One of the joys of living in Huddersfield as a student is the easy access to some big cities. As a student who has not travelled this area of the country a lot in the past, I have loved exploring new places on my days off uni. Huddersfield has great travel links that make it super easy to explore some of the nearby cities and villages. Let’s take a closer look at some of the best things to do if you want a day out exploring!
Manchester
Having never been to Manchester before uni and not hearing much about it, I was unsure of what to expect from it. I can say that I have been pleasantly surprised about what the hustle and bustle of Manchester has to offer and it has quickly become a favourite. Manchester is just a short, affordable train ride away and is one of the closest cities to Huddersfield, making it a great place to go for a change of scenery. Some things to do in Manchester include exploring some of the parks scattered around the city, or visiting one of the museums or galleries.
The parks in Manchester parks are perfect for a sunny day, you can walk around them or you could just sit and watch the world go by. Having been there for a day out with my family, The Manchester Art Gallery, was a fun place to explore. It has a number of exhibitions present which are great fun to explore for a few hours. The art gallery has events on regularly, and is open Tuesday- Sunday, so is a super easy place to visit!
My favourite place to go to is the Manchester Library, now I know this may sound a bit boring. Why would I enjoy visiting a library when I have the whole city to experience? The answer to that is this library has so much character and history in it that I absolutely love visiting whenever I have a chance. It has exhibitions centered on a broad range of topics, including, historical events and present day research into dialects and accents. Not only that, but it is a nice place to go to if you want a change of scenery but have a bit of uni work to get done too because you can get your work done in the grand study hall.
York
If you are looking for somewhere that is a bit quirky and has lots of character then York is the place to visit. York is less than an hour away from Huddersfield by train, and with good bus links once you arrive, this city has so much character to offer you.
It is a lovely place to visit with friends, and my personal favourite day out! One thing we like to do in York is visit the independent shops and markets, including the infamous Shambles. My favourite store along Shambles to go to is The York Ghost Merchants, me and my friends love going here on a weekday when it is a little less busy because this shop is prone to having a queue. So definitely plan your trip accordingly, if you would like to visit this shop.
If you are wanting to do some sightseeing then York’s has some well known historical sites including, The York Tower or The York City Wall. These two can be done together and are not a long walk away from each other. There are also a few museums and experiences that are so much fun to explore and learn more about York, including The York Dungeons.
Castle hill walk
If you are looking for somewhere a bit more like to do in Huddersfield, then the must do activity every student must do is visit Castle Hill. It is a well known landmark for Huddersfield that is probably the first thing that comes up when you search up Huddersfield.This distinctive landmark can be seen across the town and is a place worth visiting!
Castle Hill is a great place to visit on a sunny day, if you wanted you could have a picnic with friends and take in the views and tranquility. For me, I like to go to Castle Hill as it is the perfect place to just relax due to how quiet it is.
There are a few ways to get there, if you like walking then you could walk there and back, which from the main Huddersfield University Campus takes around 45 minutes. However, I will warn you that it is a steep hill so while it is worth it for the views, if you are not someone who likes a lot of walking I would recommend getting the bus! There are a few bus routes that go past castle hill so that is another option if you did not fancy the walk. One thing that I quite like to do is to get the bus up to Castle Hill and then walk the way down.
Canal walk
One of the things that stood out for me in Huddersfield is the canal that runs throughout it. I think that the canal is another distinctive feature of this town, it runs through campus and can be seen from a number of accommodation sites in Aspley.
Having the canal is one of the factors that made me decide to go to Huddersfield University because I loved that the campus has the canal going through it. Also I love to be surrounded by nature and a walk along the canal can give me that opportunity to appreciate it.
The canal is also a nice walk to do with friends or to take a jog along on a nice day. Me and my friends have walked along the canal and come across some of the nearby villages, such as Slaithwaite before. So whether you want an afternoon walk with friends, or a hike to a nearby village, the canal can be a stunning walk.
Whether it is a solo adventure or a chance to do something different with friends, going to Uni in Huddersfield will give you plenty of chances to visit new cities and explore the local’s favourites.
Hi my name is Lucy and i currently study speech and language therapy at the University of Huddersfield. In my spare time I love to stay active by going on walks in the surrounding countryside or going to the gym. I also love to learn new things in my free time and I am currently learning Spanish and how to play chess.
