Day Trips from Manchester

In Brief. Conwy is a castle with a walled costal town attached. The castle and walled town were built in a 4 year period the 13th Century (how long is it taking to build a railway from London to Birmingham in the 21st century?), and both are impressive and substantially intact. Nearby, the Bondant Garden is an impressive National Trust garden with a surprisingly vibrant winter garden with flowering snowdrops, daffodils and rhododendron, to name but a few, on my visit on 15th January. Conwy Castle What's Here? Conwy is classed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, and it's not hard to see why, with its grand castle and the nearly complete town walls. Both were built at the same time, as part of a network of English castles that were designed to keep the Welsh in check. The castle has a series of towers, most of which can be climbed, offering good views over the River Conwy, just before it enters the Irish Sea. The castle is now popular with pigeons and tourists alike. Conwy harb...

In Brief. With its Roman origins and a medieval cathedral, the walled city of Chester has a long and varied history. The historical sites and the attractive Victorian town centre, mean that Chester is a popular tourist destination, with extensive shopping and eating temptations alongside more worthy pursuits. Not being a serious shopper, I took a boat trip on the river, walked the walls, visited the Cathedral, and ate rather too much. There is plenty to fill a day in Chester while still leaving its famous Zoo  for a return visit. Chester Cathedral from the city walls. What's Here? Though Chester has a population of around 80,000, and thus occupies a considerable area, the historic centre is compact, and delimited by essentially complete defensive walls . Seemingly started by the Romans, but completed in their current location in the 12th century, the walls now provide a walking route that gives excellent views of the main streets, the cathedral, the race course and the river. ...

In Brief. York is a serious tourist destination, and it certainly isn't possible to "do York" in a day. So choices need to be made, and I chose to walk the walls for an overview, visiting the castle part way round, and to finish at York Minster . The walls are around two miles, and provide access to the gates and the castle, as well as views of the rivers and the city. The castle keep is compact and somewhat interesting, with commanding views, though for a site of this size the entry fee is as steep as the climb. The Minster is the real deal, grand on the outside, and with remarkable interior spaces; worthy of time and respect even if visiting churches is not your thing. Approaching York Minster What's Here? York has a long history, which is reflected in its rich and varied architecture, and different periods are also represented in well known museums on the Vikings and on Railways.  So, there are different possible flavours to a day trip to York, but the choice is so...