Day Trips from Manchester

In Brief. The Yorkshire Sculpture Park  occupies the extensive grounds of the 18th Century Bretton Hall, with sculptures spread over a wide area. The sculptures on display include long standing items and more frequently changing exhibitions, with the latter concentrated near to the main entrance. The sculptures on show are modern but diverse, with such a variety of styles that visitors should take to some of them.  The Family of Man from Barbara Hepworth (also viewable at The Hepworth Gallery ). What's Here? Most visitors will arrive at the main entrance, which is supported by a modern reception building that hosts a cafe/restaurant and the shop. It is also adjacent to the more formal gardens and gallery areas that host changing exhibitions.  From these, there are paths down the hill past a variety of sculptures towards the lake.   The park includes work from well known sculptors, including Antony Gormley, Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore, alongside the work of other...

In Brief. Wimbledon , the world's premier grass court tournament, takes place in late June and early July, ahead of which are several other grass court tournaments in the UK. One of these is in Nottingham , which tends to feature several top-10 players and many of the top British players. There is a centre court for matches with highly ranked players (and the finals), and a collection of other courts with different numbers of seats (from very few to quite significant stands). Supported by numerous eateries, this is an easy way to observe some good quality tennis.  Tickets can be booked well ahead, but I obtained tickets on Sunday for entry on Monday; later days book up sooner. Rothesay Open Displays What's Here? The Rothsay Open Tennis tournament takes place at the impressive Nottingham Tennis Center , which was hosting lots of coaching activities for young people as well as the tournament when I arrived.  This is the first professional tennis tournament I have attended, and i...

In Brief. Conisbrough Castle  consists of a crumbling inner Bailey and an impressively preserved 12th Century tower that sits on a hill overlooking much of the small town of Conisbrough. Run by English Heritage, there are informative displays on the castle and the principal protagonists in its history, along with insights into what is involved in keeping a castle up and running. The town of Conisbrough itself is quite low key, and its roads are no better maintained than in other parts of the country; hitting a pothole with a bit of a thump at quite low speed near to the castle turned out to be enough to puncture a front tyre and radically change the plan for the day. The tower from the inner Bailey. What's Here? The most striking feature of Conisbrough Castle is its tower, which was likely built in the late 12th century by/for Isabel and Hamelin de Warenne. Isabelle was the great-great-granddaughter of William de Warenne, a close follower of William the Conqueror, and Hamelin of An...

 In Brief. Just to the south of the Lake District, and close to Silverdale, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)  Leighton Moss  reserve provides access to a distinctive natural habitat in the form of a substantial reed bed, with assorted viewing areas and a visitor center. I saw a variety of mostly rather familiar birds, but a significant number of more committed ornithologists were well equipped with impressive cameras, so likely there are more exotic species to be seen if you know where to look. If you prefer your nature more tamed, the nearby National Trust property at Sizergh  provides civilised gardens adjacent to a hall that has evolved over almost 800 years of occupancy by the same family. Sizergh House from the Mirror Lake. What's Here? A visit to the RSPB Web Site reveals that they have over 180 nature reserves. The only one I had previously visited featured nesting seabirds at Bempton Cliffs , and was clearly a popular tourist destination....

  In Brief. The  Gladstone Pottery Museum  occupies a site that was used for pottery production from the late 18th century until the early 1960s. It was saved from demolition as a good example of a pottery factory with its distinctive coal-fired bottle ovens. The museum itself preserves and provides access to this distinctive infrastructure, while also stepping through the manufacturing process and describing the working lives of the factory workers in a wide variety of roles. There was also one demonstration of pottery making on the day of my visit. It is an interesting complement to tours of the current day Wedgwood factory that is four miles away. Bottle ovens and factory buildings. What's Here? A visit to the museum takes the form of a self-guided tour through the factory buildings.  The site is compact but densely packed, with four bottle ovens and a collection of buildings that include both pottery making paraphernalia and display boards that step through the ...

In Brief. The  Maritime  and  International Slavery  museums share a large warehouse along one side of the Albert Dock in  Liverpool's Waterfront . The maritime museum covers two complete floors, including exhibitions on The Titanic, The Battle of the Atlantic and commercial shipping, especially where there is a Liverpool connection. The more modern International Slavery museum covers African culture, the slave trade and its connection to industries in the north of England, and for more recent times the legacy of slavery and modern slavery. There's a lot to take in. The museum building. What's Here? The obvious way to approach this museum is probably to start on the ground floor with a history of Liverpool Docks, and work your way up. This is what I did, but I don't recommend it, as by the time you reach the International Slavery Museum there is the risk that you will have had your fill of museums for the day. The Maritime Museum is huge, and covers a variety of...

In Brief.  For something completely different from a day trip to a civilised National Trust property, the Hack Green Nuclear Bunker in the Cheshire countryside provides a glimpse into the somewhat bygone age of the Cold War and the threat of nuclear devastation. Hack Green was to have been a government regional headquarters in the event of a nuclear war, and contains the minimum infrastructure for communication, coordination and life support for 160 civil servants. It's a stark reminder of how very bleak everything could quickly have become. Afterwards, the historic town of Nantwich is close by, with an opportunity to have lunch in a 400 year old hostelry and to both find out about and take home some Cheshire cheese. British air-dropped nuclear weapon. What's Here? Hack Green is approached down typical country lanes, and is a large, windowless concrete building, designed to withstand some measure of bomb damage.  Inside it is substantial, hosting among other things a canteen ...