One of the North West’s most-popular outdoor events has reopened near Manchester, and it’s an ideal day out for families this half term.
For the past two years, Totally Roarsome has taken the region by storm and has seen visitors flock from far and wide after it opened in untouched woodland following the initial lifting of lockdown restrictions in mid-2020, before returning after popular demand for the Easter half term in 2021.
And now, it’s found a new home for 2022’s event at Arley Hall in Cheshire.
Aimed at primary school children, and named as one of the safest attractions for all the family in Greater Manchester, there will be more than 200 individual dinosaur models making up the woodland trail this year, with kids will be able to get up close to the raptors, brontosaurus, spinosaurus, triceratops, and stegosaurus, and so much more.
Not only that, but there’ll also be other creatures and animals to keep them company too, from sea creatures and unicorns, to aliens and farm animals.
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Totally Roarsome’s new home for 2022 is Arley Hall in Cheshire / Credit: Totally Roarsome
Groups enter every 15 minutes to space people apart, with the trail said to take between an hour and an hour-and-a-half to complete.
The path is suitable for pushchairs and prams.
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If the chance to see all sorts of creatures in the wild wasn’t exciting and educational enough as it is, on entry, visitors are given a quiz sheet that features different levels of questions aimed at different age groups, and the answers are on the fact boards as you make your way around.
The popular event has taken the region by storm and has seen visitors flock from far and wide the past two years / Credit: Totally Roarsome
Having already opened last Friday and due to run up until Friday 27 February, followed by weekends throughout March, tickets for Totally Roarsome have been selling fast and are now available to book online.
Tickets will set you back £8.95 each, and must be booked in advance.
Carden Park – The award-winning Cheshire hotel with a stunning outdoor garden spa
Daisy Jackson
Carden Park has long been one of the UK’s best spa hotels – in fact, just in September it was named Spa Hotel of the Year… again.
In the last 12 months its shelves have begun to groan under the weight of all the awards it’s accumulating, with its fine dining restaurant The Vines at Carden earning a third AA Rosette, placing it within the top 10% of venues in the UK.
And now Carden Park has unveiled the first phase of its £6.5m refurbishment, boosting its status even further with smart new bedrooms decorated in soft hues of blue and gold.
Carden Park is famed for its golfing and its outdoor pursuits, as well as its outdoor garden spa (we are very much here for the latter).
The luxury spa opened back in 2020, and features staggering features like a vitality pool, heated relaxation beds, Finnish sauna, a salt steam room, an aroma steam room, aroma showers, and a beautiful bio sauna with panoramic windows overlooking the hotel’s sweeping grounds.
And that’s just the indoor spa at Carden Park – I’m just getting started.
Carden Park’s indoor poolThe Finnish sauna at Carden ParkThe indoor pool at night
Its crowning glory is its outdoor garden spa, where footpaths weave between sunken hot tubs and heated thermal pods.
There’s an outdoor pool, also heated, with body massagers built in, and the sight of the steam rising from the pool over the frosty lawns is one for sore eyes and limbs.
From the all-weather Bollinger champagne bar, you can order a mulled wine or a glass of fizz, to sip around the fire pit or on a sun lounger (maybe not the latter at this time of year).
There’s also a panoramic herbal lounge, with sweeping views of the 1000 acre estate at Carden Park.
A panoramic herbal loungeThe fire pitThe Bollinger Bar at Carden Park SpaCarden Park’s outdoor poolA heated outdoor pod with Carden Park in the background.
A current package running until the new year – the Comfort & Joy Spa Experience – includes access to this incredible spa as well as a 50 minute ‘Time to Pause’ treatment.
Here, your sore muscles are scrubbed and loosened before you flip over for an invigorating facial, using cold stones to cool, soothe and drain toxins from your face.
It’s one of the most thorough and efficient treatments I’ve had at a spa and will leave you feeling pampered, relaxed and invigorated all at once.
