terrifying

Nestled in lower Wharfedale, Hebden village offers stunning walking routes, trolls folklore linked to Hound of Baskervilles, Roman history, and a charming tea room in a former chapel

Tucked away in the hills of lower Wharfedale lies a hidden treasure brimming with history and spine-tingling stories.

Hebden sits within the Yorkshire Dales National Park’s protected conservation areas – this particular village occupies land where an ancient Bronze Age settlement once stood.

The area boasts stunning walking trails that wind past charming Yorkstone cottages. One notorious route leading to the village passes through a ravine called Trollers Gill.

This now-popular picnic destination harbours a sinister past. Locals once believed the gorge was inhabited by malevolent trolls who would murder humans by hurling boulders at them.

Even more disturbing, the cave at the passage’s end was thought to shelter a wolf-like creature that would slaughter anyone who locked eyes with it, reports Yorkshire Live.

This legend is believed to have inspired Sherlock Holmes creator Arthur Conan Doyle’s celebrated tale The Hound of the Baskervilles, according to Yorkshire Dales.

Romans also established themselves in the vicinity – with 33 silver denarii coins discovered in the surrounding countryside – supporting the theory that Romans inhabited the region between 30 and 170 AD.

Along the village’s main street, you’ll discover something unexpected. Within Hebden Methodist Church, formerly a school, sits a charming tea room.

Outside the Old School Tea Room, the postbox has been painted gold to honour Yorkshire’s Olympic gold medallist – rower Andrew Triggs Hodge. One Trip Advisor user described it as “the perfect pit stop”.

They explained: “We visited the Old School Tea Room while doing a loop walk from Linton, along the river, via Hebden and to Grassington.

“It was about halfway, and we were ready for cake! Lovely, characterful building, inside and out, friendly staff and a great range of cakes. I opted for a raspberry and white chocolate one. Delicious! And all with a really nice cup of Yorkshire tea. I’ll definitely be back!”.

For bird enthusiasts, there’s an impressive array of wildlife worth getting the binoculars out for, including Canada Geese, Teal and Reed Bunting.

Hebden’s more recent past has been shaped by mining. Evidence of this former industry can be spotted along the popular Lead Mining Trail, which begins at Yarnbury to the north of Hebden.

The route takes you through Orefield, one of the principal mines during the Victorian period, and skirts the edge of Hebden.

Save on the best holiday cottages in Yorkshire

From £31 per night

Sykes Cottages

See the deals

Famous for its dramatic landscapes, historic cities, hearty food, and rich cultural heritage Yorkshire is just waiting to be explored. Sykes Cottages has a large number of properties to choose from with prices from £31 per night.

Today host Savannah Guthrie’s mother Nancy was last seen on Saturday night at her Arizona home – and now TMZ claim to have received a random note in relation to her kidnapping

There has been a new develop in the case of Today host Savannah Guthrie’s missing mother, with TMZ claiming to have received a “ransom note” in relation to her kidnapping. Savannah’s 84-year-old mother Nancy was reportedly taken from her home in Arizona’s Catalina Hills on Feb 1 before the alarm was raised by a family member later that day.

The police confirmed yesterday that they are treating Nancy’s disappearance as a crime after making a “very concerning” discovering in her home. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said: “We do in fact have a crime scene.

“We do in fact have a crime. She did not leave on her own. We know that.”

Now, American news outlet TMZ is claiming to have received a ransom note from Nancy’s kidnappers, asking for millions of dollars in Bitcoin to be sent to a specific Bitcoin address. In a video posted to TMZ’s X page, host Harvey Levin told the camera: “So we got something in our email that looks like a, is written like, a ransom note for Savannah Guthrie’s mother.”

Co-host Charles Latibeaudiere added: “Specific requests for specific amounts of money, bitcoin.” Harvey added: “And also they say at the bottom, there are certain things they are saying about what she was wearing and damage to the house.

“We have contacted the sheriff’s department, and we want to get them this letter. We had a little trouble getting through to the right person. We spoke with someone who is now forwarding this to somebody in the detective bureau. If my phone rings, I may have to stop.”

Charles added: “What’s interesting is, you know, there was just a news conference that just ended with the sheriff, and he was asked about—we’re going to do this segment in a few minutes—but he was asked about a ransom note, and he just said, ‘We are following all leads.'”

Harvey warned viewers that they don’t know whether the note is “authentic or not”, but noted that it did contain details about the crime scene. “They are acting as if, ‘Yeah, only we would know these things and we’re serious.’

“And there’s a dollar demand and an ‘or else’ in there, so we will let you know as this develops.”

They revealed that the Bitcoin address listed in the note is a legitimate address. Meanwhile, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department wrote on X, writing that they are “aware of reports circulating about possible ransom note(s) regarding the investigation into Nancy Guthrie”.

In light of her mother’s disappearance, Savannah announced last night that she would be dropping out of hosting duties at the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony as “she focuses on being with her family during this difficult time,” an NBC Sports spokesperson said.

“Thank you for lifting your prayers with ours for our beloved mom, our dearest Nancy, a woman of deep conviction, a good and faithful servant,” she wrote on Instagram on Monday.

Join The Mirror’s WhatsApp Community or follow us on Google News , Flipboard , Apple News, TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads – or visit The Mirror homepage.