A Wintry Look at the RHS Garden Bridgewater

Is it worth visiting the RHS Bridgewater Garden, Manchester’s latest attraction, in winter? I went along to find out.

When the Royal Horticultural Society opened a new garden in Salford back in May it got a lot of attention and a lot of visitors. Spread across 154 acres of the grounds belonging to the old Worsley New Hall estate, it’s more than just a new outside space. The garden has been designed to aid the environment and the health and wellbeing of the local community as well as providing food for the restaurant.

The modern wooden visitor building. Visiting RHS Garden Bridgewater in winter. www.invertedsheep.com
The back of the visitor building – this is the side you see from the gardens

I got to make my first visit on a cloudy January day. There were far fewer people than there would have been in the summer, though it was still quite busy. For local people, it’s worth buying an annual pass which enables you to visit regularly and watch as the gardens evolve and change through the seasons. You can pop in for a quick walk or just for coffee and cake in the restaurant no matter the time of year or the weather.

But what if you live further away and so have to make a special effort to get there? And if you’re paying the £11.50 daily entrance fee you’re probably wanting to get more than a quick stroll for your money. So, if you’re not a local and you don’t have an annual pass, is it really worth visiting the RHS Garden Bridgewater in winter?

Continue reading “A Wintry Look at the RHS Garden Bridgewater”

L S Lowry, Jock McFadyen and … er … Tim Peake

The nearest I’ll probably ever get to going to the moon.

I’d never heard of Jock McFadyen until the most amazing picture of a giant moon popped up as a Facebook advert.

I had to go to see the actual painting. Fortunately, the painting was part of an exhibition at the Lowry which is just a tram ride away. I hadn’t looked round the Lowry Gallery for years so was keen to spend a few hours in the gallery, revisiting the L S Lowry collection as well as seeing the Jock McFadyen exhibition (he’s the one who painted the giant moon, in case you haven’t guessed).

Continue reading “L S Lowry, Jock McFadyen and … er … Tim Peake”

Manchester Christmas Markets and the Covid Effect

I went to explore the Manchester Christmas Markets to see what effect Covid had had on them and discovered a new hobby of drinking coffee in posh hotels.

I’ve written about the Manchester Christmas Markets before and I’ve always claimed they are the best Christmas Markets in the country. Ok, I’ve not been to them all, but I’ve been to enough to call it.

I didn’t get to go last year, because Covid, so was extra excited about them this year, especially as I was going to be taking a friend who had never been to them before. Of course, I was a little concerned they might not live up to my usual expectations, after all there’s the Brexit effect to be considered as well as the Covid effect, but I still held out a lot of hope. So, did they excite and delight? Or were they more of a damp squid?

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People’s History Museum, Manchester

The People’s History Museum documents the history of ordinary working people with posters, banners and artifacts.

I’ve been to this museum a few times before, sometimes for talks and sometimes to just look around it. I always manage to learn something new.

This time I was looking around with a friend’s daughter who is currently studying in Manchester. As she was originally from Manchester, but moved away as a child, this was a good place to re-introduce her to her roots. Continue reading “People’s History Museum, Manchester”

A Photo Tour of the Trafford Centre

As I just happened to be near the Trafford Centre I thought I’d pop in and take some photos. This is the result.

Okay, so those of you who know the Trafford Centre well will be thinking, ‘What … ? She’s really scraping the barrel for things to write about now’.

But you’re wrong, I do have plenty of other things to write about. Continue reading “A Photo Tour of the Trafford Centre”

Fusilier Museum, Bury

You don’t have to be a military history buff to be fascinated by the many stories told in this museum.

I’m not particularly into military history which was a bit of a problem when I was given a unit of local history to teach. The unit  included lessons on the Lancashire Fusiliers which I was expected to plan myself. Fortunately Bury is home to the Lancashire Fusilier Museum so I took myself along one Saturday to do a bit of research and recce it for a potential class trip. Continue reading “Fusilier Museum, Bury”

Manchester Christmas Markets – A Photo Essay

Eat, drink and be merry at the Manchester Christmas Markets.

I’ve been to quite a few Christmas markets, both in the UK and in other parts of Europe and I have to say that Manchester Christmas Markets are the best. And no, that’s not just because I live here. Continue reading “Manchester Christmas Markets – A Photo Essay”

The Moravians at Fairfield – A Photo Essay

The Moravians have been in my home town for several hundred years, yet many people have no idea this beautiful settlement exists.

The place I live isn’t known for its aesthetic beauty, trendiness or cultural delights. If anything, it attracts more bad press than good. So it’s all the more surprising that somewhere like the Moravian Settlement at Fairfield exists here. It’s hidden away between two main roads and you could easily drive past it every day without realising it’s there. Continue reading “The Moravians at Fairfield – A Photo Essay”