Tours and Activities in Manchester and the North

Carmel Smickersgill, Tours & Activities Editor

Last Updated 23 September 2022

Every season change is exciting but if like us, you love an excuse for a party, autumn delivers! We’ve rounded up some of the best spine tingling, heart warming and pumpkin based tours and activities in the north.

As we move towards Halloween these darker nights are a perfect time to join Manchester’s infamous ghost walker Flecky Bennett. His tours travel all around the city and suburbs telling stories of the gruesome past and ghoulish folklore with a lighthearted smattering of comedy and street theatre. You might not be scared out of your wits by the end of the tour but you’ll definitely have a great time. Over in Leeds, the Beck and Call are getting spooky with a pumpkin carving workshop, where you can get hands on with the veggie butchering in a relaxed and sociable atmosphere.

As the weather gets colder and we look for more indoor activities, what better way to spend your autumnal evenings than throwing axes at large planks of wood. Whistle Punks Axe Throwing is the place to go, whether you compete against your friends or join one of their regular leagues, it doesn’t take much to understand how addictive hitting that bullseye can become.

For something to warm your bellies this October, Craft Beer Tour Manchester are bringing the best local breweries together in an afternoon of walking, sipping and tasting your way through Manchester’s impressive craft beer scene.

Scroll down to find out more, alongside some other top picks of tours and activities, and stay well folks.

Here are our picks

1. Whistle Punks Axe Throwing

Whistle Punks Axe Throwing, Unit 20, Atrium level, Great Northern Warehouse, 235 Deansgate, , Manchester , Lancashire, M3 4EN - Visit now

Improve your aim, embrace the axe based catharsis and have a top quality time at Whistle Punks Axe Throwing.

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2. Pumpkin Carving workshop at the Beck and Call

via Leeds Inspired

Beck & Call Workshops: Pumpkin Carving, 24 October 2022, from £7.00 - Book now

Get spooky this October at the Beck and Call in Leeds, with a friendly Pumpkin carving workshop. All Materials are provided.

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3. Flecky Bennett’s Ghost Walks

Flecky Bennett Productions

Flecky Bennett’s Ghost Walks, online, Until 17 December 2022, from £15 - Book now

Meet, Flecky Bennet, your guide through the dark and demonic side of the city as he takes you on one of Manchester’s award winning ghost walks.

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4. Craft Beer Tour Manchester

The Craft Tour Company

Craft Beer Tour Manchester, Until 31 December 2022, from £35 - Book now

Join Craft Beer Tour Manchester for a journey through some of the cities best local breweries and artisanal beer serving bars. Discover the personality of Manchester’s beer through a diverse range of pints.

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5. Elizabeth Gaskell’s House Tour

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Joint Tours of Elizabeth Gaskell's House and The Pankhurst Centre at Elizabeth Gaskell’s House, Manchester, Until 25 February 2023, from £13 - Book now

Visit the home influential Mancunian writer Elizabeth Gaskell, with expert guides and refreshments within the home it’s a truly immersive way to learn about her life.

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6. Supper Club at the Vegetarian Society Cookery School

Supper Club at the Vegetarian Society , Until 25 November 2022, from £50 - Book now

Create mouth watering dishes and enjoy the fruits of your labour with the Vegetarian Society.

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7. Throwing Weekend at Seven Limes

Seven Limes

Pottery Taster at Seven Limes at Seven Limes Pottery Manchester, Manchester, 15–16 October 2022, from £170 - Book now

Get to grips with a potters wheel in this intensive Throwing Weekend from Seven Limes Pottery.

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8. School of Comedy at the Frog and Bucket

Tim Mossholder

School of Comedy at the Frog and Bucket at The Frog and Bucket, Ancoats, 29 October 2022–25 February 2023, from £300.00 - Book now

Try your hand at stand up comedy with an eight week intensive course with Dave Williams in the Frog and Bucket’s School of Comedy.

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9. Good Life Skates at Freight Island

good life skates

Good Life Skates at Freight Island, Freight Island, 11 Baring St , Manchester , M1 2PZ - Visit now

Roll your way into the weekends this summer with Good Life Skates at Freight Island, every Thursday through Sunday.

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10. Uswim at Salford Quays

Uswim at Salford Quays, Dock 9, Salford Quays, Salford, M50 3AZ - Visit now

Take a refreshingly alternative dip in the waters of Salford Quays with Uswim.

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11. Canoeing and Kayaking on the Mersey

Venture Out Canoeing

Canoeing and Kayaking on the Mersey, Until 30 September 2022, from £25.00 - Book now

Experience the River Mersey from a more intimate perspective with canoeing and kayaking trips from Venture Out.

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12. Hull Lido

Hodson Architects

Hull Lido, 94 Albert Ave, Anlaby Rd, Hull, HU3 6QE - Visit now

Coming soon, Hull Lido plans to open in the near future, bringing yet another great opportunity for outdoor swimming to the North.

