Understand
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Wakefield was historically the county town of West Riding, and later of West Yorkshire. It grew rapidly in the 19th and early 20th centuries through textiles, coal mining and related industries: each small town had its own colliery and its own Rugby League team, with fierce local rivalry. The pits have all closed and their sites have been landscaped, and Wakefield has diversified into mixed manufacturing, retail and distribution, as well as public sector employment. It’s also a commuter town for Leeds. The city centre is compact and mostly non-descript modern, but a parade of fine Georgian and Victorian buildings extends up Wood Street.
The other main towns are Ossett and Horbury in the west, Castleford, Pontefract, Knottingley and Normanton in the east, plus the southeast corridor of Hemsworth, South Kirkby and South Elmsall. Away from the towns, the district is surprisingly rural, a rolling farm landscape on the edge of the Pennines; the Tolkienesque tower gleaming in the distant southwest is Emley Moor TV mast. To the east beyond the A1 the terrain merges into the flatlands and pig farms of the Aire / Humber plain.
Get in
[edit]By rail
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1 Wakefield Westgate 
is the principal station. It's on a spur of the East Coast main line, with trains from London Kings Cross twice an hour, taking 2 hours via Stevenage, Peterborough, Grantham, Newark and Doncaster, continuing to Leeds. It also has hourly trains from the West Country via Bristol, Birmingham and Sheffield: these continue north to Leeds, York, Durham, Newcastle and Edinburgh. Change at Leeds from Manchester airport and city, Liverpool and Bradford. Frequent local trains link Leeds, Doncaster, Sheffield and Pontefract. Westgate station is clean and modern, with a ticket office and machines, a cafe, waiting room and toilets. There is step-free access to both platforms. Trains from the south approach across an impressive 95-arc viaduct.
2 Wakefield Kirkgate is a minor station a mile southeast. This has three trains a day from London Kings Cross via Doncaster and Pontefract, heading for Halifax and Bradford. An hourly train from Leeds calls here on its way to Barnsley, Sheffield, Chesterfield and Nottingham; another hourly train is for Retford, Gainsborough and Lincoln. An hourly train from Leeds runs via Wakefield Westgate and Kirkgate to Pontefract and Knottingley. An occasional slow train is from Manchester to York, but it's usually quicker to change at Leeds or Mirfield. Kirkgate station was rebuilt in 2015 but looks dilapidated, with ticket machines but no other facilities. There is step-free access to all platforms.
There are several other platform halts across the metropolitan district, but you're unlikely to use them. For instance Glasshoughton is next to a retail and leisure centre near Castleford, but it's on a separate line between Leeds and Pontefract, and trains from Wakefield don't go that way.
By road
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Major highways bestride Wakefield district like a rugby goalpost, with M1 on the western edge, A1 on the eastern edge, and M62 as the cross-bar. M1 and M62 are often snarled during rush hours, A1 is usually clear but can catch the tailback from Doncaster. There are services at Woolley Edge (M1) and Ferrybridge (A1/M62), but turn off for supermarket petrol as cheap as you'll find anywhere. Always beware that you may be about to meet a tractor, even on the A1: this is Yorkshire.
By bus
[edit]National Express buses take 5 hr 20 min from London Victoria once daytime (NX564 via Milton Keynes, Sheffield and Barnsley) and once overnight (NX465 via Loughborough, Nottingham, Mansfield and Barnsley). They continue north to Bradford, Halifax and Huddersfield.
Otherwise travel via Leeds, which is much better served, including by Megabus which doesn't call at Wakefield.
3 Wakefield bus station is central, but a mile from either railway station. See below for local buses.
By plane
[edit]Leeds Bradford (LBA IATA) is the closest airport, but it’s north of Leeds and has no rail or motorway link, so reaching it means negotiating city traffic. So its frequent flights from London Heathrow only make sense if you’re connecting from another flight there – the train is faster from central London. LBA is a good choice for Europe eg Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Düsseldorf and Dublin, and for the more distant UK cities such as Southampton, Exeter and Belfast. It’s the base of the low-cost carrier Jet2.
Manchester (MAN IATA) is usually the best airport for flights beyond Europe. It’s across the Pennines but easy to reach by train, and the competition between airlines means better and cheaper flights than from Leeds Bradford.
From London airports take the train or Underground to London King's Cross / St Pancras, except from Stansted Airport (STN IATA), where you travel via Peterborough.
Get around
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Local buses are run by Arriva and (for points south) by Stagecoach. They're designed for commuters and shoppers so they're frequent Monday to Saturday till 6PM, but sparse thereafter. So bus is generally best for points within Wakefield district and for Leeds; for further afield take the train. Some routes are round-about so always check that you’re taking a reasonably direct service.
