Car Hire Keighley - Mini guide to Keighley

Keighley, in West Yorkshire, lies in a sheltered position and is surrounded by wonderful countryside. It is easily accessible by car, bus and train and has a student population of over 7,000.

The Keighley & Worth Valley Railway is a delightfully restored 5-mile branch line which joins the national railway network at Keighley and runs up the Worth Valley to Haworth and Oxenhope. There are six superbly restored gas-lit stations, a fleet of steam locomotives and historic carriages, a Museum of Rail Travel at Ingrow, buffets at Keighley and Oxenhope - and even a CAMRA real ale bar on many trains.

Evidence of Keighley's history is present in many of the town's Victorian and Edwardian buildings. Keighley's Cliffe Castle, set in an attractive hillside park just 5 minutes drive from central Keighley, is a museum that specialises in natural history and geology. Be captivated by the 17th century merchant's house, East Riddlesden Hall, which has stood in the heart of Riddlesden, Keighley for over 400 years. The Museum of Rail Travel has a large collection of restored railway carriages and locomotives.

Shopping is excellent, with well-known high street names, specialist shops, an indoor market and Airedale Shopping Centre. Free events and entertainment, including the summer Childers Festival, take place around the town.

The town is well situated to allow easy access to major towns/cities yet is only a short distance from the dales. Among the dales and hills are delightful villages and small market towns with narrow streets and fascinating shops. Haworth, the home of the Brontes, is only a few miles to the south and linked by the famous Keighley and Worth Valley 'Preserved' Railway. Yorkshire is also ideal for outdoor activities like climbing, walking, caving, canoeing, angling, sailing and fishing.

Trains leave from Keighley Station every 15 minutes to London Kings Cross Station (duration 3 hours). Most trains go via Leeds, Shipley or Doncaster. The road network in the area is quite good, with the Aire Valley main road running from Skipton to Keighley. Manchester and Preston can be reached within an hour or so by joining the M65 at Colne.