Millhouse Green is a small village, right on the edge of The Peak District National Park, surrounded by rolling pastures and high moors, with the youthful River Don flowing nearby. For a small community, it is lucky in possessing a post office, a village store, a primary school and its local – The Blacksmiths Arms. This may only have a snack menu for food, but real ales and a true village pub atmosphere are on offer. For a more substantial food menu, head down to Thurlstone, less than a mile along the A628, towards Sheffield, for The Huntsman Pub – this one regularly wins Barnsley CAMRA’s “pub of the season” award.
A wind farm on Royd Moor tops off some great views to be had around the village, and, of course wonderful walks. For the ambitious, these can take you onto the high moors above Langsett, with its pinewoods and reservoir, or, much closer to home, onto the lower moors of Royd and Low Common.
The wonderful folly of Hartcliff Tower, a round stone tower which dominates the view Southwards, was built in 1856 by a linen merchant called Henry Richardson. It has a set of stairs running up the middle and is believed to be have been used as a viewing platform during local shoots. It makes for another great walking destination (though the footpath does not take you right up to the tower, which is in private hands). The A616, just over the hill on which the tower stands, is reputedly Britain’s most haunted highway. Amongst other strange sightings, Roman Soldiers have been seen, marching down towards Stocksbridge, with their legs only half visible, as they march on the surface of the Roman Road (at a lower level, of course.)
Millhouse Green is only two miles West of Penistone, a thriving small market town, of around 7,000 souls, with its own railway station, connecting to Sheffield. Here you will find some more great pubs and a whole range of local shops, plus Nat West and HSBC banks.
Other attractions with a short drive include:-
Cawthorne Victoria Jubilee Museum, in the beautiful village of Cawthorne, about four miles distant. Inside is a huge array of exhibits, including war time relics, fossils, collections of moths, butterflies and birds eggs. It is open from Palm Sunday to the end of October – on Saturday, Sunday & Bank Holiday Mondays – 2pm to 5pm.
Wortley Top Forge, about seven miles to the South East, is a restored 17th Century wrought-iron works, with tilt hammers and working water wheels. Workshops contain later 18th Century and early 19th Century machine tools. A collection of working stationary steam engines are also displayed. WTF Model engineers run a miniature railway besides the river on the Sunday afternoons.
Wentworth Castle Gardens provides a wonderful day out for all the family. A “secret Yorkshire treasure” awaits you, hidden away in green rolling hills near Barnsley, and only eight miles from Millhouse Green
Only twenty minutes’ drive away, South of Wakefield and set within 500 acres of 18th century parkland, Yorkshire Sculpture Park is the international centre for modern and contemporary art. If that sounds a bit high-brow, far from it… It is a real adventure playground for anyone, with or without kids, and a complete day out you will not readily forget. Either take a picnic, or alternatively some great food is to be had in its restaurant – alongside the indoor galleries.