Pop-up outdoor cinemas are nothing new. From screens under flyovers old railway stations and screens in the grounds of grand houses to others that hunker down for a night at canal-side car parks, the trend for one-off film screenings has been building year on year. Here’s our pick of the best outdoor cinema spots in the North – pack popcorn, a torch and someone to grab during the scary bits.
Occupying over 1,000 acres of land in Cheshire, the Tatton Park estate could more properly be called a pleasure garden. Much like the outdoor spaces used for entertainment that were popular in the 18th century, Tatton offers a range of diversions across its vast grounds – including a wide range of screenings over the summer.
Look out for frequent summer screenings at Dunham Massey come the summer months. Spend a magical evening under the stars with classic and contemporary films in a spectacular setting.
Lowther Castle in Cumbria is pure fairytale picturebook: 200 years old, standing in rolling pastoral landscape and at the head of the little known but idyllic Lowther Valley. It’s also one of Picnic Cinema’s main venues for their annual outdoor screenings.
A jewel in the National Trust’s crown, Lyme Park is also known to host its own outdoor film events. Look out for crowd-pleasing cult classics with blankets and a bar.
A historic – and supposedly haunted – castle in Cumbria, which also plays host to Picnic Cinema events annually.
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Take me there
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