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The best Autumnal walks for this weekend
Get wrapped up!
There is something about Autumnal crisp walks, especially when the skies are super blue and the colourful leaves are falling.
With the majority of our time being spent at home indoors at the moment, it’s important we take some time to get some fresh air and enjoy the outdoors.
Greater Manchester undoubtedly has some of the best walks in the North West with some stunning jaw-dropping views.
Make some time for these stunning walks this winter season and enjoy a nice warm mulled wine after – it is the season after all!
John Illingworth/Geograph
Saddleworth Cycle & Horse Trail
Considered to be the posher part of Oldham, Saddleworth is located on the cusp of the Pennines, with stunning landscapes, beautiful nature and some of the best walks Greater Manchester has to offer.
You’re in true God’s Country here, with the valley stretching all around you. I also highly recommend a walk down the canal in Diggle, and if they’re open – a visit
to the excellent Grandpa Greene’s Luxury Ice Cream for a scoop or five.
Download a trail map here.
Francis Franklin/Wikimedia
Rivington
Located in the heart of good old Bolton, Rivington is a large rural area full of some of the most stunning woodland views. With impressive stone-built stairs and outbuildings and the shabby waterfall cascading slowly down the rock face it’s not what you expect to see in Bolton, more like Bali (maybe that’s a little extreme), especially with the charming views of the Japanese inspired pond & gardens.
Keep on winding upwards and your goal will come clearly into view, the landmark Grade II listed Pike Tower sitting proudly at the summit. It’s definitely a climb, but it’s worth it, especially when you get to see the views at the top, and for the insta obv.
David Dixon/Geograph
Chadkirk Chapel
A short trip from east Stockport you’ll find a peaceful walk and a very charming chapel. For anybody who’s local to Stockport will know that it’s not exactly country walk territory, however just 10 minutes out the way you’ll find Chadkirk Chapel and Estate.
The walk itself is pretty easy and certainly children and dog friendly! During this time of year all the leaves are falling and if you look up the colours are beautiful.
Alex Watson
Derwent Reservoir
Derwent Reservoir, The Peak District, the walk itself is a whopping 16KM however if you’re short for time there is the option to rent bikes to speed things up a little. Not only stunning views, but there’s also a little history held at Derwent Res, about 10 minutes into the walk you’ll pass The Howden Dam, used by Lancaster Bomber pilots to practise bombing runs and targeting.
They also created the ‘Bouncing Bomb’ for the 1943 raid of the dams on the German Ruhr. Wrap up for this one, with being right on the water you’ll need hat, scarfs, gloves, the lot!
Ellie Edginton
Entwistle Reservoir
Heading a little further up North, just past Bolton, you’ll find The Entwistle Reservoir. On a crisp autumnal sunny day, you’ll feel like you’ve just hopped off a plane and landed in Canada, no joke.
The views over the water are completely breath-taking. Surrounded by rows and rows of woodland and trees the walk is only around 2.5miles long. A quick heads up, it can be super busy at the weekends and the parking can be a little manic so either get their early or park a little further up the road.
Whilst you’re there grab yourself some serious pub grub and a pint from The Starbury Duck just 5 minutes up the road.
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Huge ’80s vs ’90s music festival featuring Vengaboys, 911, Five and more coming to Manchester
The ultimate event for pop music nostalgia
All your favourite music acts from the ’80s and ’90s are set to make an epic comeback at a new music festival here in Manchester.
Now, there’s no disputing that the music born from these two decades is perhaps the best and most iconic the world has to offer – so the idea of an entire music festival built upon it sounds a little too good to be true, doesn’t it?
The ‘80s V ’90s Festival will be taking over the Bowlers Exhibition Centre where a number of iconic acts from the (you guessed it) 1980s and 1990s will be going head-to-head to put on the show of your lives.
Bowlers Manchester / Facebook
Nostalgic artists confirmed for the line up include the Vengaboys, Five, Limahal, Chesney Hawkes, 911, Lee Latchford Evans, Andi Peters, Samantha Fox and Gary Davies.
