Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE
best
TRAVEL EXPERIENCES
IN THE NORTHWEST
W
Discovering Manchester's industrial heritage:
In England's second most popular
city, explore the outstanding Museum of Science and Industry but also the build-
ings and artifacts of industry in the very fabric of the city. See p. 566.
W
Witnessing the lightning-paced transformation of Liverpool:
This once-great
maritime city is rapidly shaking off the effects of its late 20th-century decline, not
least in the new 2011 Museum of Liverpool. See p. 585.
W
Walking Chester Walls:
Walking Britain's most complete city walls, inspecting the
remains of its largest Roman amphitheatre, and visiting the world-famous collec-
tion of Roman tombstones in the Grosvenor Museum. See p. 574.
W
Experiencing surreal Formby:
Crossing the otherworldly sand dunes and pine
woods with their rare red squirrel and natterjack toad populations to reach the
beach with its Neolithic/early Bronze Age footprints of humans and animals.
See p. 585.
W
Stepping into the Forest of Bowland:
Touring one of Britain's wildest landscapes,
via the riverside Ribble Way, Ribble Valley Food Trail, or Pendle Witch Trail, the
latter following in the footsteps of the local ladies taken for trial at Lancaster
Castle. See p. 593.
15
MANCHESTER
202 miles NW of London; 86 miles N of Birmingham; 35 miles E of Liverpool
Said by many to be Britain's “second city” in terms of its economic and cultural impor-
tance,
Manchester
has re-emerged, phoenix-like, from post-industrial neglect and
an IRA bombing to become a major shopping and leisure destination; old red-brick
warehouses and factories housing boutique hotels, loft apartments, and nightclubs;
and sleek new architecture juxtaposed with impressive Victorian remnants, make for
one of the U.K.'s most compelling cityscapes. Meanwhile, large student, gay, and
ethnic populations (many descended from immigrant factory laborers, including
Britain's biggest Chinese population outside London), and a continuing influence on
the global music scene, ensure that Manchester remains at the forefront of modern
British culture, even if it's still best known worldwide for football (soccer).
Manchester also is a great jumping-off point for exploring the Peak District
(p. 534) as well as for discovering Chester and surrounding Cheshire.
Essentials
GETTING THERE
Frequent direct trains from London Euston to Manchester
Piccadilly take just over 2 hours, costing around £70 for a round-trip. There are also
direct trains from Birmingham (about 1
1
⁄
2
hr.), Leeds (just under 1 hr.), York (about
1
1
⁄
4
hr.), and Edinburgh (about 3
1
⁄
4
hr.). Direct
National Express
(
&
0871/781-
8181;
www.nationalexpress.com) buses from London to Manchester take about 5
hours. There are also direct buses from Birmingham (2-3 hr.), Leeds (about 1 hr.),
and Edinburgh (about 6
1
⁄
2
hr.).
Manchester is about 3
1
⁄
2
hours from London, although traffic can be heavy on the
M1 and M6 (the Midland Expressway will allow you to move more quickly past
Birmingham, at a cost of about £5 depending on the time of day). Direct
National
