Welcome to Stirley, Huddersfield

Despite Stirley being in a sometimes wet and windy setting, by working carefully with nature and taking care of our soils, Stirley's gardens are productive all year round and stunning to look at too!

Our team of gardening volunteers are the driving force behind keeping our training garden in tip-top condition and with the addition of a polytunnel and raised beds, the gardens are a great place for visitors of all ages to dig in and get inspired to grow, cook and eat fresh, healthy local food.

Here at Stirley we grow with wildlife in mind – planting pollinator-friendly plants around the edges of the gardens and allowing nettles and thistles to grow as they provide important food sources for insects and birds. No nasty chemicals are added to our crops and growing and eating at Stirley means zero food miles.

School and community groups use the crops in our popular 'Dig, Cook and Eat' education sessions and we donate any surplus veg to a local food bank.

As well as our training garden, Stirley is proud to have a productive forest garden, a small orchard, and bee-friendly, nectar-rich gardens and seasonally stunning wildflower meadows.

Thanks to funding from Veolia Environmental Trust's Cre8 we have been able to restore and renovate one of the barns on the original farm site into a fantastic education facility.

The restoration work on the Cre8 Barn Education Centre has been carried out by local company Green Building Store. Green Building Store designed and carried out a retrofit of the barn to make an award-winning, low energy building, Our barn is super efficient and has very low energy bills! This means it has much less of an impact on the environment and on our precious funds.

We run fun and creative events throughout the year. Whether we're making bird feeders, weaving seasonal wreaths or teaching school children where food comes from through interactive cooking sessions (in our 4 star hygiene rated kitchen) - our events are an excellent way to engage with nature and discover the wild world around you.

Call 01484 663185 or email stirley@ywt.org.uk

A fantastic bunch of volunteers help the Trust across the farm, whether it be helping to restore the grassland, tending the food training gardens, helping with building renovations, infrastructure maintenance, educational activities, or cooking and supporting our events.

Find out more about volunteering opportunities at Stirley.

Seven days a week: Explore Stirley via a network of public footpaths. The buildings including toilet are closed over Christmas.  

Public rights of way around the reserve are always open and we encourage you to explore, or check out the events pages for what's happening this month.

It's free to enjoy the network of public footpaths around the reserve.

Some events at Stirley carry a small charge. Please refer to details listed on the events pages. Narrow your search using the keyword "Stirley".

Address
Stirley, Hall Bower Lane, Berry Brow, Huddersfield, HD4 6FA

Contact
Telephone: 01484 663185
Email: stirley@ywt.org.uk

Directions

By car

Please note: if using a device to navigate to Stirley, we recommend that you avoid setting directions to ‘Stirley’ as this route may take you down a narrow track which is unsuitable for vehicles

We advise driving to ‘Hall Bower Lane’ or postcode ‘HD4 6RW’. The turning for Stirley is located on the bend between Lady House Lane and Hall Bower Lane.

• From Huddersfield take the A616 then turn left onto Bridge St, next turn left onto Lockwood Scar. Take a slight left onto Church Lane, continue onto Jackroyd Lane. Follow this up the hill, where it becomes High Lane and then take first right onto Hall Bower Lane (if you reach a T-junction at the top of the hill, you've gone too far). Follow the road through the housing and as the road drops down*, turn left on a sharp bend onto a tarmac drive. Follow the track along till you reach a crossroads and drive straight across to our car park.
• From the M1 take the junction 38 exit to Huddersfield. At the roundabout take the second exit onto the A637. Carry on across two roundabouts then at the next take the first exit onto the A642. Turn right onto Station Rd then right onto the A629. Turn left onto Fenay Lane and continue on this road until it becomes Ashes Lane. Follow Ashes Lane and turn right onto High Lane down a steep hill. Take the first left onto Hall Bower Lane. Follow the road through the housing and as the road drops down*, turn left on a sharp bend onto a tarmac drive. Follow the track along till you reach a crossroads and drive straight across to our car park.

*Please ensure you take the new entrance track at the junction between Lady House Lane and Hall Bower Lane rather than Ashes Lane, as this is often entrance is locked and not suitable for traffic.

By public transport

• Train: A 20 minute walk from both Berry Brow and Honley railway stations.
• Bus 354 from Huddersfield to South Crosland stops at the junction of Hall Bower and Ladyhouse Lane.
• Bus 341 from Huddersfield to Stocksmoor stops on Ashes Lane at the top of Cold Hill Lane.

Free parking.

Please note that during larger events there is limited parking available on the reserve, which is prioritised for people with mobility issues.

During these events please park at Castle Hill, walk back to Ashes Lane and turn left, the footpath to the reserve is opposite the bus stop on the right and near Castle House Farm Cottages. The route will be signposted.

• Dogs are allowed. Please be a responsible owner and respect the livestock. Please follow the countryside code and ensure your dog is wormed regularly. Please keep your dog to the path and importantly, on a lead between March and August to protect any ground nesting birds from disturbance or when in a field with livestock.
   
• There are toilets available, including an accessible toilet. These will be closed over Christmas from 22nd December until 2nd January. 
   
• You are welcome to bring your own food and drinks. Refreshments are available during some events.

Special seasonal events for all ages
Get ready to explore events at Stirley - perfect for young adventures, adults, wildlife experts and beginner wildlife enthusiasts! Browse our events pages to discover a new adventure at Stirley.

Sessions for schools and groups
We can’t wait to welcome you and your learners and share some incredible experiences with nature. You can find more information about what we offer, pricing and make an enquiry on our schools and groups webpage.

Our super Eco-barn is the ideal location for your local business meeting or event.

Our barn can hold up to 30 people sitting down and 40+ standing. If you are interested in using our facilities with wonderful countryside views, please contact us via email at stirley@ywt.org.uk.