Day Trips from Manchester

In Brief. The British Commercial Vehicle Museum  at Leyland and the Lakeland Motor Museum near the southern end of Lake Windermere host substantial collections of motor vehicles of different types and from different periods. In both museums, the standard experience is wandering past pristine vehicles, and reading a little about them on displays.  The Lakeland Motor Museum also hosts an exhibition on Donald and Malcolm Campbell, and their land and water speed records. A vintage MG sports car. What's Here? The  Lakeland Motor Museum  hosts an eclectic collection of vehicles, including bicycles, motor bikes and cars. For many visitors, this will include vehicles that they recognise, as well as models that are now rarely if ever seen on the road. The vehicles are well maintained, and some are accompanied by some comments on the model or the specific vehicle.  With an emphasis on speed, there are displays on the Isle of Man TT races including bikes that have been ra...

In Brief. RSPB St Aidans is a nature reserve that occupies a former open cast coal mine, and which now provides a variety of habitats for birds and other wildlife, traversed by walks of varying lengths.  Nearby Lotherton Hall is run by Leeds Museums and Galleries , and includes more managed nature, in the form of formal and less formal gardens, a deer park, a woodland walk and a small zoo. Reedbeds from the Lowther Loop Walk What's Here? The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) runs over 200 nature reserves in the UK, which tend to combine the opportunity for a walk in the countryside with some more serious wildlife photography. Evidence for the latter is how many people are packing impressive camera gear.  Some RSPB sites seem better than others for walkers, and St Aidans is one of the better ones.  There are plenty circular walks, and not just walks that lead to hides; indeed there are no hides at St Aidans, and there is a cafe with decent views. In terms...

In Brief. Blackpool Tower , completed in 1894, may be half the height and a several years later than the Eiffel Tower, but it still towers over the seafront of low-rise Blackpool. Furthermore, Blackpool Tower is not only a tower, but is a destination in its own right, with a circus, mini-golf, and a dungeon themed experience.  It also occupies a location on Blackpool's extensive promenade, between 2 of its 3 piers and thus close to other traditional seaside activities. Blackpool Tower and North Pier from Central Pier. What's Here? The journey to the top of the tower is branded as The Blackpool Tower Eye , which essentially consists of a short Blackpool-themed "4D" movie and the chance to take a lift to take in the views from the top. These are worth seeing, either directly down through some glass floors or in other directions along the coast, out to sea or over the town. There are several floors, either glassed in or more exposed, at the top of the tower. The North Pi...

In Brief. Harrogate is a spa town, with extensive Georgian and Victorian developments around its many iron and sulphur springs. Though taking the waters is no longer associated with such significant health benefits, the architecture and open spaces of the spa resort remain, as does a Turkish Baths . As a result, Harrogate has significant tourist and conference visitors, with a flourishing town centre supporting many eateries and independent shops. Betty's Tearooms What's Here? Harrogate has a compact town centre, adjacent to extensive parks and green spaces. The home of Yorkshire Tea, Harrogate hosts a substantial Bettys Tea Room , with an wide selection of teas, superior cakes and main meals. As a popular destination, there is a well managed queue at the front door, and an opportunity to take some bakery items home as well as to spend time in the traditional cafe. Harrogate's green town centre. Before or after making the most of the many eateries, the Valley Gardens is a ...

In Brief. Lancaster is a (reasonably small) city in Lancashire with a long history, adjacent to the seaside town of Morecambe . The centre of Lancaster is hilly, but compact enough to be easily walkable, with places to visit including the castle, the river and several museums. Morecambe has a lengthy sea front overlooking the estuary of Morecambe Bay that includes cafes, a stone jetty, a statue of Eric Morecambe and a play park. The entrance to Lancaster Castle What's Here? The centre of Lancaster mostly consists of low-rise sandstone buildings, and the castle remains much the most imposing structure. Entry through the impressive 15th century gatehouse gives access to a large courtyard that hosts an excellent cafe and the ticket office for tours.  Informative one hour tours are the main way of seeing inside the castle, and turn out to focus on its role as a prison.  Indeed, the castle was in use as a prison until 2011, and still hosts courts; both prison wings and court buil...

In Brief. Land Rover provide off-road driving experiences using their vehicles at two sites in the North West, at Halewood in Merseyside and near Tarporley in Cheshire.  Recent purchasers of a Land Rover or Range Rover receive such an experience as an opportunity to try out their type of vehicle in the wild, and several options are available more widely. I booked a 1 hour experience, which explored varied tracks in a woodland location, providing an interesting introduction to off-road driving and a chance to experience some of the latest driving aids. Land Rovers at  Peckforton Castle What's Here? I chose the Peckforton Castle centre, in the hope of finding pleasant countryside, and indeed the setting is grand, with the welcome area based inside the walls of Peckforton Castle , a grand country house that is now a hotel. As pictured, a wide variety of Land Rover and Range Rover vehicles are available, and my experience took place in a full-sized Range Rover D350.  I ...