Ultra-isolated UK village where 'if you survive first winter you stay forever'
Locals in a very remote UK village say that have an "amazing" community with people "kind and helpful" - and "if you can survive your first winter here you'll stay forever."
Tucked away between Hebden Bridge, Todmorden and the moorland between Lancashire and Yorkshire is the tiny hamlet of Blackshaw Head. And it's so hidden that you might miss it if you didn't know it was there.
The small stretch of road known as Blackshaw Head is lined with traditional farmhouses and some newer homes. The parish has a chapel and one pub, The New Delight at Jack Bridge, but little else! There's only one store, May's shop at Height Gate Farm, which sits near the parish boundary. It's open from early morning until late at night, providing essentials for residents who can't get them anywhere else, at least not on foot.
Life in the tiny and rural Yorkshire village where locals say 'if you can survive your first winter you'll stay forever' (No credit)
Cathy Urquhart says Blackshaw Head is a 'wonderful place to live' (No credit)May Stocks' shop has been a lifeline for hikers and villagers in a remote area for nearly 50 years. May and her late husband Michael, originally farmers, opened the shop in the 1970s after frequently being asked by lost walkers for refreshments, reported YorkshireLive.
The shop has been open every day except Christmas since 1974, from 7am to 9pm. For those living in isolation in this part of the Calder Valley, seeing May might be their only human contact that day. Blackshaw Head is known for its strong winds and can be tough in the winter months.
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But despite the challenges of bad weather and power cuts, residents love living here. Scott Blakely, 43, said: "If you can survive your first winter here you'll stay forever!" Another local, Hannah Sheldon, 21, who has lived there with her mum since she was four, said: "Most people say we live in a bubble."
A main road through Blackshaw Head (Google)Hannah, a school teacher, added: "It is an amazing place to live, it's so calm in the countryside and resetting. The community is amazing, everyone knows each other and everyone is so kind and helpful. There's a lot of running and walking routes, we're not far from Burnley, Halifax or Rochdale if we need shops and it's only a five-minute drive into Todmorden. Those places combined have everything we need so there is no struggle for amenities really unless you don't drive!"
"There are difficulties like public transport and when it snows it's impossible to get anywhere. It can be difficult to leave the house when it snows as the roads are dangerous. It requires tractors or very big cars to get anywhere but this is outweighed by the beauty of the hills in the snow, the walks are amazing and everyone gets so excited to go sledging!"
Hannah added: "However, growing up I did sometimes feel isolated, it was difficult to meet friends without relying on a lift. The public transport isn't great, there's only one bus route into Hebden Bridge. When I temporarily moved to Liverpool for University I noticed there are many more opportunities (sport and career wise) outside of Yorkshire. But it goes without saying that the positives out way the negatives. Blackshaw Head is an amazing place to live, for all ages."
A third resident, who has lived in Blackshaw Head for two years, Cathy Urquhart, 61, said: "It's a wonderful place to live. Great neighbours, easy access to the moors and walking routes and a real sense of community. The negative is the speeding through the village. We've had cars speeding at 70mph through the village - we have no pavements and lots of near misses.
"But the positive about this is the fact that we are building on the strong sense of community that is already here and we are trying to do something about it! We also have a very active Parish Council, and the Chapel acts as a venue for community groups."
When asked about winter conditions, Cathy said: "Being snowed in for a day is average but the roads do get cleared quickly. The road to Burnley on the Lancashire side can be treacherous though because they don't seem to clear it! We've had a few loss of water situations, it helps to keep some water stored in containers. And we do lose power in storms."
Cathy, who leads the Blackshaw Head Community Association, added: "The community association would like to add more amenities but for now we're trying to tackle the speeding issue. If you drive through the village you'll see lots of plantings and a bench too, and we would like to enter Britain in Bloom at some point."
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]
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