If you love the idea of camping, but are less keen on missing out on home comforts , Ribblesdale Park is the place for you.
There are no tent pegs or cold showers to contend with, and definitely no sleeping on cold hard ground here.
Instead, in this corner of the Ribble Valley, you’ll find stunning fields dotted with white bell tents, in the shadow of a historic mansion house.
There are beds – proper ones, with king size duvets, and plump pillows, and soft blankets – as well as all the modern trimmings we’re all used to, like plugs and mirrors inside.
They’re decorated beautifully, a subtle bohemian mix of macrame hangings, patterned rugs and draping plants.
You don’t have to queue at huge crowded shower blocks here – you can stroll across the field to individual shower huts and sparkling clean loos.
On our visit, the north west was right at the tail end of its insane heatwave, so within minutes of arriving it was kit off and straight into Gisburne Park Estate’s outdoor pool.
After more than an hour of sweltering in the car from Manchester, the sparkling water in the courtyard was a perfect welcome.
It’s heated too, so even on cooler days you can take a dip.
Suitably refreshed and settled into our cosy glamping tent, it was over to Gisburne Park’s on-site restaurant, Hindelinis.
Here, the portions are massive and the flavours plentiful, from the creamy curry sauce served alongside the battered fish and chunky chips, to the tender chicken burger inside a pillowy bread bun.
You might not expect to find top quality cocktails in the middle of the countryside, but you’d be wrong – the bartenders at Hindelinis whip up arguably the best espresso martini in the country, with subtle notes of caramel.
There aren’t many moments as peaceful as sitting on the outdoor terrace with a pornstar martini in hand, its edible flower garnish pairing perfectly with the pastel skies as the sun sets.
With its rural location, there’s not much in the way of nightlife once darkness sets in, but thankfully each glamping tent comes with its own fire pit – so it was back to the glamping village for wine and a game of cards around the campfire on our own private deck.
Waking up at Ribblesdale Park is the epitome of tranquility.
Where else could you open your window in the morning to spot both a peacock and majestic Sika deer strolling past?
Read more: Festa Italiana 2022 – full line-up, opening times and how to get there
The breakfast menu is also pretty majestic, featuring pancakes, granola bowls, full English breakfasts, and (our choice) a hearty sausage and bacon sandwich.
Still not sounding quite luxurious enough for you? Did you know you can also book your own masseuse to come to your tent, or do some pilates pool-side?
Ribblesdale Park really has thought of everything.
You can book your stay at Ribblesdale Park here.
Featured image: The Manc Group
August is nearly drawing to a close across Greater Manchester, but not before we celebrate our final bank holiday weekend of the year.
Before the kids go back to school for the new term, and before we wave goodbye to summer for good, the events calendar is filled with plenty of different things to getting up to this week and bank holiday weekend, so once again, we’ve cherry-picked a few of the best bits for another edition of our ‘what’s on‘ guide.
As always, some of the events we’re going to mention are completely free, while others will set you back a few pounds, and many will need to be booked in advance.
Here’s our top picks.
A handful of Manchester’s most-popular hospitality names have joined forces to bring a series of entertainment events to neighbourhoods across the city this month.
To celebrate the launch of its ‘Remarkable Neighbourhood’ summer incentive, Kentucky handmade bourbon brand Maker’s Mark has rallied together some of Manchester’s best-loved bars and restaurants to head across the city and serve up their take on the brand’s signature Gold Rush Cocktail.
Cocktail masterclasses, live music nights, quiz nights, Kentucky food pairing events, and bar takeovers will also be on their way to the city’s residential hotspots over the next few weeks.
You can find out more here, and read our round-up of the best events and cocktails here.
A new photography exhibition that captures life in Stockport during the 1970s has now opened at a local museum.
After a successful run at one of the town’s most prestigious restaurants, Where The Light Gets In, back in June 2021, the exhibition – which is titled The Stockport Collection, and features the work of local photographer Heidi Alexander – has now opened to the public at Stockport Museum, and it’s free for everyone to visit.
The Stockport Collection documents the social history of a particular time, place, and way of life.
The exhibition illustrates the human need for a sense of identity, and of belonging to a working community with a common purpose.
Coronation Street has revealed that its famous ‘Stars Tours’ are returning this summer, and it means you can meet “mystery” cast members on the legendary cobbles.
Just as the name suggests, the Stars Tours not only include the standard 90-minute guided tour of the external Coronation Street set in MediaCityUK, but they also give you the opportunity to meet the a surprise cast member from the show.
While bosses of the official guided tours are keeping names of the mystery cast members who are set to make appearances close to their chest, they have assured fans that they’ll pop out to say hello, and pose for pictures, as well as letting you in on a few filming secrets or a story during the special events too.
