One of Buxton's many landmarks, Corbar Cross is a simple wooden cross that has been erected on a…read morehill on the way out of town. I understand it was originally put there by a Catholic in 1950; nowadays it still stands overlooking Buxton and is quite a feature of the local skyline. It is possible to climb up to the Cross from Manchester Road. The path takes you up through some woods, onto open moorland and up to the cross itself. It's quite a climb but if you can manage it you'll be rewarded with some fantastic views over the locality. The silence, the solitude, the scenery, the simplicity of an old wooden cross Corbar Cross a special place to many people, I know.

I guess when you visit Buxton, you need to sample the water that put it on the map !…read more We discovered this font quite by accident purely from the large queue of people wating to fill their bottles.... And not just one bottle either; locals were pulling up in cars and filling several large containers at a time. I can only guess that nobody in Buxton buys bottled water, due to this freely available supply.

Towering 160m above both what was once the old-money village of Alderly Edge (now a mecca for…read morePremiership footballers and Wags) and the Cheshire Plain in general, the edge has some of the best views of anywhere in the area thanks to the dramatic edge - a steep cliff-like drop. The edge has historic associations with, somewhat incongruously, mining and wizardry, but these days it's a great place to go for a walk with either the kids, the dog, visitors or even a solitary stroll. There are car parks at both the foot of the edge and the top (the latter is the main one) giving the option of a quick trip to the edge itself and back or a longer, more demanding up-and-down walk.

Review 500! Wowzers…read more I'm chuffed that it's this local landmark, as we walked up to Peel Monument on what was probably the loveliest, sunniest first day of Spring that I can remember. Occupying a prominent position on Holcome Hill, you can see the monument from miles around and it serves as a beacon for walkers or those of us that just enjoying getting up to it "because it's there". It's a memorial to Sir Robert Peel, born in Bury, who twice served as Prime Minister and is regarded as the father of the modern British police. On a clear day, which we were lucky coincided with our visit, you can look out across the Greater Manchester landscape to the towns, villages and moorlands beyond. Sit down on the grass and take it all in. There are public footpaths leading up to it from Ramsbottom; we didn't need a map as you could see it above you most of the time. Alternatively, there are lanes you can park on further up the hill as it's a bit of a climb, but definitely worth visiting.

Mow Cop Castle was built in the 18th Century as a summerhouse for someone, I don't know who, you…read morecan find out by Googling it. It's right on top of a hill, on the border of Cheshire and Staffordshire. On a clear day if you look north east from the castle you can see Jodrell Bank (very picturesque!). The views are breathtaking though. The castle itself is now in ruins, but it's still very impressive. I'd recommend taking a flask of hot chocolate up here on a crisp autumn day. If you look hard enough you'll see 'LK 4 SS' written on a rock somewhere in chalk too (that's me and Steve, that is). Well worth a trip. Head to The Ash for a pint afterwards, you'll deserve it after that walk.

Can be seen from all over south cheshire, and stands on the horizon as the local area's little bit…read moreof history. The killer-mile up to the castle itself is well known for being difficult in the car, let alone the killer mile run held annual. Not a visit for the faint hearted in wintertime when the roads are a little slippy! The castle itself may have seen better days, but it still holds its shape and is worth the trip just for the view over cheshire and staffordshire that it gives you at the topa spectactular vista all around.

Beautiful place, if you are in the area its a must.read more

On my to do list of must sees in liverpool was the Three Graces - The fundamental international…read moresymbol for Liverpool, is the Royal Liver Building, as well as The Cunard and the Port of Liverpool buildings. They are all side by side located on The Pier head in Liverpool. Stunning architecture, all majestic in their own right.

This is the first building you see when your ship arrives at the cruise port. One of the famous…read moreThree Graces it stands out more than the other two. On top of the two towers of the building are statues of Liver Birds which are said to be good luck to sailors and the city. probably one of the most iconic buildings in Liverpool. It is a must see when you visit.

Again I guess I review a village. I just love to explore and I am weird in that I lecture on public…read morehealth, plague, cemetaries etc..I try to make it funny and it often is with me doing it argh. The of course is probably the most famous village of the Black Death. Very good TV drama's have been done about it. Potted history. August 1665 bubonic plague arrived at the house of the village tailor George Vicars, via a parcel of cloth from London. The cloth was damp and was hung out in front of the fire to dry, thus releasing the plague infested fleas. George was the first victim. Rector William Mompesson and others sealed off the village and there is a stone where food and water was left for the villagers. Disinfected coin (vinegar) was left in payment. Whole families were wiped out. The Riley graves, for instance holds the bodies of the husband and six children of farmer Elizabeth Hancock. All died within a week of each other. The Plague in Eyam raged for 14 months and claimed the lives of at least 260 villagers. They sacrificed themselves to stop the spread of the plague. I find visiting this place quite sad. Wander the village and see the remains and markers that inform. Then there is an exhibition centre and a tea room. Visit the church too for info and booklets after all it was the vicar who played a major part in it. Only one victim is buried in the churchyard - the rector's wife. One pub too with a decent pint. An interesting, if a little depressing, couple of hours can be spent in Eyam.

Eyam, famous for being the 'Plague Village' that decided to isolate itself after the plague arrived…read morewhen a flea infested parcel of cloth was delivered to a local tailor. The plague killed almost three quarters of the population that lived there. A great place to visit to learn about this bit of history. Many of the houses have plaques that describe who lived in the property in 1665 during the Great Plague, and how they were affected. Eyam Hall is in the centre of the village , as is the church and both are worth a visit if you are planning to spend some time here. The Miners Arms inn and restaurant also offers good place to stop off at if you should visit Eyam at lunch time. Eyam is probably best as a place to visit alongside other nearby villages, and you could expect it to be visited within a couple of hours. Especially nice in the summer months when the well dressing season is in full flow.

Haddon Hall is a large, grand, and very interesting manor house near Bakewell, England. Part of it…read moreis kept private but a large portion of the hall and ground are open to the public, with a restaurant on the premises in the old carriage house. The buildings include sections from many different periods, from the late 12th century to the mid 17th century and the portions open to the public include the kitchen area, banquet hall, and other sections, plus portions of the grounds and walled garden. This is also a must-see site for those interesting in filming locations since many films and television shows have had scenes filmed here. This is particularly true for fans of The Princess Bride, with many scenes being filmed in the hall and on the grounds, all very recognisable. More scenes wre filmed in the general area as well. At Christmastime, it is heavily decorated and there is choir singing in the hall.

This place was absolutely awesome! Such history and inspiration for the imagination here! And if…read moreyou're any sort of period-piece movie fan, you MUST come here! You'll recognize parts of this castle (or mansion? Lol) IMMEDIATELY! They filmed parts of movies here like Princess Bride, Mary Queen of Scots, The King and the more recent adaptation of Jane Eyre with Michael Fassbender! It was so lovely all decorated for Christmas as well...they even had a bell-ringer concert going when we arrived! I can't say enough about how much I enjoyed my visit here! Parking is directly across the street and they have an easy crossing and walk up to the site. The parking lot can be muddy and they do charge you about 3gbp to park.

The Bowstones are a scheduled monument, but perhaps more interestingly, they mark the point where…read morethe Gritstone Trail passes by a footpath that takes you down into Lyme Park. It is rarely less than bracing on top of the ridge and there are fantastic views across the Cheshire Plain as far as North Wales and the Lake District to the north.