Day Trips from Manchester

In Brief. Long before you see the actual house, various monuments adorn the landscape, suggesting there may be more to  Castle Howard than in a typical country house. This turns out to be the case, with an imposing exterior and elaborate interiors that just manage to avoid being too over the top. The house stands in the centre of extensive grounds that include a grandiose fountain, a large walled garden, woodland walks and ponds. Castle Howard is also adjacent to the Yorkshire Arboretum . The house from the Atlas Fountain to the south. What's Here? Castle Howard is entered through a courtyard that could itself be visited for the open air cafe and assorted shops. From there, paths lead to the side of the house, and the imposing north front only comes into view incrementally.  In fact, it's so wide that seeing the whole facade involves wandering down the slope towards the Great Lake. The house itself was largely build during the 18th Century, on the site of a former castle, and...

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...

In Brief. Haddon Hall is an imposing country house that occupies an elevated position overlooking the River Wye near Bakewell. The hall has its origins in the 11th Century, has remained in the same family since the 12th Century, and continues to be a family home. The public areas include one of the courtyards, the original hall, the chapel, a long gallery and the compact but pleasant gardens. Several of these are striking and distinctive, for example with the chapel featuring extensive medieval wall paintings. Haddon hall from the gardens. What's Here? Haddon Hall is a substantial building, built around two courtyards, though one of these is private. However, the lower courtyard gives access to a portion of the 12th century wall as well as the 14th century hall and kitchens. The hall was originally used for most aspects of communal living, and includes a large fireplace, as an early example of a home improvement. The hall featured a log fire during my visit, and provides access to...

In Brief. In name and in principle, Norton Priory would be a priory, but in practice, little remains of the original buildings, though the layout can be discerned from the foundations. However, this is a thoroughly excavated site, and representative archeological finds are now on show in the modern museum that borders, and partially incorporates, the remains of the priory. Thus a visit primarily involves the museum and the assorted gardens, which include woodland walks and a busy and diverse walled garden. The undercroft, the most intact area of the priory. What's Here? The modern museum is the starting point for visits, with ticket sales, the shop, the cafe and the museum. The museum itself is largely in a single space, which is packed with exhibits, in particular from the priory, which was established on the site in the 12th Century and remained in use until 1536. Exhibits from the time of the priory include a reconstruction of the cloisters, tiles, carved coffin lids and skelet...

  In Brief.  Arley Hall is a country house and garden, though the hall is only occasionally open, so for most visitors this is just the garden. The garden includes a large and varied formal area, including a walled garden, as well as a woodland walk. Both of these provide pleasing vistas and places to sit, and the cafe also has outdoor seating with views of the house. The pleached lime avenue at the entrance to Arley Hall. What's here? Arley Hall , was built in the early to mid 19th Century, and is the family home of Viscount Ashbrook. The gardens were created at the same time as the hall, though of course there have been developments over the years, and the estate has been in the same family for much longer. For example, there is a barn dating from around 1470. The gardens are in two parts. The Grove, passes behind the hall and past The Chapel, and consists of a varied woodland garden, with shrubs and trees, for a relaxing wander.  A picnic area and the outdoor play equ...

In Brief. Hare Hill is a compact but varied garden run by the National Trust. The centrepiece is a spacious walled garden, with borders and sculptures, but there are a variety of areas with different characters, including ponds and rock gardens. The walled garden. What's Here? Hare Hill was once the garden of the adjacent, late 18th Century, Hare Hill Hall, which is visible from parts of the garden. The garden was redeveloped in the mid 20th Century by Colonel Charles Brocklehurst, who bequeathed the garden to the National Trust.  The walled garden contains statues in memory of the twin brother of Charles Brocklehurst, who was killed at 26 in a riding accident. The borders. The garden itself is a relaxing place; it is not not grand enough to be imposing, and given its modest scale, seems like a place for leisurely meandering.  There are a wide variety of trees, colourful rhododendrons in the spring, and different areas have varying characters - there is an area with ponds and...

In Brief. The RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) Garden Bridgewater is a modern take on a walled garden and parkland, with imposing visitor facilities. The Bridgewater Garden is based in the grounds of the now demolished Worsley New Hall, and is renovating and reinterpreting parts of these grounds, including a lake and the walled gardens. There are three main facets to the site: a walled garden including a kitchen garden and a "paradise garden", the wider parkland that includes some themed gardens and woodland, and the visitor centre, with shops, a cafe and a garden centre. What's not to like about the development of a modern garden in a neglected historic site? Alas, having now been twice, I find it a bit soulless; there certainly wasn't much colour on either visit, and even with the guide book to try to bring out the concept on my second trip, the overall project perhaps seems a little worthy but dull. Not as refreshing, for example, as Biddulph Grange . Water featu...