The second Sunday of every month is one of my favourite days of each particular month. That's one…read moreSunday when I'm happy to set my alarm, get my caboose out of bed and fly on further south in Manchester to Stockport's historic Victorian Market Halls, because that's where I can find epic 70s flowery maxi dresses, Smash Hits 'Best of the 80s' annuals and trinkets galore. Welcome to the Vintage Village! I've been to a lot of vintage markets and shops in my time. Once, I even travelled all the way up to Edinburgh for a coat, I brought back over £40 worth of vinyl and a 56 year old fur from Glasgow and I've been known to scour our little Manchester boutiques for hours at a time. But what Stockport offered last month just blew me away, knocked me sideways and had me gazing around open-mouthed like I did when I was taken to Disney World at six years old. This was epic. The quality was remarkable, the prices were insanely affordable and the sheer variety on offer was stunning. I defy you not to walk from stall to stall and see at least three things per section you covet. If you were to slap something not only like this, but of this calibre (exceptional quality, eclectic variety) bang in the middle of Manchester City Centre it would be completely overrun with fifteen-year-old Noel Fielding stalkers in knee socks and oversized Urban Outfitters jumpers (not that there's anything wrong with them - I've been known to rock a woolly from UO regularly and have frequent NSFW dreams about Mr Vince Noir myself), but as it's tucked away in a sleepy town centre in the South Manc 'burbs, it attracts a much calmer, quieter, more discerning clientele. Families bring along their children and have soup and bacon butties at Zip's Grill. Couples with dogs mooch around for gifts. It's incredibly relaxed and wonderfully friendly. I lost count of the amount of conversations I struck up with stall purveyors. This is worth getting out of bed on the day of rest for. Seriously, do it! You won't regret it. And if you do, come and have a go at me. I'll probably whup you upside the head. (P.S. Zip's Grill serves some of the finest coffee I've ever had the good fortune to taste, and the food looks all kinds of fabulous. I'll definitely have a soup this Sunday.)

Vintage Village is on every second Sunday of the month in Stockport's totally brilliant market hall…read moreplace. If the truth be known, It was more my wife and sister in law who were the instigators in us going but I wanted to stretch my legs and go out for the afternoon so thought I would give it a shot! Gotta say, it was really really good and there were all sorts of stalls selling vintage clothes, records, antiques, furniture - pretty much anything from yesteryear. Nice touches were a skiffle band playing live, with a DJ playing hits from the likes of Elvis throughout and a load of vintage cars and motorbikes on display outside. Great street food was provided from the (both) excellent Lord of the Pies and Honest Crust Pizza. I'll definitely be heading there again in the coming months as it's a great day out and only a £1 entry - bargain!

It will never be fully established how direct the link was between this gravestone and the Beatles'…read moreclassic. Although he and John were visitors to the churchyard and met mere feet from this spot, Paul McCartney has said the apparent coincidence could in fact be a concoction of his subliminal self. Then again, how can you believe him? He thought writing about the Mull of Kintyre was a nifty idea. To be fair, I visited this boneyard a while back just for something to do and was struck by how many of the stones contain the names 'Eleanor' or 'Rigby' in some permutation or other. I'd be surprised if Macca didn't accidentally call his mum Ellie after coming here. The real Eleanor Rigby was a scullery maid who died 364 days before Lennon was born and almost certainly did not keep her face in a jar by the door. Standing looking at the patch were her bones now rest makes you wonder whether you'll ever posthumously be part of a famous song...I mean ones you haven't just penned yourself because that's almost as sad as looking at a stranger's grave.

Never knew Manchester had a Chinatown but apparently it's the second biggest one outside of London…read more That being said, it encompasses only a few blocks (that we could see) but still it's fun to wander around and window shop - and have some dim sum or other more authentic dishes other than kung pao or general Tso chicken.

Manchester is a beautiful city itself. Having Chinatown adds an extra oomph. I didn't hit any…read morevendors when I was there for my UK trip but I just walked through it since I wasn't staying in Manchester and was waiting to go to Sheffield. 153/2017

The sand at Crosby beach isn't quite as soft and luxurious as that of Formby, which is slightly…read morefurther north. In parts you actually get the distinct feeling you may sink if you stand in one place too long and a sign actually warns beach goers not to stray too far from the promenade, and of "wet sand" - a slower version, I presume, of quick sand. That said it's still a great location. One hundred metal Antony Gormley's stare out over the water, his 'Another Place' exhibit, great for amateur photographers. Look to the left and you see cranes, ships and the odd pile of scrap metal. To the right a wind farm and on a clear day, the Blackpool Tower. Don't stare at the stunning vistas too long mind, make sure you beware of the jellyfish that sporadically pop up from time to time. On my last visit to Crosby's sands (31 August) the sun was beaming and warm, and a walk along this under-used beach was a real treat.

Crosby Beach is one of my favorite places in the Merseyside area. My boyfriend's family lives not…read moretoo far away, so whenever we're visiting, I ask to go and we always bring along the their dogs. The main attraction here is to see Antony Gormley's Another Place, a permanent installation of 100 cast iron men that spans the entire beach and into the sea as well. The sculptures are all made in the form of the artist's figure, and all face out looking at the sea. They're ever-evolving as nature erodes them away. They're all identical, but they've been placed as various heights. Some are buried into the sea or into the water. The beach itself is quite deserted; there's never very many people here, but when you arrive you think there's more people until you realized it's the statues masquerading as people in the distance. It's a great beach to take your dog too. However, it's quite windy here, so a nice stroll along the beach in the sand, or up on the boardwalk, that's all that's very nice. It's not the beach to sit out at. Come at sunset for a stunning sky and see the iron men in perfect light! This is a great spot for photographers! The iron men look beautiful in various lights, but especially at sunset. There is easy, free parking in the parking lot above the boardwalk too.

