North West England

The northwest region boasts a wealth of industrial heritage with undiscovered countryside, the vibrant cities of Manchester and Liverpool, the seaside resorts of Blackpool and Morecambe Bay, plus miles of glorious coastline, home to a wide variety of bird species.

What to see in North West England

The miles of beautiful North West countryside offer endless opportunities for recreation. For the more active, the peaceful plains of Cheshire are a walker’s haven with endless trails to choose from. Lancashire is also good walking country, with way-marked paths passing through the outstanding Forest of Bowland, which affords marvellous views over the Lake District in Cumbria and the Yorkshire Dales. 

Birdwatchers are catered for, too, with the coast offering some of the best bird spotting activity in the country, most notably along the Sefton coast and around the Wirral Peninsula. The region’s cities have their own charm. Manchester, with its fabulous shopping centres and vibrant nightlife, boasts a rich Victorian heritage; the maritime city of Liverpool has more museums and galleries than any other UK city outside London; 

Lancaster features fine Georgian buildings and an imposing Norman castle, while Chester is renowned for its medieval architecture and shopping galleries. And offering good, old-fashioned seaside fun is Blackpool. England’s most popular seaside resort is packed full of lively entertainment and attractions, such as the white knuckle rides at the pleasure beach, amusement games on the pier and the observation decks in the famous Tower.

Places of interest

• Cheshire: Tatton Park in Knutsford; Chester Cathedral and Zoo; Cheshire Military Museum; Lyme Park stately home in Macclesfield; Beeston Castle; Blue Planet Aquarium at Ellesmere Port.
• Lancashire: Williamson Park, castle and leisure park in Lancaster; Blackpool tower and illuminations; Morecambe Bay; Hoghton Tower and National Museum of Football in Preston.
• Merseyside: Liverpool Football Club Museum and Tour Centre; The Beatles Story Museum; Speke Hall garden and estate; The Wirral Country Park; Williamson Tunnels Heritage Centre.
• Greater Manchester: Imperial War Museum North; Manchester United Football Club  Museum; The Lowry; The Trafford Centre.

Did you know?

• The first public gallery to open in England was in Liverpool in 1877.
• Lancaster Castle is infamous as host to the Pendle witch trials of 1612.
• The first passenger railway station was built in Manchester.
• Carnforth station was the location for David Lean’s 1945 film Brief Encounter.
• Ramsbottom holds an annual two-day chocolate festival in spring.
• Morecambe Bay is notorious for its shifting sands and treacherous currents but can be crossed on foot with a guide.
• Opened in 1894, the Blackpool Tower was copied from the Eiffel Tower; the height to the top of the flagpole is 518 feet 9 inches.