Day Trips from Manchester

In Brief. Lytham St Annes is a town immediately to the south of Blackpool, and the coast faces the Irish Sea over substantial beaches in St Annes. Thus St Annes is essentially a somewhat sleepy seaside resort that most likely is not especially envious of its glitzier neighbour. Following the coast round to the Ribble estuary, Lytham has costal defences, but feels more like a market town, with a refined shopping and restaurant area and an annual music festival . Statue of a shrimper in Lowther Gardens, Lytham. What's Here? In visiting a town that occupies a substantial stretch of shoreline, I decided to park at St Annes, walk to Lytham along the coastal path, and to walk back along the slightly more direct cost road (perhaps 4 miles each way).  This turned out to be a reasonable plan, with changing costal scenery, a variety of attractions, and periodic eateries. In my visit in September, it was warm, occasionally sunny, and calm, though during a previous visit in October the coast w...

In Brief.  Chatsworth is the grande dame of northern country houses, having been the home of the Duke of Devonshire and ancestors in the Cavendish family for over 400 years. Located in the picturesque Derwent Valley, the exterior of the property is vast but elegant, in contrast with with the rather showy interior. The gardens are extensive, varied and well maintained, and are likely to be the high point of most visits.   Chatsworth from the Salisbury Lawns What's Here? Chatsworth is what a country house can be made to look like with access to an almost unlimited budget over a prolonged period. The result is undeniably a notch more grand than other stately homes in the area, and interestingly visitors on a weekday in summer include many more overseas tourists than can be seen at a typical property run by the National Trust (such as Lyme Park ) or English Heritage (such as Brodsworth Hall ).  The interior has clearly been designed to impress, but can give the impress...