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Our resident expert runs through the best bits of Ramsbottom (less rude than it sounds), and makes a persuasive case for spending a day there.
Ramsbottom is the newest addition to our roster of day trip guides. It may have a reputation as the kind of boho suburb that Manc hipsters graduate to when they’re ready to “settle down” (and yes, a vegan and raw food restaurant is poised to open). But this isn’t Chorlton. At its core it’s still a cussedly out-of-the-way mill town buried in the armpit of the Pennine moors. It’s a little bit too full-on, a little bit too grim on winter days, a little bit too Lancashire. But those of us who live there love it precisely because of that. Ramsbottom has character. It’s in a beautiful part of the countryside. And as a day-trip destination, it’s a corker.
Discover its walks and ways, its pubs, grub and places to spend your hard-earned pennies. It might be a bit of a faff to get to, but Ramsbottom has our vote.
Spring weather might be dragging its feet a little, but the world of exhibitions isn’t slowing down with new shows popping up everywhere to greet the new season.
Books are most definitely back, with a whole host of live events by writers local as well as international, from pop-up performances to regular reading series, plus some hybrid festival specials and online launches allowing access wherever you happen to be.
We preview the standout classical music events and venues in Manchester and the north.
Get ready for spring and summer with the best restaurants and bars in Manchester and the North.
From indie markets to bit-sized meditation, spoon carving workshops to gallery tours, here are the headlines in the world of tours and activities.