Find out more and book tickets here.
Families can kick-off the summer by going behind the scenes at Manchester City’s Stadium to “experience the magic”.
Expertly-guided by City’s Tour Guides and filled with interesting stories, facts, and anecdotes from throughout the club’s history, Manchester City’s ever-popular immersive tours of the Etihad Stadium are running throughout the summer, and they have recently been rated in the top 1% of Tripadvisor experiences in 2022.
Tickets are now on sale, and will set adults back just £25 each, while it’s £15 for those under 18, and anyone under the age of five can go for free.
You can find out more and grab tickets here.
Manchester‘s New York-inspired ‘sky park’ at Castlefield Viaduct has finally opened to the public for the first time ever.
After the National Trust announced its ambitious vision to create an urban green space in the heart of the city centre by tackling the challenge of “greening” the Grade II-listed Castlefield Viaduct and celebrate the history of this well-known landmark over half a year ago, visitors are now able to enjoy the park in all its glory.
Thousands of plants, shrubs, trees, and more have been planted to transform the giant 330-metre steel viaduct into an elevated park.
100 people a day are able to visit the Castlefield Viaduct, and entry onto the structure will be free, but a booking system will be in place to help manage numbers.
As ever, a host of exciting new restaurants and bars have opened Manchester this month.
From a brand new Withington venue from the team behind Cottonopolis and The Edinburgh Castle, to the first bricks-and-mortar site in six years for supper club favourite Stretford Canteen, we’ve got plenty of good things to shout about.
Think kitchen residents, new street food stalls, and all-you-can-eat steak and sushi restaurant and loads more.
You can read our round-up to find out where to put on your list this month here.
Manchester is to show its solidarity with the people of Ukraine by celebrating their Independence Day with a whole host of “vibrant” events this week.
As 24 August 2022 marks 31 years since Ukraine declared independence from the Soviet Union, and as well as it being six months since the country was invaded by Russia, Manchester City Council has decided to support the Ukrainian Cultural Centre’s family fun day on Wednesday, and is inviting locals down to “immerse themselves in Ukrainian culture”.
People will get the chance to sample some authentic Ukrainian food, and dance to traditional Ukrainian music, while there’ll also be lots of entertainment for youngsters.
Zouk Tea Bar & Grill
One of Manchester’s best-loved restaurants Zouk is starting the weekend early this summer with lots of entertainment and special offers on drinks every Thursday evening, and the whole of the city invited to celebrate, soak up some sunshine on the huge outdoor terrace, tuck into award-winning Indian cuisine and enjoy traditional entertainment.
Find out more and make a booking here.
One of Manchester’s most popular hotels, King Street Townhouse, is celebrating Manchester Pride 2022 in style at its very-own exclusive cinema this week.
Proud of Manchester and proud of the LGBTQ+ people who make up the city’s vibrant community, King Street Townhouse is showing a range of films including Elton John musical fantasy biopic, ‘Rocketman’, the Oscar-winning ‘The Danish Girl’, and ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, as well as a Brit-flick underdog ‘Pride’ – which is based on the true story of a group of lesbian and gay activists raising money to help families affected by the 1984 miners’ strike.
Tickets to the Pride Cinema cost just £10 per person, and includes pick ‘n’ mix and popcorn – with all proceeds donated to the Manchester Pride Charity.
Find out more about screenings and grab tickets here.
It’s August bank holiday weekend, which is also known as Pride weekend here in Manchester.
After the COVID-19 pandemic forced celebrations to be cancelled or altered for two years in a row, Manchester Pride 2022 will see the return of the hugely-popular Pride Parade on Saturday – which is this year called the ‘March for Peace’ – with tens of thousands of LGBTQ+ people and allies gathering to walk in the parade and awash the city’s streets with colour and celebration.
While the usual Manchester Pride Live event has been scrapped this year as the charity aims to “refocus its efforts”, the Gay Village Party is still on the agenda, and there’s also still plenty of other celebrations happening across the city over the extended, as well as countless Pride-themed events away from the official lineup too.
Find out more about Manchester Pride 2022 here, and read our round-up of fringe parties and events across Greater Manchester here.
Moovin Festival is set to take over some prime Stockport countryside again this August bank holiday weekend, and the popular festival has revealed its biggest line-up yet for 2022.
Moovin – which is taking over the eco-friendly Whitebottom Farm in the heart of Etherow Country Park – is known for seeing festival-goers welcomed by a magical canopy of trees, a lake with waterfowl, and a breathtaking gorge, with a limited capacity to “keep the friendly, intimate (adult only) family vibe which has helped to make this boutique festival so special”.
