Day Trips from Manchester

In Brief. Long before you see the actual house, various monuments adorn the landscape, suggesting there may be more to  Castle Howard than in a typical country house. This turns out to be the case, with an imposing exterior and elaborate interiors that just manage to avoid being too over the top. The house stands in the centre of extensive grounds that include a grandiose fountain, a large walled garden, woodland walks and ponds. Castle Howard is also adjacent to the Yorkshire Arboretum . The house from the Atlas Fountain to the south. What's Here? Castle Howard is entered through a courtyard that could itself be visited for the open air cafe and assorted shops. From there, paths lead to the side of the house, and the imposing north front only comes into view incrementally.  In fact, it's so wide that seeing the whole facade involves wandering down the slope towards the Great Lake. The house itself was largely build during the 18th Century, on the site of a former castle, and...

In Brief. Well known for its historic walls and cathedral, Chester also hosts several museums for rainy days. Located close together in the compact city centre, the Grosvenor Museum is a traditional museum that includes the story of Roman Chester, Sick to Death is a modern museum on disease and healthcare for those who are not hypochondriacs, and the Cheshire Military Museum provides extensive coverage of the long history of Cheshire regiments. Reconstructed WWW1 trench in Cheshire Military Museum What's Here? The Grosvenor Museum is a municipal museum in a custom-built Victorian building named after the nobleman who contributed to the establishment of the museum. Much of the ground floor focuses on Roman Chester, including a collection of tombstones that were unearthed during excavations of the city walls; these are complemented by artefacts that support the description of life in a Roman garrison town. Other exhibition spaces are more focused on arts and crafts, including two...

In Brief Hoghton Tower is an imposing 16th Century Manor House and Garden on an elevated site approached by a straight driveway of at least a kilometre. One of its towers fell victim to an ammunition explosion during the Civil War, so although entry is by a robust gatehouse tower, its tallest tower is no more. Largely refurbished in late Victorian times, the house features impressive oak interiors, and a guided tour provides a narrative on the evolving building, royal visits and the family that has owned the estate since the 12th century. Approaching Hoghton Tower What's Here? Most human contact at Houghton Tower is with enthusiastic volunteers, and guided tours run regularly through the day. I took one of these, and it was certainly helpful for bringing the house to life. Having been vacant for over a century, the refurbishment in the 1880s means that the interiors are in uniformly good condition, with wood panelling, and some earlier furniture and fittings. There are various fin...

In Brief. Powis Castle is a 13th century fortress near Welshpool looked after by the National Trust. Though it occupies a lofty, and thus surely defendable position, the castle has been a country house for several centuries, and features fine interiors from widely different periods. The elevated position provides views over the terraced gardens that lead down to lawns, other formal gardens and some woodland walks. The Castle and 17th century Yew trees from the top terrace. What's Here? Occupying a hilltop, the castle tends to be viewed from below, with steep terraces leading down to a large lawn and some formal gardens, before the grounds rise again to a wooded area. Although the gardens are interesting in themselves, the eyes tend to be drawn to the red castle that towers over them. The courtyard The castle itself is accessed through a courtyard that offers views over the gardens and hosts the cafe and the Clive Museum. The museum holds a remarkable collection of artefacts from I...

In Brief. The Martin Mere Wetland Centre occupies a substantial rural site in Lancashire, to the East of Southport, run by the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust . This site includes a relatively managed area that hosts the cafe, visitor centre and its own collection of birds (and otters) from around the globe. The bulk of the area, however, consists of habitats for wild birds, including the mere itself and a reedbed, which can be visited from a network of paths and observed in several hides. A Coscoroba swan on an impressive nest. What's Here? The area occupied by the wetland centre has had a complicated history, having once been a large lake that was drained for farmland, and which has more recently been converted into habitats for wildfowl. Thus, like various Royal Society for the Protection of Birds sites, such as St Aidans , the landscape looks like it could be natural, but in fact is carefully managed.  The Mere from Discovery Hide As many of the residents migrate, there are differ...

In Brief. Sheffield hosts two national museums, which are 10 minutes walk apart, just to the north and east of the City Centre. The National Emergency Services Museum is located in a police and fire station dating from 1900, and includes a wide range of displays and artefacts on the history of these and other emergency services. The National Videogame Museum contains a single large space occupied by arcade games, gaming consoles and computers, providing an opportunity to try out computer games from the last 50 years. Not all the characters at the Videogame museum are digital. What's Here? The National Emergency Services Museum has a low-key exterior, in the form of a historic redbrick building adjacent to the recently redeveloped Riverside district. However, the building is deceptively spacious, and the museum uses features of the building as to support its narrative. So, for example, the area on the police focuses on the history of policing, and uses the original cells to review...