From Wuthering Heights To Dracula, Here Are 3 Affordable Literary Holidays To Go On

Want to run around the moors shouting 'HEATHCLIFF' dancing to Kate Bush? Go right ahead.

From Wuthering Heights To Dracula, Here Are 3 Affordable Literary Holidays To Go On

by Jess Commons |
Published on

Being a bookworm is cool. In fact, if you're looking for holidays to go on that mean you can keep being a bookworm, even when you're not on duty, look no further...

1. Haworth, Yorkshire

yorkshire

If you spent your teenage years being all 'Oh Heathcliff, Heathcliff' and falling down dramatically into your bed before crying your eyes out through the sheer tragedy of it all then get your skates on and head to Yorkshire. You'll need a car; rent one here for as little at £25 for two days then check out cottages around the Keighley/Burnley/Halifax area. Like this barn conversion which at £60 a night for four people works out at £15 a night.

While you're there drive out to Haworth and use these very helpful instructions to do the walk out to the Bronte Waterfall and bridge where Charlotte, Emily and Anne liked to hang out. Drive a little further to get cream teas at Ponden Hall which is believed to have been the inspiration for Thrushcross Grange - the home of the Lintons in the book. In Haworth itself, there's the Bronte Parsonage Museum, set in the house the Brontes grew up in, run by the Bronte Society. Also, check out the Black Bull Public House in town where Emily apparently used to go and pick up brother Bramwell from when he was sozzled.

Between car hire, sleeping and £12 a cream tea at Ponden Hall, the whole weekend theoretically shouldn't cost you more than £50.

2. Whitby, Yorkshire

Yorkshire's other finest literary offering. Even though Dracula's author Bram Stoker was definitely from Ireland. We're sure you remember the good ship Dementer wrecking in Whitby Bay and allowing Dracula to dismbark in this country as a big black dog? Well the good people of Whitby do because there's plenty of vampire-themed stuff to keep you busy.

Again, we'd recommend renting a car; trains are stupidly expensive and you're going to want to drive for this one so you're not trapped in the main town. There's a few private rooms on offer at around the £60 mark for 2

Once there, check out the Dracula Experience; a sight specific 'experience' which walks you through the story. It might be corny but it's only £3. Take a walk over the bridge to Whitby Abbey; the ruins of a once bonkers amazing gothic church which was all the inspiration Bram Stoker needed to set such a pivotal part of his book in the Yorkshire town. If you're feeling really fit, head up and down the famous 199 steps to Church Street from the Abbey.

3. Dublin, Ireland

The literary center and home to some of the world's most important authors from James Joyce to W.B. Yeats to Samuel Beckett to George Bernard Shaw. In fact, it's actually a UNESCO city of literature, a thing which I'm sure you didn't know existed before but are now suitably impressed with.

Get there on Ryanair; if you can't get there and back for less than £30 with them then you're doing something wrong and, while you're there, check out the hostel scene. At Jacob's Inn (roof terrace, hello) you can get a bed in a dorm for €11 or Spire Hostel with beds from €17.

Literary stuff to do while you're there? Dublin Writers Museum, the National Library of Ireland, The James Joyce centre and, more importantly, this bookshop which doubles up as a bar and restaurant.

Like this? Then you might also be interested in:

How Not To Fall Out With Your BFF On Holiday

How To Go To Belgrade For Cheap

3 Alternative German City Break Ideas

Follow Jess on Twitter @Jess_Commons

This article originally appeared on The Debrief.

Just so you know, whilst we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this website, we never allow this to influence product selections - read why you should trust us