A small but serious family-owned gallery, Beckstones Art Gallery shows a range of artists’ work, many highly regarded and collected and leaning towards the traditional. It is in the little village of Greystoke, worth a visit in its own right for its ancient church, castle, the rather eccentric Greystoke Cycle Cafe and even an open-air lido which is open during the summer months.
The White Hotel’s Blackpool takeover places The Caretaker, Blackhaine and A Guy Called Gerald inside the town’s most iconic spaces.
From £150.00
Step into the majestic Blackpool Tower Ballroom for an experience like no other. With stunning architecture, live music and treats galore, Afternoon Tea here is highly recommended.
From £60.00
Come face to face with SEA LIFE Blackpool’s hungriest resident. This unique experience gives you the chance to feed Phoenix the green sea turtle and learn about this endangered species.
From £75.00
The guided tour offers a behind-the-scenes look at the brewhouse and state-of-the-art packaging plant, giving visitors a full sense of what “real Yorkshire beer” means today.
From £15.00
The UK’s most important visual art prize is back for its 2025 edition, with four new artist nominations in Bradford’s Cartwright Hall Art Gallery.
Free entry
YOU:MATTER is a spectacular audio-visual experience that explores our place in the universe and the invisible links between us and the cosmos
From £2.00
Bringing music, laughter and a welcome dose of festive cheer, a brand-new adaptation of the Dickensian classic is the perfect festive treat for families this Christmas.
From £15.00
Three sisters, one bitter-sweet reunion – grief, whisky and buried truths collide in a sharply funny Northern family reckoning.
From £15.00
A unique creative venue offering an inspiring range of art, craft and heritage ‘Quirky Workshops’ and courses.
A visitor centre off the A66, containing gallery spaces, cinema screen, artisan shopping and local produce, as well as cafes and children’s play areas.
The menu, as you would expect is full of wholesome treats. All day breakfasts, soups, sandwiches and superfood salads are all served with care.
For over 150 years, 1863 has been integral to the village of Ullswater. Now, reimagined for the 21st century as a glamorous Michelin location.
Thacka Beck Nature Reserve is within easy walking distance of Penrith town centre, offering a quick retreat for local residents.
A few miles north of Penrith, Hutton-in-the-Forest is an exquisite country house, described by Simon Jenkins as “one of Britain’s top 100”.
Upfront Puppet Theatre is located near Penrith, Cumbria and is one of only four authentic working puppet theatres in England.
Ruins of a 14th century castle, former home of Richard III. Situated in Penrith’s Castle Park, and managed by English Heritage. Free to visit.
Boasting an array of hot and cold food including homemade cakes, The Yard Kitchen is a café with a distinctly quirky feel.
This modern bistro and bar, open for dinner Wednesday to Sunday, serves up classic British pub fare reimagined to its most indulgent.
A blend of historic and contemporary gives Penrith its edge, ancient tradition sitting side-by-side with trendy wine bars, hipster cafes and fine dining.
Whether you’re after storybook theatre, museum wanderings or illusion-bending play spaces, there’s plenty to keep curiosity ticking through winter and beyond.
Step away from the usual. Tours and activities that spark curiosity, inspire creativity and offer something refreshingly different.
This season, exhibitions across the North West feel attuned to the world beneath the world – the forces and stories shaping how we see, feel and imagine.
Theatre across the North West splits between festive escape and sharp, urgent work exploring politics, power and resistance.
Manchester’s closing out the year – and looking to the new one – with a run of gigs from some of the country’s best underground exports.
There's no shortage of great films out at the moment, whether you're looking for the latest blockbuster, that hot arthouse flick fresh from Cannes or a cosy classic.
Hear ye, hear ye. Take some eating-out tips from our wintertime guide to food and drink in Manchester and the North.
