Landscapes filled with lakes, estuaries buzzing with birdlife and revolutionary cities with sporting histories: the North West has something for everyone. Explore iconic cities that are as famous for their music scenes as their grand industrial buildings and museums. Hear The Beatles resonate from street corners in Liverpool and the Stone Roses and Oasis rock in fashionable Manchester. Switch off the sound in the Lake District as you retrace trails between ethereal peaks, fells and tarn lakes. Or head for the bright lights of the seaside under hedonistic Blackpool's blazing seafront illuminations. Welcome to a sports lovers' paradise with county crickets grounds, iconic horse races and Premiership football clubs to boot.
North West England
Explore The Lake District's Secret Valley
Rannerdale lies between the smaller lakes of Buttermere and Loweswater, a true hidden gem in a place brimming with atmosphere and local legend.
Location: Buttermere, Cumbria
Hunt for the witches in the woods of Pendle
Embark on the interactive Pendle Sculpture Trail, and find the witches ceramic plaques in an atmospheric woodland setting.
Location: Pendle, Lancashire
Visit the Wizard Merlin's sleeping place in Alderley Edge
Spend the day exploring the magical area in Cheshire’s Alderley Edge where Merlin and King Arthur are reputedly sleeping in enchanted repose.
Location: Alderley Edge, Cheshire
Follow the last journey of the ‘Pendle Witches’
The Trail of the Pendle Witches tells a tale of witchcraft and suspicion woven through the moors, valleys, villages and castles of Lancashire county.
Location: Forest of Bowland AONB, Lancashire