Ponden Kirk & Fairy Cave
ENTRY
Free
SETTING
Outdoors
WHERE
Keighley
What it’s like
A rocky crevice cave and gritstone outcrop on the moors above Haworth, tied to the Brontë novels.
This is a walk out to a gritstone rock formation on the moors, with a narrow crevice known as the Fairy Cave that kids can squeeze through if they fancy it. There's no entry fee and no set route round a visitor centre, it's just open moorland with a bit of scrambling once you get there. The literary pull is the Brontë connection, Ponden Kirk is reckoned to be the model for a landmark in Wuthering Heights, which might mean more to you than to a six-year-old, but the moor itself and the squeeze through the rock are the bits they'll actually remember.
Given it's open moorland, this isn't a pram-friendly stroll. There's no set age range given, so use your own judgement on whether your kids can manage a walk over uneven ground and a scramble through a tight gap in the rock. It's free all round, which is one less thing to think about, and it's open every day, though the site closes earlier on weekends (4pm) than on weekdays (5pm).
Parking is the one thing worth sorting before you set off. They're clear that you should use a proper car park, Penistone Hill Country Park is the one they mention, rather than trying to squeeze onto the residential streets or narrow country lanes nearby. That means a bit of a walk to get to the cave itself, so factor that into how long you've got before the site shuts for the day.
Need to know
- Best for
- Kids steady on uneven moorland ground who fancy a scramble
- Parking
- Public car parks like Penistone Hill Country Park
- It's free entry with no booking needed.
- Weekend hours are shorter than weekdays, last entry effectively 4pm on Saturday and Sunday.
- Park properly at somewhere like Penistone Hill Country Park rather than on nearby lanes.
- The Brontë connection to Wuthering Heights is the literary hook if that means anything to your crew.
Plan your visit
Is there an entry fee?
No, it's free to visit.
What are the opening hours?
9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, and 10am to 4pm on weekends.
Where do we park?
Use a proper car park like the one at Penistone Hill Country Park. They're clear you shouldn't park on the residential streets or country lanes nearby, so leave time to walk in from there.
Is it suitable for young children?
There's no age guidance given, but it's open moorland with a narrow crevice to squeeze through, so it suits kids who can manage uneven ground and a bit of a scramble.
What do kids actually do there?
They can navigate the narrow passage through the Fairy Cave, explore the moorland around Ponden Kirk, and see the rock formation linked to the Brontë novels.
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