Billed as a weekend of “quirky, hedonistic madness”, headliners include dance pioneers Orbital, funk and soul from Roy Ayers, dancehall vibes from Sister Nancy, and the party-starter that is DJ Jazzy Jeff.
Find out more about Moovin 2022 here.
Festa Italiana, the free-to-enter weekend-long festival celebrating Italian food, drink and culture is returning to Festival Piazza this August bank holiday weekend for its fifth year in the city.
Taking place from 26-28 August 2022 at Cathedral Gardens in Manchester city centre, it will bring together some of the city’s best Italian and Sicilian eateries alongside a host of live music, Italian bars and special chef masterclasses.
Find everything you need to know about Festa Italiana 2022 here.
The hugely-popular Bolton Food and Drink Festival is returning this bank holiday weekend for its 17th year in the Greater Manchester town to serve up some of the best eats the region has to offer.
As the north west’s biggest food and drink event, festival-goers can this year expect to see world-renowned chefs share their secrets during free cookery demonstrations, and a collection of outdoor bars, live music and street entertainment set to create the usual festival atmosphere that draws visitors from far and wide.
Find out more about Bolton Food and Drink Festival 2022 here.
As part of its popular ongoing summer live series, city centre bar, restaurant, nightlife destination, and live music venue Joshua Brooks is welcoming acclaimed techno DJ Ben Sterling for an all-night-long set this Saturday 27 August.
Tickets are now available to buy online, setting you back just £14, and you must be 18 or over to gain entry to the venue.
Find more information and grab tickets here.
A huge gaming event has returned to Manchester.
With more than 160 consoles and hundreds of games to play, Power UP is back at the Science and Industry Museum for the first time in three years, taking ticket-holders on a journey through five decades of gaming, with everything from retro arcade games, to state-of-the-art virtual reality, and so much more.
Power UP is taking place every weekend and school holiday all the way through to December 2023, and every ticket includes unlimited play all day.
You can find more information here.
Doki Doki – The Manchester Japanese Festival is back once again for 2022.
Taking place from 11am-5:30pm on Saturday 27 & Sunday 28th August at Sugden Sports Centre in the heart of Manchester city centre, Doki Doki celebrates both traditional and modern Japanese culture, with a wide range of panels, talks, demonstrations, themed events, and more taking place across the weekend, as well as plenty of food and retail traders on site too.
The festival will also followed by an 18+ cosplay after-party on Saturday evening in the Sandbar next door to the festival venue.
Tickets for the festival are available to buy at the door on the day, and you can find out more here.
One of the most popular city centre venues is back with another edition of its free music festival this weekend.
The Oast House has launched a brand-new music festival, and it kicked-off for the first time over the extended Easter bank holiday weekend, with a full day of tunes provided by local musicians throughout the one-day event – and now, it’s back once again for the August bank holiday weekend on Sunday 28 August to see the month out.
The festival, which is named ManiFest, takes over The Oast House’s large outdoor terrace area, with a dedicated stage set up, street food, and free-flowing drinks.
You can find out more here.
Featured Image – Manchester Pride
An alleyway (or ginnel, whatever you fancy) in Moss Side that was previously a fly-tipping hotspot has been completely transformed by local residents.
A group of locals have painstakingly turned the narrow passage into a green oasis.
And what started with a few potted plants has now grown so much, it’s being turned into an art gallery.
Manchester design studio DR.ME have created beautiful artworks to be hung between all the plant life that has now filled the alleyway between Acomb Street and Crofton Street.
Using lyrics and quotes from Moss Side residents, past and present, the studio has created an exhibition called Reflective Passage.
Chosen quotes are printed on mirrored perspex, designed to ‘literally reflect the work the local community has done to green the alleyway over the past couple of years turning it from a fly tipping hotspot to a green oasis’.
Famous names included in the exhibition include A Guy Called Gerald, R&B group Cleopatra, and Anthony Burgess.
Those who’ve made a massive impact to the lives of Moss Side residents are also included in the gallery, like peace activist Professor Erinma Bell, Emmeline Pankhurst, and Friedrich Engels.
Then there are more unsung local heroes, like former lord mayor Roy Walters, and beloved boxing trainer Phil Martin.
The local residents here have dedicated their time and efforts to ‘green’ their alleyway, which can help to discourage crime like fly-tipping.
Read more: You can rave inside the empty Grade-II listed Victoria Baths in Manchester this autumn
Leafy displays have been created using everything from upturned bookshelves to fly-tipped bathtubs to wooden pallets to a kids ride-on Mini Cooper car.
Similar projects have popped up all over Greater Manchester in recent years – take a look around this colourful ginnel display in Stretford.
The Reflective Passage exhibition will launch at 6pm on Thursday 25 August. You can follow the greening of the alleyway on Instagram here.
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