Located at the junction of the River Calder and the River Aire, Castleford is a working-class town in West Yorkshire. It is believed to have been built on the site of a Roman army settlement and flourished in the 19th century with the opening of several collieries around the town.
Things to do in Castleford
On the western outskirts of Castleford is Diggerland Yorkshire, a family-friendly attraction with excavators and bulldozers you can ride and drive. In addition to its full-size construction machinery, the complex features indoor and outdoor play areas that kids will love. You can get behind the wheel of the go-karts and dodgem cars or test your hand-eye coordination while stacking tyres at the StackAttack.
Nearby is the Whitwood Golf Course, which was constructed in the 1980s on the site of the historic Whitwood Colliery. You can challenge yourself on the 18-hole golf course or enjoy a round on the 9-hole footgolf course before browsing the golfing equipment and apparel for sale at the pro shop.
On the southern edge of Castleford is the Junction 32 Shopping Outlet, which is packed with clothing, homeware and electronic stores. You can browse the latest fashions at Ben Sherman, Klass or Marks & Spencer, shop for new shoes at Skechers and Pavers or admire the jewellery at Chapelle. Adjacent to the outlet mall is an entertainment complex with an indoor Snozone, a ten-pin bowling alley and a laser tag centre.
Getting around Castleford
Castleford is around 30 minutes’ drive from the centre of Leeds and 40 minutes from Leeds Bradford Airport, which has flights to destinations across Europe. Regular trains connect to the Castleford railway station and the town centre is compact enough to explore on foot. Buses are also available for getting around the area.