Day Trips from Manchester

In Brief.  The Kelham Island Museum is a compact but surprisingly comprehensive museum on the industrial heritage of Sheffield. Located by the River Don, in a former factory site, the museum captures the history of manufacturing in Sheffield and the diverse products made from its steel, from saws to ships. The museum is densely packed with exhibits, and includes as a highlight the River Don Engine, the most powerful working steam engine in Europe, which is worth seeing in action. A Bessemer Converter outside the museum. What's Here? The Kelham Island Museum is located in an industrial site by the River Don, adjacent to a mixture of historic industrial buildings, typically repurposed, and modern offices and flats. The museum is near part of the Upper Don Walk, which provides a chance to see other post-industrial areas, though this is much more low key than the Leeds Waterfront . The museum itself has a collection of themed spaces, so that it is possible to follow the evolution of ...

In Brief. Quite a few National Trust properties run festive lighting events, and at Dunham Massey this is on a grand scale. We visited the Dunham Massey trail several years ago, and my recollection is that it was quite a low-key affair; think illuminated trees in the gardens. However, for 2022 there is a much more substantial event, with a series of installations, timed entry slots, on-trail catering and crowds. There has been significant effort put into making a spectacle of walking through a garden in the dark and cold, but if you learn anything from this blog for a visit in 2023, it should be  wrap up warm! The hall from the gardens. What's Here? This is a book-ahead event, with ticket prices that would pay for a trip to Pizza Express if you fancy something more predictable and inside. The carpark was largely full when we arrived for our 7:30 slot, and visitors are channelled along a path past larger-than-life illuminated deer to the largest of several Christmas Market style ca...