Four stars as I get seasick just looking. I do these things and then wonder what on earth I was…read morethinking! The Mary Ann Hepworth is Whitby's old lifeboat from 1938 to 1974. During its service it was launched 372 times and saved 201 lives and was bought privately in 1989. It now takes out pleasure trips to sea half-hourly or longer if pre-booked. The boat has been seen 3 times in episodes of Yorkshire Television series 'Heartbeat', also in the TV series 'One Summer in Whitby', and again in 'Island Race' with John McCarthy and Sandy Toksvik. Prices Adult £2.50 Child £1.50

Wonderful experience. Great value for £15/person. We went on a Wednesday, sunny with cloudy…read moreperiods and little bouts of rain. The boat itself it quite nicely appointed. (I could well imagine having a fantastic time on the evening dinner canal trip.) Not all the seats have fantastic window views. (For example, the woman across from me was beside the wall of the boat.) But never fear, there are a lot of windows from out of which to see, just not necessarily the optimal if you are wanting to take photographs. The tour guide was very knowledgeable, and friendly. Indeed, she made the experience what it was. Her name may have been Carol - blush for not remembering. She spoke at great length and was very interesting to listen to. The whole affair was approximately three hours. By the third hour, it got a bit stuffy in the boat, and your bum was a little soar. Additionally, I was facing the aft and my neck was cramping from turning around and trying to see what the guide was pointing to. They serve a wide assortment of drinks and a few light snacks. They didn't have a problem with people bringing their own, as I saw a fair few couples do just that. So, if you're in Manchester, it is a fun and different way of viewing the city. I would go again!

From the owner: Manchester's exclusive cruising restaurant and party boats…read more Our family-run company have operated passenger and party boats in Manchester for over 25 years and our two vessels; LS Lowry and Emmeline Pankhurst are named after famous local people who were born, lived and worked in Manchester and Salford, the very areas we operate in. Our restaurant and party boats cruise all year round for groups and individuals, providing unique venues to celebrate your occasion whilst discovering the world famous historic Manchester Ship Canal and Bridgewater Canal which in 2011 celebrated its 250th Anniversary. During your privately chartered cruise you have the best views of the exciting waterside developments from Castlefield in Manchester City Centre to Salford Quays with a great view of Manchester United's 'Theatre of Dreams', Media City UK, home of the BBC in the north, The Lowry and the Imperial War Museum North. Our restaurant and party boats provide the perfect venues to celebrate your occasion, which may be a Birthday, Hen Party, Anniversary or Corporate event that can be customised to your needs. Whether you decide to dine, dance, drink, or all three, you can be confident that whatever your requests, we will deliver, meet and go beyond your expectations.

Okay so when you think of Yorkshire, you think of rolling hills, beautiful landscapes, maybe a few…read morewhippets and flat caps and then the shopping utopia of Leeds. You are less likely to think of water sports. Well you'd be wrong. The Leeds Sailing and Activity Centre is a great programme for all age groups. They operate about 8 miles out of the centre in Yeadon. What you'll get is courses for your kid, for you and whatever your ability level. You want it, they'll probably have it. Sailing is a really under estimated sport and is a fab way to get some lung busting air in your body. You can try it out in a taster session or go for the more advanced courses, it really is up to you. You can also learn first aid or have a go at powerboating, canoeing or kayaking. Loads of choice, loads of appeal and a real gem to be found just a skip away from the city.

Leeds Sailing and Activity Centre is a great place to know about, especially if you live in or…read morearound Leeds and have children. It is also great for people in who have time during the week or Saturday mornings for watersports classes. You do not need to live in Leeds District to go to classes there. During the April, May, summer and October break, they offer activities for childen, including some very reasonably priced week-long summer camps that enable children to sample many of the different activities they provide. The centre offers a very broad range of activities: indoor caving, biking, raft-building, standup paddleboarding, among other things. After doing a multi-activity camp, my son went back for some additional classes and now has Royal Yachting Association qualifications in dinghy sailing and British Canoeist Union qualifications in paddlesports (canoeing & kayaking). We also held his birthday party there for a few years (1 hour of watersports for a group, followed by takeaway pizza and cake in one of their rental rooms) and everyone enjoyed it. I have done (adult) paddlesports classes there and the training was very thorough. There are a lot of other classes on offer, too: windsurfing, rowing, bell-boating, and (during the offseason) powerboating. They do a lot with handicapped groups, too. The only downside to LSAC is that they share Yeadon tarn with the Yeadon sailing club, so don't run classes on Saturday afternoons or Sundays. The full range of classes is available on a PDF that is downloadable from the Leeds City Council website for booking ahead and you do need to book in advance because courses get pulled if too few people sign up.

Offers cruises along the river tees from Stockton to Yarm…read moreOption of day or night, corporate, private or public trips Good for Sunday lunch but you will need to book Food is very good and the overall experience is something different and worth looking at. I took my kind of nana in law and she particularly enjoyed it

The daytime cruises offered takes you on a trip up the Tees for about 1 and a half hours and my…read moreelderly parents and children loved this. For a more formal night out you can do either a silver or gold evening cruise. The cruise is the same but you can either book for a sit down roast dinner or for a BBQ. Its an excuse to dress up a bit and enjoy the cruise in a more adult setting - they also do theme evening cruises - The halloween one (which you must book early) was particulary good this year - they had a family cruise at tea time than an adult only fancy dress cruise later on in the evening. Thye have a web site where details of themed cruises can be found along with booking details. The staff are friendly and its a lot of fun - so well worth a try.