Day Trips from Manchester

In Brief. The  Keighley and Worth Valley Railway is a heritage railway that occupies a 5 mile branch line constructed in the 1860s to provide passenger and goods services to the towns and mills in the valley. Though 5 miles seems very short, train journeys are pleasant enough, with some countryside, some narrow valley scenery, the towns and the occasional tunnel. As a significant tourist destination, the stops include pristine restored stations, museums and an abundance of eateries, and trains are pulled by a variety of steam and diesel rolling stock. Steam engine from 1888 pulling a passenger train. What's Here? Though not originally an especially significant piece of national infrastructure, the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway has been running as a heritage railway for more than 50 years, with more than 100,000 visitors a year.  As well as the regularly running heritage rolling stock, there are many event days of different forms, typically based around train types (I...

In brief. Though not associated with much in the way of an interesting back story, Beningbrough Hall is a refined 18th century country house near York, now run by the National Trust . Though described as Baroque , Beningbrough is quite restrained, with a balanced exterior, fine interior woodwork and a tasteful walled garden. A visit to the hall itself includes period furniture and fittings on the ground floor and changing art exhibitions on the first floor, so overall a visit provides a variety of experiences.  The hall from the back garden. What's here? Though some country houses seem designed to impress with excess, Beningbrough seems more inclined to show off through good taste. On arrival, the walled garden is an obvious first place to visit, and features  borders and fruit trees. Overall, though there are gardens surrounding the house, these are not extensive, so this is not a place to come for exercise. Commendably, there is also a modern Mediterranean garden, reflecting...