guide to Yorkshire Dales waterfalls covers the main routes.
Practical Tips
- Damems is a request stop. Tell the guard at Keighley before you board. The train will not stop unless you have notified the guard in advance.
- The KWVR does not run every day year-round. Check the current timetable at kwvr.co.uk before building plans around the railway.
- Carp fishing is private lake access included with the lodge. Bring your own rod, reel, and tackle. There is no on-site equipment hire.
- EV charging is available on the park. Useful if driving.
- Dogs are welcome. Keep them on a lead near the lake margins where active fishing takes place.
- For walking routes from Haworth across Penistone Hill to Top Withens, use AllTrails for up-to-date maps and trail condition notes.
Responsible Visiting
The lakes are privately managed and actively fished. Use barbless hooks for catch-and-release and remove all line, hooks, and tackle from the water and bank at the end of each session.
The footpath to Damems passes alongside farmland. Use gates, close them after you, and keep dogs under control near any livestock in the surrounding fields.
Reader Q&A
Can you get to Bronte Country Park without a car?
Yes. From Leeds, mainline trains reach Keighley in around 20 minutes. The KWVR heritage line then runs from Keighley to Damems, the request stop fifteen minutes from the lodge. Haworth, Oakworth, and Oxenhope are all accessible by continuing on the same line during operating hours.
Is the fishing suitable for beginners?
The private lake is stocked, and the fishing is relaxed rather than competitive. No other anglers are working the same water. There is no time pressure. For a first carp-fishing experience, the conditions are as straightforward as they get. You will need your own rod and tackle; there is no equipment available for hire at the park.
What is a sedum roof?
A sedum or living roof is planted with low-growing succulents on a waterproof membrane fixed to the roof structure. It provides insulation, absorbs rainfall, supports pollinators, and changes appearance across the seasons. In practice, a lodge under a sedum roof is noticeably quieter in heavy rain than one under tiles or sheet metal.
How loud are the trains?
The KWVR line passes near the park boundary. During operating hours, you can see and hear steam locomotives from the lodge and deck. The sound is intermittent and distant, not constant. If the railway is a reason to visit, the view from the lakeside deck is worth it.
What time of year is best?
Late spring and early summer work well: the sedum roof is flowering, the carp are active, and the KWVR is on its fuller summer timetable. Autumn is the better choice for colour and for quieter Haworth. The moors are at their best on bright days from August through October.
Where to Stay
Bronte Country Park sits on 50 acres of West Yorkshire countryside near Haworth. The three-bedroom lakefront lodge, with its sedum roof, larch cladding, log burner, private carp fishing lakes, rowing boat, and views of the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, is available to book through Airbnb. Fifteen minutes on foot from Damems, the smallest operating railway station in Britain.
There are quicker ways to see Brontë country. This one stays with you longer.
For more places to stay and explore across Yorkshire, visit the Secret Britain Travel section.
