Brighouse Open Market has been an integral part of the town since 1902. Its new building was constructed by the canal in 2025. Fresh local produce, hot food and drinks, as well as arts, crafts and gifts, make up the offering. The market brings together food, refreshments and handmade goods. This gives you a range of interests to choose from during your stay: markets, art, nature and walking.
Markets and art in Brighouse
The history of Smith Art Gallery is tied to a gift: Alderman William Smith built it and donated it, along with his art collection, to the people of Brighouse in 1907. An exhibition of oil paintings on the theme of “People and Places” is on display in the front gallery, including works by Atkinson Grimshaw, Marcus Stone and Thomas Sydney Cooper. The content may change, so it is worth checking the current exhibition before your visit.
Exhibitions on a variety of themes rotate through the rear gallery. These include works by local artists as well as touring exhibitions, featuring photography, mixed media and sculpture. Together, the two galleries offer different perspectives: the front gallery has an exhibition with a clearly defined theme and paintings, while the rear gallery hosts changing displays in a range of media. Those looking to explore Brighouse’s culture can focus on both a historic gift and a changing exhibition programme.
Nature areas and trails
Cromwell Bottom Local Nature Reserve offers a different focus. Its wetlands and meadows provide habitats for butterflies, moths, dragonflies and damselflies. A feeding station attracts bullfinches, dunnocks, woodpeckers, robins and redpolls. The reserve has almost two miles of wheelchair-accessible paths, including the canal towpath. This distance provides a specific point of reference for planning; it applies to the paths mentioned and includes the towpath.
At Wellholme Park, the focus is on natural woodland and a path alongside Clifton Beck. The park is known for its spectacular flower beds and holds both Green Flag status and Queen Elizabeth II Field status. Facilities include a play area with a climbing net, climbing frame, swings and roundabout. This makes it easy to distinguish the natural features of the two places: Cromwell Bottom focuses on wetlands, meadows and the wildlife groups mentioned, while Wellholme Park features woodland, the stream, flower beds and play equipment.
Walking and climbing
The Calderdale Way is a 50-mile circular walking route through the hills, moors and valleys of Calderdale. Its official starting point is at the Calder & Hebble Navigation in Brighouse. Signposts mark both the Calderdale Way and its connecting paths. Its length and circular route give walkers a clear idea of the trail; the marked connections provide further guidance along the way. The Calder & Hebble Navigation also offers opportunities for walking and fishing.
Another walking option is the Clifton Beck Walk. It includes sections of the Brighouse Boundary Walk and the Calderdale Way. These details show different ways to choose a walk or hike: the Calderdale Way has a stated total distance, circular route and official starting point, while the Clifton Beck Walk is described as incorporating sections of two other trails.
For an indoor activity, ROKT Climbing Gym has a 21.5-metre-high lead climbing wall. There are also four 16-metre-high rope-climbing facilities in silos. The measurements make the two climbing options easy to distinguish: a tall indoor lead wall and several rope-climbing facilities, each with a specified height. Climbing adds to the choice of markets, galleries, nature trails and walking routes, with each activity offering something different.
Discover more destinations
Discover more destinations: Guiseley, Normanton, Baildon, Queensbury, Bramham, Hepworth, Rawdon, Clayton.
Back to the main travel guide: West Yorkshire.
