Kirklees

Kirklees is a metropolitan district in West Yorkshire that includes Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Batley, Cleckheaton, Holmfirth, Marsden and surrounding villages. The district stretches from lowland river valleys into the Pennine fringe, with the River Colne and its tributaries running through the Colne and Holme valleys. Huddersfield is the largest town and seat of the borough, home to the University of Huddersfield and a mixture of civic, commercial and industrial areas. Local government services and cultural institutions are centred across the borough rather than in a single location.

Manufacture of woollen cloth and garments has shaped much of Kirklees, with the Heavy Woollen District centred on Dewsbury and Batley. Canals and railways remain part of the transport legacy: the Huddersfield Narrow Canal passes through Marsden and includes Standedge Tunnel, the longest, highest and deepest canal tunnel in Britain. The Emley Moor transmitter mast marks the skyline near Huddersfield. Moorland, reservoirs and canal towpaths provide walking and cycling routes, while Holmfirth is known locally for its links to the TV series Last of the Summer Wine.