The Ruskin Museum tells the story of Coniston in Cumbria – a place of copper mines and slate quarries, Swallows and Amazons country where Beatrix Potter owned farms and Stone Age fell walkers once dwelled. It’s also home to the Ruskin Gallery, which offers a comprehensive overview of Victorian intellectual John Ruskin’s life and work.
Opening times vary depending on season.
Experience the art of Abbot Hall in a hands on and creative way with their monthly Sketch and Stroll tours.
from £0.00
Lancaster Literature Festival, or Litfest to its friends, is rolling out its 46th programme, having created a variety of events for its audiences since 1978.
from £3.00
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
Poetry at the Dusty Miller is a now regular night with invited readers, organised by Carcanet-published Carola Luther and Judith Willson in the Coiners’ Room in the Mytholmroyd pub.
free entry
Discover Rochdale’s rich history on this guided tour, featuring the newly restored Town Hall, St Chad’s Church, and the Pioneers Museum.
from £20.00
A new festival is born as Outer Waves takes over Invisible Wind Factory and Make Liverpool over two days this May.
from £49.00
A day of live performance, bold ideas and collective action – where the audience becomes the cast and theatre sparks conversation.
from £15.00
Award-winning self-catering holiday accommodation that is not only beautiful but also supports the pioneering work of Grizedale Arts.
Grizedale Arts continues to explore the role of art in society from its award winning eco-base near Coniston.
Home to 60 site specific sculptures, Grizedale Sculpture in Grizedale Forest near Hawkshead offers a pioneering and permanently evolving environmental arts and adventure programme.
The view across to the Langdale pikes is spectacular, and at certain times it’s not unusual to have the place to yourself.
Tucked away in a remote corner of the Lake District is Kurt Schwitter’s Merzbarn, an artistic epitaph to the avant garde ‘godfather of modern art’.
A mock gothic castle, far from the usual Windermere crowds, with stunning grounds and a short walk to Claife Viewing station.
Attempt to hit a clay flying at 65mph or navigate the obstacles along a wood chip track on a Krazy Kart, at this Arts and Crafts style house in Cumbria.
A high-end restaurant in the Lake District, combining traditional British ingredients with original modern ideas.
Visible from miles around the spire of St Mary’s nestles into the beautiful landscape of the Lake District.
Eclectic as ever. You'll find inventive reworkings, world-class contemporary dance and Greater Manchester's inaugural Improv Festival in our guide.
If it's inspiring, inclusive events and avant-garde, experimental afternoons you're after, look no further than live literature this spring – we've got you covered.
Vintage Alfred Hitchcock and a family friendly film festival are amongst our highlights this May.
Crocodile-themed Easter egg hunts, sense-sational museum trips and more this Easter!
Spring is here and the North is buzzing with must-visit new restaurants and bars.
Open air clubs, new festivals and long-awaited gigs. The North West's live music scene is heating up this spring.
Willow weaving, textile collages, digital arts and ecology - all this and more in our exhibition top picks this month
We've got many a good time in store this month as we round up the best walking tours, cultural classes and makers markets in the land.
