![County Hall [2]](https://prod-images.planyourroadtrips.com/img/city-images/wakefield-gb-536833--14977/4-County_Hall__2__-_geograph.org.uk_-_5873210.jpg?w=1080&q=80&f=webp)
museum
Yorkshire Sculpture Park
500 acres of 18th-century parkland near Wakefield displaying open-air work by Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth and changing international artists.
9 km · about 15 min drive
EuropeUnited KingdomEngland
Wakefield
England, United Kingdom · Europe
About Wakefield
Wakefield works well as a base: 10 minutes from Walton, 29km from Holme Moss.
Wakefield is in England, United Kingdom, with about 110,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Walton, about 4 km away.
Wakefield is a cathedral city in West Yorkshire, England, located on the River Calder. The city had a population of 109,766 in the 2021 census, up from 99,251 in the 2011 census. The city is the administrative centre of the wider Metropolitan Borough of Wakefield, which had a 2024 population of 367,666, the 27th mostRead more
populous district in England. It is part of the West Yorkshire Built-up Area and the Yorkshire and the Humber region.
In 1888, it gained city status due to its cathedral. The city has a town hall and is home to the county hall, which was the former administrative centre of the city's county borough and metropolitan borough as well as county town for the West Riding of Yorkshire.
The Battle of Wakefield took place in the Wars of the Roses, and the city changed hands between the two sides in the Civil War. Wakefield became an important market town and centre for wool, exploiting its position on the navigable River Calder to become an inland port. In the 18th century, Wakefield traded in corn, coal and textiles.
Where to Stay in Wakefield
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Wakefield?
Within an hour or so of Wakefield: Yorkshire Sculpture Park (9 km), Squires Cafe Bar (18 km), Harewood Speed Hillclimb (25 km), Holme Moss (29 km).
Are there any good drives near Wakefield?
The nearest famous roads are Holme Moss, Woodhead Pass and Snake Pass.
Where is Wakefield?
Wakefield is in England, United Kingdom, about 4 km from Walton.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 109,766
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- England
- Timezone
- Europe/London
- Coordinates
- 53.6833, -1.4977
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United Kingdom
112 also works. NHS non-emergency medical advice: 111. National Highways breakdown assistance on motorways: 0300 123 5000.
Full driving guide for United KingdomTags
Worth the detour from Wakefield
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
cafe
Squires Cafe Bar
One of Yorkshire's most famous biker cafes near Sherburn-in-Elmet, hosting regular bike nights and rallies.
18 km · about 20 min drive
racetrack
Harewood Speed Hillclimb
The longest hillclimb course in England at 1,598 yards, climbing Yorkshire moorland on the Harewood estate with sweeping open views over Wharfedale from the spectator banks.
25 km · about 30 min drive
mountain pass
Holme Moss
A 524 m Pennine pass on the A6024 topped by a landmark transmitter mast, a celebrated cycling climb used in the 2014 Tour de France.
29 km · about 35 min drive
mountain pass
Woodhead Pass
The A628 trans-Pennine route over bleak moorland past the Woodhead reservoirs, frequently closed by snow and high winds.
31 km · about 35 min drive
landmark
Haworth
The steep-cobbled Pennine village where the Brontë sisters lived and wrote, with the Parsonage Museum and moorland walks to Top Withens.
34 km · about 40 min drive
landmark
Derwent Dam
A monumental stone dam used by 617 Squadron to practise for the Dambusters raid, with twin towers above the Upper Derwent Valley.
34 km · about 40 min drive
cafe
Bettys Café Tea Rooms, Harrogate
Yorkshire tea-room institution founded by Swiss confectioner Frederick Belmont in 1919, still family-owned and famous for Fat Rascals and its art-deco interior inspired by the Queen Mary liner.
35 km · about 40 min drive
Driving roads near Wakefield
7 named roads, passes and coastal drives within 60km.
- 29 kmHolme MossA 524 m Pennine pass on the A6024 topped by a landmark transmitter mast, a celebrated cycling climb used in the 2014 Tour de France.
- 31 kmWoodhead PassThe A628 trans-Pennine route over bleak moorland past the Woodhead reservoirs, frequently closed by snow and high winds.
- 36 kmSnake Pass (A57)The Woodhead-era Telford road over the Pennines between Glossop and the Ladybower reservoirs, with fast curves and frequent winter closures.
- 37 kmSnake PassA twisting road through the Peak District connecting Sheffield and Manchester, beloved by motorcyclists and driving enthusiasts.
- 37 kmSnake Pass SummitThe highest point on the A57 crossing the Pennines, with moorland views stretching across the Dark Peak landscape.
- 38 kmBamford EdgeA short gritstone edge with what many consider the finest view in the Peak District, straight down onto Ladybower Reservoir.
Driving in United Kingdom
- Drives on
- the left
- Petrol
- ~€1.73/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
April to October
Nearby Destinations
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