Day Trips from Manchester

In Brief. Tatton Park is a substantial estate that was owned for over 400 years by members of the Egerton family. The current neo-classical mansion was built in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, and many of the fixtures and fittings date from that period. However, the outdoor spaces are probably more visited than the mansion, and there are extensive and varied gardens, including a Japanese Garden and an arboretum. For younger visitors, there is also the farm, which includes both historic buildings like the mill and a collection of farm animals from rare breeds. The mansion from the gardens. What's Here? Tatton is an impressive estate, and everything comes on a grand scale. I started with a walk round the gardens, where there are airy lawns, many impressive trees inside and outside the arboretum, ornate topiary, a variety of ponds and an extensive Japanese garden.  There is even a compact formal Italian Garden, but the scale of the rest of the garden rather leaves it as a foo...

In Brief. Walton Hall is a Victorian era country house, now owned and run by Warrington District Council. Set in extensive gounds that include lawns, wooded areas and formal gardens, it is possible to visit here for a wander. However, this is largely a municipal park with attached hall, and the target audience certainly includes pre-teens, with a play area, crazy golf and a zoo among the attractions. The hall seems largely to be used for functions. Walton Hall What's Here? Although there is a country house, Walton Hall is primarily visited for its ground, and its grounds are primarily visited by families with kids. The grounds are reasonably extensive, including a wooded area and some formal gardens that were quite colourful in our July visit.  These are not as grand or as manicured as at some custom gardens (such as Harrow Carr ) or country houses (such as Brodsworth Hall ), but they are pleasant enough (and free).  The formal gardens. For the younger generation, there is a ...