DRIVING up Castle Hill last week to join a public archaeology session I was stunned, as I always am, by the gloriousness of the scenery from this iconic beauty spot.

The ancient hill fort with its Victoria Tower is awash with the history of Huddersfield’s earliest inhabitants. It’s a wonderful place to visit.

In recent years, Castle Hill has been the subject of a protracted planning wrangle over the building of a new hotel.

Local residents are understandably concerned over the increase in traffic such an establishment would bring, not to mention late-night drunken revelries.

Although there was once a pub on the site I think the time may now have come to draw a line and resist any future major commercial developments.

The archaeology session, led by Louise Martin of West Yorkshire Archaeological Services, was part of a new survey of the site, which hopes to unearth some of its mysteries.

If it does and there is further research and excavation it could put Castle Hill on a par with other more-famous archaeological sites. I just hope that the application for Heritage Lottery funding to extend the work is successful.

A recent correspondent to The Examiner suggested that a visitor centre on Castle Hill might be more appropriate than a hotel and I’m inclined to agree.

Castle Hill is a beauty spot to rival any and there is no problem with a steady trickle of day-time visitors enjoying the views. A little cafe, museum and gift shop would generate some profits for future conservation without despoiling the hill.

There are plenty of empty pubs and hostelries in Huddersfield that need new life injecting into them but there is only one Castle Hill.