Arriva Bus 110 runs to Leeds every 15 min, taking 45 min via Outwood. Don't take the 244 / 246.
Bus 148 / 149 runs every 30 min to Featherstone, Pontefract and Knottingley. Don't take the 146 / 147.
Bus 96 / 97 runs hourly to Sandal (for castle), Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Woolley and Barnsley.
Bus 485 runs hourly to Crofton, Nostell Priory, Ackworth, Upton and South Elmsall.
A free bus runs clockwise around the city centre M-Sa every 10-15 min. Its route is Bus Station → The Springs → Kirkgate Station → Hepworth Gallery → Ings Road Retail Park → Westgate Retail Park → Westgate Station → Westgate → Bus Station.
See
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- 1 Wakefield Cathedral, Northgate WF1 1HG, ☏ +44 1924 373923. Su-F 8AM-4PM, Sa 9:30AM-4PM. This Anglican cathedral was first built in 1329 but reconstructed several times, and most of what you see now is Victorian Gothic. Its spire is 247 ft / 75 m) tall. Free.
- Peregrine Falcons (Falco peregrinus) often nest on the cathedral in spring, but sometimes elsewhere, such as the former County Hall half a mile west. Hatchlings are ringed and tracked to their own eventual nesting sites across the country.
- Wood St has the best of the city's architecture. Fine old buildings now decaying for want of an occupant are the former Town & County Hall, Assize Courts and police station.
- 2 Wakefield Museum, Wakefield One, Burton Street WF1 2EB, ☏ +44 1924 302104, [email protected]. M Tu F 9AM-5PM, W Th 9AM-7PM, Sa 9AM-4PM. Small local history museum on the ground floor of city council offices and library. Free.
- 3 Hepworth Gallery, Gallery Walk WF1 5AW (Free bus), ☏ +44 1924 247360, [email protected]. Tu-Su 10AM-5PM. Opened in 2011, this is the city's top sight – though it’s debatable whether, given its concrete brutalist design, it counts as an “attraction”. Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth spent their early years in Wakefield district and their work and story makes up the bulk of the permanent collection. There are also rotating exhibitions of other artists. Adult £14, under-18 and city residents free.
- Chantry Chapel is perched on the old river bridge just north of the gallery. Chantries were where monks chanted prayers for the souls of the dead, and when placed on bridges like this one, the monks collected tolls to keep the eulogies flowing. It was completed in 1356 along with the bridge (now pedestrianised), and rebuilt in the 19th century, not altogether successfully. You can occasionally go inside for services organised by Wakefield Cathedral.
- 4 Sandal Castle, Manygates Lane, Sandal WF2 7DS. 24 hours. Little more than a moat and a stump, you come for the views and the history. In 1460 during the Wars of the Roses, the Battle of Wakefield was fought nearby, and Richard Duke of York was killed. It was also a royalist stronghold during the Civil War, and the victorious parliamentarians wrecked the remains. Free.
- 5 Nostell Priory, Doncaster Road, Nostell WF4 1QE, ☏ +44 1924 863892, [email protected]. Daily 11AM-4PM. Fine 18th-century mansion in Adams Palladian style, period furnishings and extensive parkland, now run by National Trust. It's on the site of a 12th century Augustinian priory swept away at the Dissolution of 1540. John Harrison who solved the “Longitude Problem” was born nearby, and one of his original clocks is here. Adult £14.30, child £7.20, parking £5, NT free.
- Pontefract is a small market town 10 miles east (bus 148 or 149 runs every 10 mins, 40 mins). The main attractions are the castle, the museum and the racecourse.
- 6 National Mining Museum for England, New Road, Overton WF4 4RH, ☏ +44 1924 848806. W-Su 10AM–5PM. Few of us nowadays will ever go underground in a working coal mine, so this museum (the former Caphouse Colliery) is an essential experience of this great but departed industry. The mine was active from the 1770s to 1985, then re-opened as a museum in 1988. The old guard may be shocked to learn that this "identifies as women-owned". Scrubbing muck off your man's back in a tin bath not good enough for you, lass? Suggested donation £7.50.
- 7 Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Park Lane, Bretton, ☏ +44 1924 832631. Tu-Su 10AM-5PM. Extensive outdoor and smaller indoor collection, mostly by Moore and Hepworth, plus various temporary installations. Many visitors miss the Skyspace, a Tyrell installation in a former deer hide. The park is centred on Bretton Hall, a mansion of 1720 and later a college. No visits to this, the Groucho Club of London are converting it into their northern outpost. Adult £11, child £7.