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13. Cloud Aerial

Pexels

Cloud Aerial, Unit A Aldow Enterprise Park, Blackett Street , Manchester , M12 6AE - Visit now

Get upside down with Cloud Aerial. Their beginner classes are the perfect introduction to the addictively fun world of aerial arts.

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14. Eden Project North

Eden Project North

Eden Project North, Morecambe Bay, Morecambe, Lancaster - Visit now

Opening in 2024, Morecambe bay will become a centre for eco tourism with the exciting arrival of the Eden Project North.

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15. Manchester Museum

Manchester Museum, The University Of Manchester, Oxford Rd, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M13 9PL - Visit now

Having gone through a physical and cultural transformation, Manchester Museum will be reopening this year with a new inclusive, caring and creative approach to museum curation.

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16. The People Of

Kate Daley

The people of, Until 30 September 2022, free entry - Visit now

Experience Northmoor Road as you’ve never heard it before, The people of is a sound walk that encourages you to look beyond the surface of a community.

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17. Chester Rows

Courtesy of Visit Cheshire

Chester Rows, Bridge St, Watergate St, Eastgate Street, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 1NG - Visit now

In a city full of historic beauty, the galleries of Chester Rows are a must-visit for their 13th century architecture and charming boutiques.

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18. Clay Studio Manchester

CLay Studio Manchester

Clay Studio Manchester, 61 Old Birley Street, Manchester, M15 5RF - Visit now

Clay studio was founded in 2016 to provide a dedicated workshop for new graduates, hobby ceramicists and experienced makers. The studio also offers a range of classes for students of all abilities.

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19. Goodtime Games

Goodtime Games

Goodtime Games, 212 Burton Road, West Didsbury, Manchester, M20 2LW - Visit now

Goodtime Games is the latest arrival to Burton Road. Serving up delicious vegan and vegetarian food alongside a plethora of table top fun.

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Activity Until 31 December 2022, from £9

Skyliner: Alternative Tours of Manchester

Join Skyliner for the anti-tour of Manchester’s Northern Quarter. The route interrogates current developments in the city as well as visiting the area’s most notable pieces of street art.

Activity Until 1 December 2022, from £15

Embroidery with Sara Dennis at Lancaster Castle

Learn embroidery in a fun and relaxed environment with the BBC’s Sara Dennis at Lancaster Castle’s famous Witches Tower.

Activity Until 1 December 2022, from £95

Blacksmithing at Forge Four

This beginners workshop will teach participants the traditional skills associated with blacksmithing, in the ‘Steel City’ of Sheffield.

Activity Until 1 December 2022, FREE

Stone carving at West Riding Stonecarving Association

The West Riding Stonecarving Association is dedicated to keeping the art of hand-carving stone alive and bringing it to the general public.

Activity Until 1 December 2022, from £80

Textile taxidermy with Jaki Bogg at Craven Arts Studios

Head to Skipton’s Craven Arts Studios to create a unique mounted animal head for your home with local textile artist Jaki Bogg.

Activity Until 1 December 2022, from £13

Candle making at Cheshire Workshops

Try your hand at candle making with the experts at Cheshire Workshops, this fun and creative skill is suitable for all ages.

Activity Until 1 December 2022, from £20

Pottery at Earth Pig Pottery and Fine Art in Buxton

Try your hand at pottery at Earth Pig Studio in Buxton’s Green Man Gallery; a longstanding community arts hub, shop and gallery.

Activity Until 31 December 2023, from £60

Eat The City – Scranchester Tours

Satisfy your hunger for knowledge as well as lunch with Scranchester’s food tours of the city centre. You may discover a new favourite hidden gem or learn a bit more about the cultural or historical significance of the food you eat all the time.

Activity Until 1 December 2022, from £60

Glass fusing at Glassmonkey Studio

Come and experience the magic of fused glass at Glass Monkey Studio in Burnley, where workshops cater for all levels and abilities.

Culture Guides

Classical Music in Manchester and the North

We preview the standout classical music events and venues in Manchester and the north.

Food and Drink

Explore the best restaurants and bars in Manchester and the North as we head into autumn.

Cinema

David Bowie, Japanese classics and some early spooky screenings all feature in this month’s cinema guide.

Exhibitions

Welcome the autumnal season with all of the art goodness that it brings – there are so many brand new exhibitions to see!

Families

As we say bye to the summer holidays and begin to welcome in the cooler months, Manchester’s events and activities continue to bring joy and fun to families.

Literature

There are plenty of online readings and live launches as Manchester and the North welcomes some great writers with book festival season getting underway, and there are loads of new spoken word nights and open mics to check out…

Music

Autumn’s a fine old time for gigs in Manchester and the North. From otherworldly folk to life-affirming soul, here are our top picks for October onwards.