5 Great Places To Visit Near Manchester
There’s plenty on in Manchester, unique events and fun activities run on a daily basis throughout in the centre and surrounding areas. However, we all need a break from the grey clouds, heavy traffic and hustle and bustle of a big city
If you’re in need an adventure, you may not know that within an hour’s drive of Manchester you can find some fantastic places to explore. Here are some of our favourites…
Dovestone Reservoir
Up near Saddleworth, where the scenery is a vibrant green and the roads twist over and under the hills, is Dovestone Reservoir.
The serene waters provide a fitting view for the 8.4 mile loop, which is perfect for a slightly steep stroll while taking in the great outdoors. As you wander, you can catch sights of the resident peregrine falcons, who are Britain’s fastest birds.
It’s actually quite easy to miss an integral part of Dovestone’s history. Near Celebration Woods, you can find some old steps which are all that remain of a once-grand Victorian shooting lodge. There’s also The Trinnacle, a towering rock assembly you can climb, worthy of an Instagram photo. Our Marketing Manager took one recently, which you can see below.
It’s only a 40 minute drive North-East of the city centre, and with many secrets to uncover and hills to climb it’s worth the journey. For as little as 60p, you can park by the main picnic site for 3 hours, enjoying a bite to eat with a beautiful view.
The Edge at Alderley Edge
Alderley Edge. A village in Cheshire famous for its affluence and exclusive housing. Footballers including Rooney, Beckham and Ferdinand called this place home during their playing career, and when you visit, it’s no surprise. Alongside the fancy restaurants and designer stores, local cafés and small chippies make this place feel more homely.
The Edge, found by driving up the steep roads near the village, overlooks the Cheshire plain toward Manchester. You can even see the Trafford Centre from out here, which is almost 17 miles away! The broad ridge top has scots pine and beech trees, and historical remnants of Bronze and Medieval Age copper mines.
Paintballing
You might have that friend who acts like a real soldier after beating you on a game Call of Duty. Why not prompt them to back up what they say… in real life? Paintballing is energetic, tactical and loads of fun, and there are plenty of organisations near Manchester who offer up the chance to douse your friends in Dulux . UK Paintball, Go Ballistic and Delta Force are a few of these places..
You get full-body protective equipment to go into battle. We can tell you from personal experience, it stings a little more than you may expect when you take a shot so be careful and work as a team to come out on top.
Prices vary depending on age and group size, details are provided on the companies’ websites, check them out below:
Sale Waterside
The closest location on our list to Central Manchester, Waterside is a thriving arts and entertainment venue in the nearby town of Sale. Inside, you can find a theatre running weekly shows of music and drama, recording and rehearsal studios, workspaces and a contemporary arts exhibition from established and emerging artists.
This important hub of performance and the arts has fantastic transport links, with Sale Metrolink and a bus stop conveniently found opposite. If your stomach needs filling after viewing a thrilling show, we like a slice of Rudy’s pizza.
If you want to know what shows are upcoming to plan your trip , click here.
Macclesfield Forest
Our final pick is the expansive Macclesfield Forest, a one hour drive from Manchester. Open all day, every day, the wilderness is at your fingertips in this public park, with herds of red deer and birds such as woodpeckers and buzzards soaring overhead.
Once the centre of a royal forest created by Norman kings to hunt wild boar, wolves and deer; there are some hidden historical gems dotted around this wonderful woodlands. Take a peak Forest Chapel, a small church dating back to 1834, situated high up with a view of the scenic surroundings and skyline, or roam the beautiful ruins of Errwood Hall.
We hope you’ve enjoyed our list of places to visit within an hour of Manchester this Easter. Whether indoors or outdoors, be sure to get out there and soak up what the rich North West has to offer.
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