Penistone

Penistone sits high on the edge of the Pennines, where the last streets of South Yorkshire give way to open moorland and the first folds of the Peak District. The town grew up around its ancient parish church and its wool and iron trades, and it still carries the look of a working Pennine settlement: stone terraces climbing the hillside, a solid market hall, and views south and west towards Langsett and the Dark Peak that feel far bigger than the town itself.

What makes Penistone worth a stop is how much open country meets you at the edge of it. The Trans Pennine Trail, the long-distance route linking Southport to Hornsea, runs straight through town along the old Woodhead railway formation, giving walkers and cyclists an easy, level path out into the Don Valley in one direction and towards the reservoirs of the Peak District in the other. Add a heritage railway line still in daily use, a Georgian country estate a few miles down the road, and a proper Thursday market, and Penistone makes a quiet, unpretentious base for exploring this corner of Yorkshire.

Top things to do in Penistone

Penistone is a small town, but it sits at the meeting point of several excellent days out, from historic parkland to open moorland trails.

• Cannon Hall Museum, Park and Gardens — A Georgian country house a few miles north near Cawthorne, set in seventy acres of parkland with landscaped gardens, a walled garden holding one of the North of England's largest pear tree collections, and period rooms of furniture, glassware and paintings.
• Cannon Hall Farm — The working farm attraction next door to the hall, with animal encounters, adventure play areas and a popular farm shop, familiar to many from its television appearances.
• The Trans Pennine Trail — Britain's first long-distance multi-user trail passes directly through Penistone along the route of the old Woodhead line, offering flat, traffic-free walking and cycling through the Don Valley and out towards the Peak District.
• The Penistone Line — A scenic working railway connecting Penistone with Sheffield, Barnsley and the villages of the upper Don Valley, popular with walkers who use it to reach trailheads without needing a car.
• St John the Baptist Church — A Grade I listed parish church at the centre of town, with a tower raised around 1500 and masonry that may pre-date the Norman Conquest; a fragment of an early Saxon cross is built into its walls.
• Penistone Market — A working market in the town's old oak cruck barn, with a general and food market on Thursdays and an arts, crafts and collectables market on Saturdays.
• Langsett Reservoir and moors — A short drive west brings you to Langsett, with waymarked walks around the reservoir and out onto the open moorland of the Dark Peak.

Getting to Penistone

Penistone lies just off the A628, roughly midway between Barnsley and Manchester, with Sheffield around ten miles to the south. Its station on the Penistone Line gives direct rail services to Sheffield, Barnsley and Huddersfield, making it one of the more easily reached Pennine-edge towns without a car. The Trans Pennine Trail passes straight through, so it's equally well placed for anyone arriving on foot or by bike from either coast.

Best time to visit Penistone

Late spring through early autumn suits Penistone best, when the moorland walks around Langsett and the trail out of town are at their driest and the gardens at Cannon Hall are in full bloom. Autumn brings good colour along the wooded stretches of the Don Valley, while winter visits favour a cosy pub by the fire over a long moorland walk, since the exposed Pennine tops can turn wet and cold quickly.

Where to stay in Penistone

Accommodation in and around Penistone tends towards characterful country inns and bed and breakfasts rather than large hotels, with a handful of options in nearby villages such as Cubley and Thurlstone offering easy access to both the town and the surrounding moors.

Food and drink in Penistone

Cubley Hall, a former Georgian gentleman's residence just outside town, is the area's best-known dining spot, known for its ornate original interiors, conservatory dining room and wide-ranging menu alongside a good range of real ales. In the town centre, traditional pubs such as the White Heart serve locally sourced pub food, while the Thursday and Saturday markets are a good source of local produce for anyone self-catering nearby.