On a drizzly Saturday I took myself off on a little adventure by bus and train.

Saltaire Village was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2001. Founded as a model industrial village by Sir Titus Salt in the 19th century,  Saltaire was constructed around a gigantic textile mill and designed by architects Lockwood and Mawson.   Italianate stone houses, schools, almhouses , bathhouses, churches, park and recreational facilities were provided for the mill workers. Not far from the industrial slums of Bradford, Salts Mill and Saltaire must have felt like a breath of fresh air in comparison.

Today Salts Mill has a second life as an Exhibition Space and Saltaire itself is still a lived in village with a well kept park, riverside , railway and canal. There are several independent shops and cafes to peruse and plenty of notable buildings to admire.

One of the first things I did after disembarking at Saltaire Railway Station was head to the canalside for a coffee from Moonbean Coffee Boat , a cute lilac painted narrowboat that sells delicous hot drinks & traybakes. Moonbean travels to different destinations along the waterway so may have now moved on. It was so nice to come across the coffee boat after discovering her on Down By The Dougie in January. 😊

I then hopped on The Saltaite Trip Boat for a 30 minute canalboat ride along The Leeds & Liverpool. The fare is  £5 and the bost sets off from below Victoria Rd, a tranquil trip to Shipley and back. Its a peaceful way of viewing the local wildlife……

Once back on land I noticed a striking looking store on the corner of Victoria Road. Giddy Arts sells lovely homewares & gifts including  prints, art & jewellery. Its also a refill shop and coffee bar.

After buying a new cushion ( ooops, not again!) I felt a bit peckish. There is a good selection of places to eat in Saltaire, I just fancied something small though and opted for a yummy savoury swirl in Cultures Deli & Drafthouse,  also on Victoria Road. Delish!

Roberts Park   is Saltaires main green space. The 14 acre Victorian Park features a bandstand, lawns & gardens, skatepark, cricket ground,  riverside & cafe. A rather ornate building  near the entrance on Victoria Road is the former Congregational ( now United Reformed) Church, where Titus Salt is buried in the Salt Family Mausoleum.

My visit to Saltaire coincided (coincidentally)  with their annual Dragonboat Festival. I did wonder why everyone was heading to the park! The races along the River Aire are popular with competitors and spectators alike. The park was soon buzzing with people jostling for position,  so I left the crowds to it.

You may wonder why alpacas make an appearance in Saltaire. Several carvings & other likenesses  are dotted around the village, the most impressive being  the two bronze cameloids located in Roberts Park. Sir Titus was innovative for his time, the success of Salts Mill was down to his determination to use the wool from Alpaca in his textile business. He was one of the first people to spin it on a grand scale.

I also spotted four stone lions in various poses. ‘ War ‘and Peace ‘ are located outside Victoria Hall and ‘ Vigilance & Determination’ guard the former factory School building. Sculpted by Thomas Milnes in 1858, they were originally destined for Nelsons Column in Trafalgar Square. They were however rejected for being to small, and  Sir Titus took a shine to them instead.

The main attraction of Saltaire is the vast and  imposing culture space of Salts Mill which has free parking and is free to wander round too.

The former textile mill is now home to galleries ( Bradford born artist David Hockney is exhibited extensively here), a peace museum, an industrial museum, bookshop, designer furniture shop, antique shop, Salts Diner and more.

I spent about four hours in Saltaire and still think I didnt get round it all. One of the things I totally missed experiencing was the Historic Shipley Glen Tramway, a funicular railway that connects Roberts Park to the valley above. Another time perhaps.

Have you ever visited Saltaire? Or another model industrial village?