Throughout the event, guests will be able to meet and greet the artists, so make sure you get an old school poster ready to sign for those real ’80s and ’90s vibes.
And this line up isn’t the only blast from the past in store for the event – there will also be a number of vendors in attendance who will be selling retro garms and goods.
@vengaboys / Instagram
Sound good?
Well, luckily for you tickets are on sale now! To buy your own, head here.
The festival will be taking place at the Bowlers Exhibition Centre on Saturday January 29th, 2022 between 2pm – 11pm. All guests must provide valid ID proving they are over the age of eighteen.
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You can now spend the night at a haunted museum sleeping in a bodybag
This experience is not for the faint-hearted…
Calling all horror fans: You can now spend the night sleeping in a bodybag in an actual haunted museum.
Held at the Haunted Museum and Spirit Shop Stoke in Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, the popular Ghost Hunters of Stoke team will be giving keen ghost-hunters the opportunity to partake in their very own ghost hunt.
They are offering visitors guided tours, tarot card readings, a seance and spirit board sessions and haunted sleepovers – with the chance to sleep in an actual bodybag, too.
Ghost Hunters of Stoke on Trent / Facebook
The museum boasts ghostly artefacts from all over the world, including a poltergeist mirror containing the spirit of a ‘little girl and a shadow person’ and a replica of the famous Annabelle Doll.
Business owners and long-time ghost hunters Craig Longson and Jason Dean wanted to create somewhere that could put Stoke-on-Trent on the map as a paranormal destination.
Craig told Stoke on Trent Live: “I’ve always wanted to open something like this… We took on the building five weeks ago, and a lot of hard work has gone into turning it into what you see now. We want to give people the wow factor.
“Whether you’re part of an investigations team, or a member of the public, there will always be team members on hand to help. We’ve got the most advanced equipment from all across the world, so we can give everyone the ultimate experience, all under one roof.”
Ghost Hunters of Stoke on Trent / Facebook
Lead investigator Justine Farley also added: “With the space that we’ve got, we’ve got the opportunity to change things up quite regularly, if we want to. As we get new artefacts, we can move things around and add new things. Our team have also got such unique ideas so we can keep things fresh.”
And for any skeptics out there, the ghost hunters themselves claim to have witnessed genuine paranormal activity in the building. Craig said: “Occasionally… It depends what happens. If you’re in a pitch black room and you see something or feel something.”
Justine added: “We’ve all felt that shiver from the top of your head, all the way down to your toes. When we’ve witnessed things like the pram moving on our live video, it made us all go completely cold. It’s a heavy pram, with metal wheels. Witnessing something like that is just amazing.”
You can find out more about The Haunted Museum and Spirit Shop on Facebook, and also keep up to date with the latest investigations from Ghost Hunters of Stoke-on-Trent on Facebook and YouTube.
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The Cube Live Experience is coming to the Arndale if you’re up to the challenge
Know anyone who could take this on?
A live experience version of the hit ITV gameshow The Cube is set to land at Manchester’s Arndale, new plans have revealed today.
First airing back in 2009, The Cube sees contestants complete a variety of physically and mentally challenging tasks from within a 4m × 4m × 4m perspex cube in order to win a top prize of £250,000.
The show has proven to be a huge hit among viewers at home and now, they will get the chance to compete in the famed cube themselves.
Urban Playground
Urban Playground, the entertainment complex nestled within the Arndale, has announced that The Cube Live Experience will be coming to the shopping centre for guests to partake in their very own gameshow.
The Cube Live will feature a whole array of the most popular games and challenges from the original TV series, and will allow teams of up to four to compete as both single and two players.
According to Urban Playground, participants will have to ‘overcome extreme nerves and intense pressure’ to take on the ‘deceptively simple’ tasks.
Urban Playground
The Cube Live will also come with its very own Cube Bar for participants to enjoy a celebratory drink after their challenge (or one to soften the blow of being defeated by a Cube, in some instances.)
While it is known that The Cube Live Experience will definitely be located in the Arndale, further details surrounding the exact location and opening date are yet to be revealed.
But to be the first to hear news and updates on the opening date and ticket sales, register your interest here.
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