The Comfort and Joy Spa Experience package also includes overnight accommodation, dinner in either restaurant, breakfast, a mulled wine or hot chocolate, and loads more.
A refurbished bedroom at Carden ParkThe view from the refurbished bedroomsA refurbished bedroom en suite at Carden Park
And back across at the main hotel, Carden Park’s 197 rooms are slowly being refurbished and crafted into luxury spaces with plenty of British details.
From the premium beds to the huge marble bathrooms, you’ll want to stay forever.
While The Vines at Carden might be the hotel’s more lavish restaurant, its Redmond’s Brasserie is also exceptional, with a menu full of British dishes including steaks, pies, and puddings.
This is also where guests head for breakfast, where there’s a full buffet of hot food, continental items and even a pancake-making machine.
The bar upstairs at the Carden Park spaDinner at Redmond’s BrasserieRedmond’s Brasserie
And after your breakfast, you can stroll around the hotel’s magnificent grounds, where there’s a vineyard, tennis courts, a lake, and a full sculpture park.
Director and general manager of Carden Park Hotel Hamish Ferguson said of the new refurbishments: “The overhaul of our hotel bedrooms marks a significant chapter in Carden Park Hotel’s journey.
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“We are thrilled to embark on this exciting project to enhance our luxury accommodation, reinforcing our commitment to providing an exceptional and rejuvenating experience for our guests.
“Sustainability has been at the forefront of all previous renovations at the hotel, and we endeavour to continue this trajectory in all future transformation projects.”
The Comfort and Joy Spa Experience at Carden Park
A morning garden spa experience between 9am and 1pm (8.30am arrival)
Overnight luxury accommodation
A divine 50-minute Time-to-Pause ritual treatment; including back exfoliation and calming facial. Learn more about the treatment here.
£30 dinner allowance to be used in either Redmond’s Brasserie or The Vines (Thursday only) – Cheshire’s award-winning fine dining restaurant
Full English and Continental breakfast included in your stay
Access to the hotel state-of-the-art leisure club and 20-metre pool
Either a mulled wine or luxury hot chocolate included in your spa experience
Lyme Park’s enchanting animal-themed Christmas event returns
Thomas Melia
Much-loved National Trust venue, Lyme Park, has welcomed some very special guests this winter time with the arrival of fascinating animal sculptures.
The ‘Animal Crackers’ exhibition is a returning favourite for the country park and sees the grand mansion filled with lots of wonderful guests.
Lyme Park has now reopened after a three week sleep and is ready to welcome guests back inside its incredible halls.
You’ll be sure to find comfort in these animals as you walk round the property as many of them are participating in some familiar Christmas activities.
There’s an appearance from a turkey at the table, who’s patiently waiting on their Christmas dinner and even a brown bear who you’ll find hibernating in one of the mansion’s many beds.
All of these creations have been made by Stockport-based artist, Sophie Tyrell, who loves taking inspiration from the carnival and masquerade scenes to make sculptures and art that pops.
When you’re making your way around the building and its countless rooms, you’ll soon notice a lot of these animal sculptures are multi-coloured and incredibly vibrant.
The fox who’s just one of many animals living in this carnival wonderland.The majestic deer draped in bright and colourful bunting at Lyme Park.Credit: Chris Doyle via Publicity Picture.
Although the main focus of the ‘Animal Crackers’ trail is the amazing large-scale animal figures on display in Lyme Park, a big helping hand has come in the form of nearby locals.
The National Trust staff, volunteers and community groups have been working together to deck the halls with handmade decorations made from recycled and donated materials.
It’s not just Lyme Park itself that’s undergone a makeover so has the menu, especially the much-loved afternoon teas which are receiving a ‘festive twist’.
As well as the art installation in the house itself, Crow Wood, next to the Timber yard, will have some glorious trees decorated by local primary schools and organisations from Disley and nearby areas.
‘Animal Crackers’ at Lyme Park is running until 24 December, standard admission applies while National Trust members are free.
Emily Sergeant -
18th February 2022 
