Easter Bank Holiday Weekend in Manchester and the North

We’ve been teased with a little bit of sun over the last few weeks, fingers crossed it breaks out into a full blown heatwave over Easter.

The Whitworth, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M15 6ER - Visit now

Sample the seasonal menu or simply a steaming hot cross bun at the Whitworth’s ‘café in the trees’. Magnificent in all weather, the space overlooks the gallery’s striking Art Garden – an ‘urban sanctuary’ developed by renowned landscape designer Sarah Price around a series of textures, colours and scents that gradually reveal themselves throughout the seasons.

The pizza scene in Manchester boasts some of the UK’s best – here are our top picks for long weekend indulgence.

Dunham Massey, Altrincham, Greater Manchester, WA14 4SJ - Visit now

With over 300 acres of freely roaming fallow deer, ancient trees to climb, and wild trails to tread, Dunham Massey is our number one go-to for a quick city escape. And Easter – when the country estate bursts into bloom with white carpets of snowdrops and yellow coverings of daffodils – is the perfect time to visit.

Formby Beach, Victoria Rd, Formby, Liverpool, L37 1LJ - Visit now

April might still be a little early for a bracing dip, but it’s the perfect time to visit Formby Beach – spring being when the local native red squirrel population is most active. The beautiful National Trust reserve is bordered by a glorious stretch of coastal pinewoods. Combine with a trip to nearby Crosby Beach either, where contemporary sculptor Antony Gormley’s striking iron men gaze into the horizon.

Manchester’s craft beer scene is vibrant and varied and a four day weekend means that there’s room for twice as many hangovers as usual…