- 8 Castleford Forum Museum, Carleton Street, Castleford WF10 1BB (top floor of library), ☏ +44 1977 722085. M Tu Th F 9:30AM-5PM, Sa 9:30AM-4PM. Exhibiting Castleford from Bronze Age and Roman times, through its industrial heyday to the present. And of course Henry Moore. Free.
Do
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- WX Wakefield is an events venue on Union St, west side of Trinity Walk shopping centre.
- Cinema: Cineworld is on Westgate Retail Park half a mile south of Westgate station. There's another at Xscape, see below.
- Reel Cinema is within Ridings shopping centre south of the cathedral.
- Theatre Royal is a Victorian gem with regular shows, on Drury Lane 100 yards east of Westgate station.
- Venue23 is a live music venue at 23 Smyth St, 100 yards south of Theatre Royal.
- 1 Xscape, Colorado Way, Glasshoughton WF10 4TA, ☏ +44 1977 664794. Daily 6AM-midnight. A big entertainment complex near Castleford, by Junction 32 of M62. Attractions include Cineworld multi-cinema, wall-climbing, bowling, trampolining, indoor golf and, yes, skiing. Plus a dozen bars and food outlets, J32 retail park adjacent, and a Premier Inn.
- 2 Diggerland, Willowbridge Lane, Castleford WF10 5NW (off Jcn 31 of M62), ☏ +44 1634 711711. Apr, July, Aug daily, Mar, May, Jun, Sep, Oct Sa Su, 10AM-5PM. You get to drive real diggers! And play silly games with them, like knocking over skittles. Adult & child over 100 cm £26, over 65s £13, free for children under 100 cm tall.
- Golf courses are Wakefield GC in Sandal, City of Wakefield on Horbury Rd, Woolley Park, Lofthouse Hill, Midgeley Lodge (9 holes) near Bretton, Low Laithes near Ossett, Normanton GC at Hatfield Hall, and Waterton Park.
- Country parks are at Pugneys (3 miles south of city), Anglers / Wintersett (6 miles SE, series of small lakes with wildlife reserve and angling areas), and Newmillerdam (6 miles south, a wooded vale). Use OS Landranger map 110 for all these.
- Canals: Wakefield is traversed by the Calder and Hebble Navigation, and the Aire and Calder Navigation, both with good towpaths for walking and cycling. There are visitor moorings on the former above Fall Ings Lock and below Wakefield Flood Lock. The two waterways meet at Castleford.
- Aire and Calder rivers, once major industrial arteries, are now an important habitat for wildlife, though much remains to be done to rehabilitate the brownfield areas. The best parts (such as the RSPB reserve at Fairburn Ings) lie on the north bank of the Aire, over the boundary into Leeds, so see that page for details.
- Rugby league (13-a-side): West Yorkshire is the heartland of this game, played Feb-Oct.
- - Wakefield Trinity (aka Wildcats) were promoted in 2024 and play in Super League the top tier at Belle Vue stadium in Wakefield.
- - Castleford Tigers play in Super League at The Jungle on Wheldon Rd Castleford. The women's team plays in their top tier.
- - Featherstone Rovers play in the Championship, the second-tier, at Post Office Road in Featherstone near Pontefract.
- - Dewsbury Rams were relegated in 2024 and play in League One the third tier, at Flair Stadium, Owl Lane Dewsbury.
- Football: The nearest pro soccer team is Leeds United. The strength of rugby league makes Wakefield one of the biggest cities to have no pro team. Semi-professional teams in the district include Frickley Athletic, Ossett United and Pontefract Collieries.
Buy
[edit]Wakefield has kept its shopping central, rather than way out on a ring road. The main malls and retail parks are Trinity Walk just south of the bus station, The Ridings a little further west, and Ings Road / Westgate half a mile south.
Out of town, the biggest retail park is Junction 32 (off M62), adjacent to Xscape leisure park near Castleford.
Eat
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- Têt is a Thai restaurant on Cross Square by the cathedral, open Tu-Th 4-10PM, F Sa noon-11PM.
- Italian choices include Prego Pizzeria at 107 Westgate, Dolce Vita at 1 Smyth St, San Leo's within York House Hotel, Damelio at 22 Wood St, Rustico at 29 Northgate, Fino at 53 Northgate, Bella Roma at 63 Northgate, and Capri at the Vine at 82 Leeds Rd.
