The beautiful village with an influx of tourists harbouring a dark past

It's a village so friendly that you could spend hours just wandering around, chatting to locals and admiring their lovely gardens and hanging baskets.

In fact, that's what some visitors to Hinchliffe Mill do for their holidays as the picturesque Holme Valley village has its own mini tourism industry thanks to a handful of holiday cottages, lovely walks and the chance to see film locations associated with Last of the Summer Wine.

The village, near Holmfirth, has been pulling in quite a few new faces - 'incomers' to some - and some of them have settled.

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Julie Shaw moved up from Nottingham and soon fell in love with the peaceful surroundings and the scenery. "It is nice and quiet," says Julie. "And close to the Peak District. People are so friendly and you can walk into Holmfirth. I chose to live here because of the scenery...I wanted a simple and quiet life."

She quickly realised that asking for a 'teacake' was more sensible than saying 'cob' and has enjoyed learning more about West Riding quirks and customs. Her only gripe, and one shared by many, is the lack of parking which can turn Woodhead Road into an 'obstacle course' of parked cars, some halfway on the pavement, and rows of wheelie bins.

Hayley Carter, who works in The Stumble Inn in Hinchliffe Mill, says the village does get quite a number of tourists and visitors, many of them fans of Last of the Summer Wine.

"It's a beautiful village and very community oriented. We get a lot of regulars in the pub and they are a lovely bunch. We get people in from the holiday lettings and a lot of tourists. I think they come for the Summer Wine and the walks."

Right on cue, just as we were chatting, a Summer Wine tour bus passed by. Hayley says the tourists come from across the UK, including from the south of England. Some visitors come in search of the past. It's a grim past in some respects.

Way back in February 1852, The Stumble Inn was the New Inn and the site where bodies were identified following a calamity known as the Holmfirth flood. Around 80 people died including a large proportion of the village population.

Water Street in the bottom of Hinchliffe Mill was very hard hit. Those who died included Jonathan Crosland, 39, and his five children, and Rose Charlesworth, 40, and her five children. One family lost 10 members when 86m gallons of water burst down the valley when Bilberry Reservoir's embankment failed.

Over 170 years later and Water Street is still a feature of the village, now with one or two holiday lets, according to locals. Like many streets, there are hanging baskets and splashes of colour. There are quirky house names dotted around the village like Stumble Cottage, Butchers Cottage, Spring House and The Old Wash Kitchen.

Trevor Bellamy, who runs Corn Loft Guest House and Tea Rooms in Woodhead Road, says Hinchliffe Mill "still has a village atmosphere" which he finds surprising given new-build housing projects "around the edges".

He's been in the village for around 37 years and has heard people worrying that it has been 'spoilt' by changes that have seen the loss of many shops and retailers. There's still a Londis, a pub, a hair salon and his guest house, but not a great deal more.

But the main problem is parking, with many households with more than one car and very little off-road parking space. "It's never going to alter in terms of parking," he says.

Trevor thinks Summer Wine still has pulling power and it helps the village tick over. He has some Summer Wine memorabilia in the guest house/tea rooms which is always a conversation starter. He said: "People say that we are quirky and different. The place is stuffed full of crockery."

Ben Charlesworth, 42, who was passing through the village after slogging his way up and Holme Moss (1,719ft), said: "Hinchcliffe Mill hasn't changed. It's lovely. There have been a few developments on the back estates, but this bit (the centre) hasn't changed."

He says the area is a desirable place to live but the properties aren't cheap. "Fortunately I got the house in 2014. We would not be able to afford it now."

A couple of people spoke about the impact of 'incomers' in the village but would not give their name. One anonymous woman in her 60s, who called herself 'nosey parker', said: "Incomers don't tend to be as friendly as the old 'uns. When you walk through Holmfirth and say hello they just look at you as though you have gone mad."

And a man who did not want to be named claimed 'do gooders' had scuppered plans to turn a local mill into homes. Rachel, a resident for 12 years, moved up from the south-west and says: "It's beautiful and the people are nice. People are very friendly and there is a good spirit."

Geoff Howarth, a retired motor company trader, says locals have invested time and effort into improving many of the old buildings in the village. He has spent around 30 years turning what he called a 'swamp' beside the river into a manicured garden with water features.

"I feel my garden is the best bit (in the village)," he joked. "Everyone walks past and thinks it's great. The worst thing is the parking along Woodhead Road."

He thinks the people are special and deserve a mention. Everybody 'may look ordinary', he says, but appearances can be deceptive.

"People are seriously interesting and all down to earth with a real good story to tell," he said.

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