By Amber Winstanley
After nearly a year of lockdown, spring is finally upon us, so with Covid restrictions easing what local activities can you do to enjoy the warmer weather and remain safe and socially distanced? Here are our top 5 activities and places to go in Huddersfield for a Covid safe spring.
Picnic in Greenhead Park
With outdoor gatherings now allowed between two households or within a group of 6, this Spring is the perfect time to go for a picnic in one of Huddersfield’s gorgeous parks.
Greenhead Park is only half a mile from Huddersfield town centre and is currently open from 7 am until 8 pm. With a skate park, play area, and multiple tranquil lakes, fountains and gardens, Greenhead Park has something for everyone whether you want to use the free tennis and sporting courts, stop by the cafe or even take part in some of the parks activities like orienteering or carriage rides.
For more information about the park’s facilities, as well as a full list of activities click here: Greenhead Park | Kirklees Council
Culture and Heritage Trails
The Hello Huddersfield Easter Trail may have ended but that doesn’t mean the hunt is over! Huddersfield has many walks and trails for you to follow, either as part of a guided tour, virtual walks or just with a group of friends.
Do you want to find the public art hidden around Huddersfield town centre or look at the history of the university? How about finding the sites relating to Huddersfield’s Caribbean heritage or going hunting for haunted buildings? Discover Huddersfield has a total of 17 trails for you to view all with different themes from the towns social movements to the history of transportation for you to find around town. For a full list of the trails and more information about culture and heritage walks take a look at Discover Huddersfield’s website by clicking here: Trails – Discover Huddersfield
Local Ales Checklist
Throughout lockdown one thing half of us have all been craving is the chance to go for a pint, and now that pubs have opened up in time for warmer weather what better way to catch up with friends than over drink while supporting local businesses?
A great way to do this is to have a checklist of the local bars, pubs and wineries across town to tick off your list whenever you want to go for a drink with friends.
Discover Huddersfield has the “Real Ale Trail” filled with the best pubs and micro-breweries across town. It was first created for the Annual Huddersfield Food & Drink Festival, but we know you shouldn’t have to wait until August to know the recommended places for hand-pulled ales and freshly prepared food so click here for the link: Real Ale Trail.pdf.
As well as the Real Ale Trail for a few more local businesses to support we also recommend adding the new LGBTQ+ bar Rain on Kings Street to your list for a drink and a pizza, or the wine shop and bar Kwas on Viaduct Street for a place to sit and get a glass of wine and a selection of organic foods, pairings and groceries.
Coffee Shop Crawl
We know not everyone drinks, and you don’t need alcohol to have fun, so that’s why we also have a list of our favourite coffee shops and cafes we recommend you visit for catch-up coffees and cakes.
Arcade Coffee & Food: Located in Byram Arcade, this small indi cafe and coffee shop recently opened its doors back up to serve you freshly prepared coffee, cakes and brunch between 10 am – 3 pm on Thursdays through to Sundays. We recommend looking at their selections of vegan-friendly brownies.
Bex’s Coffee Shop: This family ran cafe down Westbourne Road has plenty of outdoor seating for you to enjoy a catch-up in the sun with their freshly roasted coffee blends, and breakfast or lunch from 8 am – 4:45 pm on weekdays and 9 am – 4:45 pm on weekends. You can even buy a bag of their coffee blends to take home with you after.
The Clock House: Tucked away down the cobbles of King Street, this cosy cafe has been referred to as a “hidden gem” of Huddersfield. Luckily it has opened its doors again to welcome you back with indoor and outdoor seating to enjoy its hot drinks and 5 stars rated breakfasts and lunches. Open 10 am – 3 pm Wednesdays to Sundays, and 9 am – 4 pm on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Small Business Spending
We know small businesses have had a hard time throughout lockdown, so why not make sure to give them your support now? Huddersfield has plenty of small businesses for you to go around in your spare time, from beauty parlours, to gift shops, or even bouldering.
Byram Arcade is the best place to look around if you want to spend time looking around small businesses, with multiple shops, salons and even a cafe to sit in once you’ve finished browsing, it is the perfect little place to spend an afternoon.
If you would rather spend your time out of lockdown doing something a little more active, hidden away down Lincoln Street behind the Premier Inn is a bouldering/ rock climbing business called Freeklime. Whether you’re a pro or just starting, Freeklime has made it easy to get into bouldering with lessons, climbs of various difficulties, and even a small cafe for when you need to sit and take a break. You do have to book your place but they’re open anytime between 10 am and 10 pm every day and well worth checking out.