- Qubana, 1 Wood Street WF1 2EL, ☏ +44 1924 299000. Su-Th noon-10PM, F Sa noon-midnight. Great food and vibe at this place serving tapas and grills. Occasional live entertainment.
- Indian restaurants include Bengal Palace at 36 Smyth St, Lala's at 86 Westgate, Tuk Tuk at 40 Westgate, Silver Spice at 14 Silver St, Mumbai Lounge at 35 Northgate, Tanvis at 65 Northgate, Syhiba at 17 George St, Dosa Village at 134 Kirkgate, and Amaan's at 148 Kirkgate.
- Iris, 12 Bull Ring WF1 1HA, ☏ +44 1924 367683. W-F 5-10PM, Sa noon-11PM, Su noon-7PM. Highly rated restaurant majoring on British sourcing and style.
- 1 Kings Arms, Heath Common WF1 5SE, ☏ +44 1924 377527. M Tu 3-11PM, W-Su noon-11PM. Charming flagstoned pub on the heath with good food, booking advised.
Drink
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Wakefield used to be renowned for the Westgate Run, the pub crawl down the strip of pubs, clubs and fast food joints from the centre past the station. Coach parties came from afar to get ratted, but like the English pub scene in general, it's withered.
- The Black Horse is at 102 Westgate by the station.
- Hogarths is at 61 Westgate.
- Priory Bar, 1 Back Lane WF1 2TJ, ☏ +44 7854 162816. M Tu 4:30-8:30PM, W-F Su 4:30-11PM, Sa 2-11PM. Welcoming pub with a good selection of ales.
- Inns of Court Hotel is a quiet pub at 22 King Street.
- The Hop, 19 Bank Street WF1 1EH, ☏ +44 1924 367111. M-Th 3-11PM, F Sa noon-midnight, Su noon-10PM. Real ales and live music.
- Mex Bar, Albion Court WF1 1BB. W-F, Su M 9PM-3AM, Sa 3PM-3AM. Late-night cocktail bar.
- The Black Rock is at 19 Cross Square.
- Calder & Hops is at 60 Northgate.
- George & Crown (formerly Red Bar), off Westgate WF1 1UQ. F Sa 5PM-midnight. Small pub hidden down an alley.
- Distillery Bar is within Tileyard North next to the Hepworth.
- Bridge Inn is at Bridge St 100 yards south of the Hepworth.
Sleep
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- York House Hotel, 10 Drury Lane WF1 2TE (100 yards east of Westgate station), ☏ +44 1924 372069. Comfy and central in an 18th century townhouse. B&B double £70.
- Holiday Inn Express, Queen St WF1 1JU (west side of Ridings shopping centre), ☏ +44 1924 372111. Central and basic, mixed reviews. B&B double £60.
- 1 Holmfield Arms Hotel, Denby Dale Road WF2 8DY, ☏ +44 1924 367901. Clean simple place within Clarence Park. B&B double £100.
- 2 Campanile, Monckton Road WF2 7AL, ☏ +44 1924 201054. Basic hotel on an industrial estate. B&B double £70.
- 3 Premier Inn Wakefield South, Denby Dale Rd WF4 3BB (at M1 J39), ☏ +44 333 321 9108. Reliable inexpensive chain. B&B double £140.
- Cedar Court Hotel, Denby Dale Rd WF4 3QZ (at M1 J39). This is now being used to accommodate asylum seekers.
- 4 Premier Inn Wakefield City North, Paragon Business Park, Herriot Way WF1 2UJ, ☏ +44 333 321 9107. Quiet clean place north edge of city. B&B double £140.
- 5 Ramada, Fryers Way WF5 9TJ (at M1 J40), ☏ +44 1924 274200. Value for money hotel handy for motorists. B&B double £80.
- 6 Waterton Park Hotel, Walton WF2 6PW, ☏ +44 1924 257911. Plush hotel and spa in a moated mansion of 1767, named for the naturalist Charles Waterton (1782-1865), who established the world's first wildfowl reserve here. Great reviews for comfort and service. B&B double £160.
Connect
[edit]As of April 2025, Wakefield and its approach roads have 5G from all UK carriers.
Go next
[edit]- Pontefract has a racecourse and ruined castle.
- Leeds is a busy modern city with lots to see and do.
- Other easy day trips include Bradford, Saltaire, Haworth and Sheffield.
- Lots more industrial heritage in Huddersfield and Halifax.
- York is a national treasure and must-see.
| Routes through Wakefield |
| Leeds ← | N  S
|
→ Barnsley → Sheffield |
| Leeds ← South Leeds ← | N  S
|
→ Barnsley → Sheffield |