I’m stuck for ideas for a family day out next Saturday.

Requirements :

Nice market town with a “Christmassy Feel”
Good options for lunch
Within an hour / 50 miles of North Manchester
Kids play area would be a bonus

I’m thinking of Castleton (Derbyshire – not the one near Rochdale), Hebden Bridge or Skipton.

Any ideas?

a fantastic collection of over 400 hats from around the world.

All kids love hats

If you are thinking Skipton, and I’ve no idea if there is an xmas market or not, but our kids LOVE the yorkshire dales ice cream farm.

Superb play areas, and an american style diner if thats your thing. its very good.

Chester is always nice at Christmas

Or is anywhere doing the thomas the tank christmas train journeys?

….and pencils

Be amazed at the world’s longest colour pencil

indeed!

Going to Chester on New Year’s eve.

Thanks for the input Binners 😉

in chester, the lights look as if theve been bought from athe pound shop, the pavements are broken, check out Foregate street, from the clock towards argos, the urine smelling rows, over priced parking but free after 3.00pm in some car parks,lots of closed down shops, a set of wooden sheds on the town hall square, as a christmas market, Cheshire oaks is a better bet, or Wrexham, then onto llangollen for a ride on the santa train, expensive though.
Liverpool is looking fantastic this christmas a real buzz about the place some good food stals in the christmas market, pier head and ferry ride to seacome to see Wallace and gromit, OR free parking in Seacomebe, end of the M53, then park and ride on the ferry to liverpool , and return by ferry.

Good call there project. We did the ferry over to the Wallace and Gromit exhibition with the kids not long back. We all had a fantastic day! So I imagine it’ll be even better at Christmas

Good call there project. We did the ferry over to the Wallace and Gromit exhibition with the kids not long back. We all had a fantastic day! So I imagine it’ll be even better at Christmas

There is also a traffic free cycle route along the prom to new brighton, if you take the bikes, and dont forget the submarine at woodside, just stay on the ferry, and spaceport at seacombe along with Wallace and Gromit.

Chester zoo

We went to Nottingham last weekend with STR jnr – Las Iguanas for food, Christmas Fayre and 100ft high carousel in the evening, stayed in the Crowne Plaza, Victoria Centre to spend some pennies the next morning and a wander round the Christmas market – very nice and Christmassy it was.

Good call with the pencil museum.i realy wanted to visit,but ended up going to Whinlatter instead 👿

>Castleton

Nowt much to do there unless going down one of the tourist caves is on the cards.

Rich, How is Hayfield looking? We just want to mooch about for an hour or so and have some lunch.

Hayfield, loads of nice walking but nowt else here.

The Packhorse does very good food though. The interior of which is mind blowing though.

Harrogate. Betty’s for lunch. Job done