Book Review: Scenic Bus Routes In West Yorkshire

Friday 18th April 2025

Welcome to the first of an Easter special of daily posts over the bank holiday weekend and kicking these off here’s a review of a splendid new book that’s just been self-published by blog reader Eric R Sykes.

As the title suggests the book features scenic bus routes that can be found within West Yorkshire. Eric has selected 30 bus routes in his home county as well as listing another 10 which “nearly made it” and another 10 cross-boundary routes into neighbouring South Yorkshire, North Yorkshire and Greater Manchester.

Lifelong bus enthusiast Eric explains in the Introduction to the book how his 65 year interest in the industry has always seen him thoroughly enjoy travelling through the scenic and interesting countryside in West Yorkshire.

As he rightly explains as a passenger “you have more opportunity to look out the window and appreciate the surrounding scenery in a connected way” than driving or being in a car. I couldn’t agree more. As I travel around the country by bus and train, there’s nothing to beat gazing out of the window and soaking up the scenic delights this country has to offer.

And West Yorkshire has so much to offer. It was a tough gig for Eric to pick just 30 of the County’s 440 bus routes to represent the most scenic and interesting. He’s selected the best examples which run through all the five Districts.

Each of the 30 featured routes has a double page spread, in bus route number order, which includes a summary of the route together with essential data such as start and finish point, journey duration and frequency as well as the bus operator and Districts of the county served.

There’s a splendid photograph to illustrate a scenic aspect, a lovely map of the route, the top three or four highlights of interest to be found on the route and finally, a description of the journey and what to look out for.

I defy any reader who buys a copy of this book and start browsing through it not to think within the first few pages ‘I must make a visit to West Yorkshire some time soon and ride some of these routes’.

They’re absolute gems and Eric’s descriptions and the details he’s given certainly entice you to start making plans. I’ve ridden about half the routes featured and am already thinking when I can make my next visit to tick even more off.

Whether it’s old favourites such as Huddersfield – Hebden Bridge (TLC Travel routes 900/901), Halifax – Ripponden (Team Pennine 561/562), Wakefield – Holmfirth (Team Pennine route X1) and Keighley – Hebden Bridge (Keighley Bus Company route K3) or more obscure ones such as Meltham – Honley – Thurstonland (Stotts Coaches route 911) Eric’s descriptions will encourage you to take a ride.

It’s a lovely book and a bargain at just £10. It’s available from Amazon.

Enjoy the read and even better, enjoy taking some of the recommended journeys.

Roger French

Blogging timetable: Bonus blogs are appearing daily over Easter and then TThS.