If you’re looking for coffee shops, cosy pubs and autumn walks then this is the place to be
Haworth, West Yorkshire (Image: Getty Images)
Have a scroll on social media this week and you’ll notice that algorithms have embraced the first week of September by feeding us with a constant stream of content celebrating knitwear, coffee shops, baking, Harry Potter marathons and crisp walks in the country.
Another pop culture phenomenon which seeps into TikTok feeds at this time of the year is Gilmore Girls, an American comedy-drama which ran from 2003 to 2007.
It follows the lives of mother and daughter Lorelai and Rory Gilmore who live in the picturesque town of Stars Hallow, Connecticut. Fans lap up the silly story lines and loveable characters of the show, but it’s the setting which lures viewers back every autumn for a rewatch.
The fictional town of Stars Hallow is a place where everyone knows each other, coffees are consumed daily at the local diner and residents hold onto beloved traditions. It also features the very real backdrop of New England, known for its autumn foliage every year.
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The mood of Stars Hallow is one social media users are seeking to find right here in the UK – and there’s a ‘gorgeous‘ town near Greater Manchester which seems to fit the remit.
The village of Haworth with the moorland in the distance (Image: Getty Images)
TikTok user Stateofthat posted a video on the platform, saying: “Tell me your favourite small towns in the UK/England that are like Stars Hollow. We know the ones in America but we need the UK equivalents. I’m talking about a town hall, a cute coffee shop, town traditions, Doose’s market, quick wit, hot tea and lipgloss.”
Countless people in the comments recommended the village of Haworth, located in the Pennines of West Yorkshire.
One TikTok user KB wrote: “Haworth in Yorkshire is literally my favourite place in the world.” Stripesbysabreen added: “Literally the home of the Brontes, so visiting feels like stepping back into Victorian times – there are cute apothecary shops, bookshops, witchy magic shops, cafes, tearooms, and the Bronte parsonage where they lived.
“Think cobblestones and winding streets, and at certain times of year you can take a steam train (like the Hogwarts Express).”
But it’s as we move deeper into autumn that Haworth really comes into its own, pulling out all the stops for Halloween. KittyKat commented: “Howarth is gorgeous but more spooky than Stars Hollow. First of all the Bronte sisters lived there so we have the Wuthering Heights element, it has one tiny high street where there are not one but TWO magic shops, everyone decorates for Halloween and it’s just so magical and cute.”
Top Withens, the ruined farmhouse on Haworth moor is said to be the inspiration for Emily Brontes’ ‘Wuthering Heights'(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
You don’t even need to have watched an episode of Gilmour Girls to appreciate what Haworth has to offer. This is a place packed full of atmosphere, with cobblestone streets lined with welcoming pubs, cosy cafes and quirky shops.
It’s surrounded by breathtaking Yorkshire countryside and its hilly topography means you’ll nearly always have a good view of the moors in the gaps between buildings.
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The downside of those hills is that it can be rather tiring walking around Haworth, but luckily the village has no shortage of places to grab a bite to eat. Pick up a Yorkshire curd tart from Villette Bakery, enjoy a coffee at Haworth Old Post Office, and round off your day with a hearty meal at The Black Bull pub.
The railway station in Haworth (Image: Getty Images)
While the characters of Lorelai and Rory Gilmour have never set foot in Haworth, the village does have a famous cultural connection: it was the home of the Bronte sisters and fans of their work can visit the Bronte Parsonage Museum, where the family lived. It features an impressive collection of furniture, clothes and their personal items.
Enthusiastic fans may wish to explore the area even further with a walk to Top Withens, a ruined farmhouse near to Haworth which is said to inspire the Wuthering Heights house. It lies on the Pennine Way and it is a challenging walk located four miles from the village, but worth it for the breathtaking views.
As for that ‘Hogwarts Express’ steam train? Haworth does have its own railway station, with services running at weekends and on selected Wednesdays in September and October, with some operating on a steam train. The Keighley and Worth Valley Railway was also used as the backdrop for the 1970 film The Railway Children, as well as the 2022 follow up The Railway Children Return.
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