Chinatown is a fantastic spectacle for the tourists and locals with the Chinese Arch being the main…read moreicon. The arch is proudly one of the largest and most attractive in the UK and was shipped in from Shanghai where it was built by craftsmen in 2000. Now a decade old, it has served Liverpool's image well and kept in top condition thanks to those who've put in the effort to maintain it. Liverpool as a matter of fact is actually a small Chinatown and mainly consists of restaurants. It cannot be compared to the likes of Chinatown in London which is completely of different class, though it can be said that Liverpool is home to one of the oldest Chinese communities in Europe.

It baffles me that the magnificent gate dominating the top of Chinatown is only ten years old. Like…read morethe area itself, it feels like it's been there forever. Unlike the one in London, which at least has some corners to break it up and seem as large and sprawling as the Orient itself, standing beneath the gate in Liverpool means you can look right through to the other side, which can spoil the illusion somewhat. Also, I love how the streets encompassed are the least-Chinese-sounding words in existence- Knight, Duke, Nelson, was someone trying to force Englishness on the residents? Of course, this is all just me being picky. Chinatown is the kind of place you're glad your city has, especially a record-breaking one such as this (it's home to Europe's oldest Chinese community, for one thing). Now is it just me, or would neighbourhoods based on other countries not be an incredible idea? I'll get doodling blueprints on my Etch-a-Sketch.

Albert Square is a lively area in Central Manchester and the Square and surroundings are full of…read morenightlife, clubs, pubs eateries and more. During the day it is central to interesting shopping, theaters and restaurants. It was only our second visit to Manchester so we were a bit lost at times, but will be back in a week or so to have fun with one of our daughters and son in law. We went for the Christmas Market which was hyped as being as good as the better European Markets - in that regard disappointing - give me Vienna anytime! We enjoyed ourselves regardless thanks to our hotel (the Lowery) and a couple of eating experiences! Review #114 2019

Albert Square is a really nice part of town, it is generally a key point for the Christmas markets…read morearound the Town Hall but with the ongoing refurbishment it seems to have been moved to just a couple of minutes away in Piccadilly Gardens, Albert Square is in central Manchester, it has many bars and Starbucks stores in and around it with the added convenience of being right near a tram stop serving St Peter's Square, where there is the equally impressive Central Library building. While it is mainly based around the Town Hall which was built in the mid-1800s (it is a pretty old-fashioned street with cobbles etc so be warned), it was named after Prince Albert who at the time was married to monarch Queen Victoria, and one of the largest statues is the memorial after him. It is quite a nice part of town and I just feel it's better without the Christmas Markets, which I think are overrated, overpriced and destroy the city for the weeks before Christmas. 4*

It's a super interesting layout. We arrived and the tour had started at 11,ooam. I asked to be let…read moreon the tour for the final 30 mins. No they said. Your can tour the garden, OK ...but there is no-one here I said...please could we do an additional tour and we will donate. No, they said, we are volunteers. Six of them sat around in the hut doing nothing. We toured the garden and there they were sitting around doing nothing when we came out. This place with some proper management would be great.

We came to visit yesterday , we booked the house tour and an afternoon online in advance . We had a…read morewonderful time such a beautiful building with gorgeous surroundings . Eric who did our tour was wonderful very informative with a few laughs . We loved our afternoon tea too it was lovely snd such a treat after being in lockdown for so long . We Definitely recommend giving hoghton towers a visit and we shall most certainly be returning !

Anderton Boat Lift is a brilliant educational and entertaining day out. It's an amazing piece of…read moreengineering, that is a sight to behold. The structure itself is a far cry from modern contemporary styles we see a lot of, it's full of classic charm and character, and the scale of it is quite imposing. There is also a one of the best visitors centre's I've seen in the country here, it's very informative discussing the whole history and significance of the place, and it keep your attention with some impressive design. It's very well thought out and put together. The information is presented in so many different ways, from videos, to wall displays to practical demos. Definitely worth the trip.

Great afternoon out for all ages, lovely boat trip and a history lesson included. My kids love…read morethis. This is a great place to take visitors from other parts of the country and the world as it is the only one of its type. Please be aware that it is advisable to book the boat trip in advance to avoid disappointment as this is very popular

Walk along Oxford Road from the city centre and take the scenic route AND its a short cut to the…read moredrudgery of the John Rylands University Library and you'll find the Old Quadrangle. The buildings around the Old Quadrangle are designed in a gothic style, truly stunning. You'll often find the random tourist or keen photographer lurking around, snapping away and admiring the architecture. The John Owens Building was the first building to be built back in 1873! and the others were added over the next thirty years. In fact, the Rear Quadrangle is older than the Old Quadrangle. Today, the museum continues to occupy part of one side (including the tower) and the grand setting of the Whitworth Hall is used at graduation (I can't wait!) Part of the old Christie Library (1898) now houses Christie's Bistro, a very grand cafe (see review) perfect for a little get away from the student lounges. Unfortunately the grandeur of the buildings are kept under wraps for all the adminstrative goings on at the uni, the Chancellor and all the important people. I encourage to definitely take the scenic route, possibly park yourself on a bench and admire spring through the well kept flower pots and plantation.