Do you like your animals pint-sized and ideally sporting an excellent, tousled hairstyle? Then allow us to introduce you to Basil.
This adorable little Shetland pony lives inside an Airbnb rental, which means he’s ready and waiting for you to join him for a sleepover.
At the cosy accommodation, the bedroom is directly attached to wee Basil’s stable, so you could roll over in bed and give him a little fuss.
Then just outside your door, you’ll find paddocks that are home to Highland cows, Hebridean sheep, horses, pigs, chickens and Norwegian Forrest cats.
Honestly, this place might be paradise for animal lovers.
Known as ‘Basils Barn’, the Airbnb is located in the grounds of a 17th century manor, surrounded by a 60 acre estate.
The owners have mostly rescued the animals, who are strictly kept as pets – so it’s safe to form an emotional attachment to Basil and his farmyard pals knowing they’re in safe hands.
So back to your overnight accommodation. This cosy barn still has gorgeous original features like a flagstone floor, covered in colourful rugs, and traditional stone walls.
Basils Barn also includes a cosy living area. Credit: AirbnbThe outside space at Basils Barn has a firepit and seating area. Credit: AirbnbBasil the Shetland Pony shares an entrance to the Airbnb. Basils Barn also includes a cosy living area. Credit: Airbnb
There’s enough space for four people to sleep between the double bed and a bunk bed, as well as a separate living room/kitchen/diner.
Outside, you can have access to an open outdoor log fire with barbecue grill, and an outdoor tiki hut seating area.
Other amenities include toiletries, toys, books and board games for families, a well-equipped kitchen and free parking.
Some things to bear in mind? There is a literal horse next door, so you might experience some sights, sounds and smells.
And your alarm clock may not be needed, with a cockerel on the estate who will soon let you know when dawn arrives with his crowing.
Basil the pony is usually in his stable – adorable head poking over the low wall that separates him from the Airbnb – from the time you arrive, and he stays there overnight, before he heads back to his field in the morning.
You also have to turn his light out for him when it’s time for bed. Aww.
The incredible plans to build floating walkways over Manchester’s waterways
Daisy Jackson
A major project that will deliver a 100-mile-plus network connecting Manchester’s parks, squares and waterways has been unveiled – and it includes impressive floating walkways.
The first steps for the CyanLines mega project have been unveiled today, including the first four routes which will link the likes of Mayfield Park, New Islington Marina, Castlefield Viaduct and Kampus.
The ambitious plans will also link lesser-known pocket parks, canal tow paths, and pedestrianised walkways, and will incorporate new planned outdoor spaces such as the Science Museum courtyard and the former Central Retail Park.
One particularly eye-catching proposal will be a new floating walkway across the middle of the River Irwell, complete with a canoe dock and storage area.
The plans will adapt to Manchester’s ever-expanding cityscape and will link up new and existing developments, providing green walking and cycling routes around town.
Manchester and Salford City Councils have already worked together and secured funding from the National Trust, Natural England, and the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Nature Towns and Cities programme.
There are four CyanLines pilot routes – the first being a 5km ‘Irk Valley Explorer’ that will link Chethams Library and the Glade of Light memorial, Angel Meadows, the under-development City River Park, and the Barney’s Steps made famous by LS Lowry, ending with a view of the city skyline.
Then there’s the Mayfield, New Islington and Ancoats Loop, which will connect together Mayfield Park, the Ashton Canal, the Central Retail Park which is being transformed into a campus for the UK Government, New Islington Marina, Ancoats Green, and all the way down to leafy Kampus.
How the River Irwell could look with the CyanLines routes in placeHow the River Irwell looks currently
CL3, otherwise known as the ‘Walking the knowledge corridor’, incorporates significant landmarks like the Emmeline Pankhurst statue, our historic canal network, the Palace Theatre, Symphony Gardens, the universities, Manchester Museum, and Whitworth Art Gallery.
And the final of the four pilot routes is the CL4, focused around the almighty Castlefield Viaduct but also joining the Bridgewater Canal into Salford and the Irwell River Park, as well as the gardens around Chapel Street, Greengate Park, and the River Irwell itself.
Councillor Bev Craig, leader of Manchester City Council, said: “Manchester is on a mission to make our city greener, investing in new parks and green spaces including the likes of Mayfield, Ancoats Green and the Castlefield Viaduct, in addition to our work to celebrate and open up our rivers and canals. We are a city with exciting, and transformational plans for the future. .
“But there’s more that we can do together. CyanLines is a bold new initiative over the next decade to imagine and create over 100 miles of connected parks, green spaces and waterfronts.
“This is just the start of CyanLines and I urge residents, business owners, community groups and leaders to join us on this very exciting journey to truly transform our city.”
Tom Bloxham MBE CBE, CyanLines project co-founder and chair, Urban Splash and founding Chair Manchester International Festival (MIF) and Factory International said that the same ambition that grew MIF will be applied to CyanLines.
More before-and-after images of the CyanLines pilot plans
He said: “We want to bring the whole city along with us, to help us plan, fund and deliver CyanLines. No idea is too big, too ambitious, too audacious or too small or too straightforward.
“Everyone wants more green space. Everyone wants to be able to walk to the end of Castlefield Viaduct. Everyone wants to be healthier and happier.
“Imagine more species and drifts of plants and wildflowers and allotments in the city centre and being able to walk one or 100 miles of continuous paths linking all our amazing spaces. Together we can make it happen!”
Pete Swift, CyanLines project co-founder and CEO of Planit said: “The first four CyanLines provide so much more than walkable and wheelable connections linking the existing and planned excellent green and blue spaces across the city, to bring us all closer to nature and nature closer to us.
“The routes will be the starting point, or spring board, for a whole plethora of CyanLines projects which will bring new opportunities for nature to thrive and to be enjoyed.
“The ambition for CyanLines does not stop at Manchester and Salford city centres. It will ultimately link up all Greater Manchester’s boroughs to bring our citizens and communities closer to nature and help drive a greener, healthier, and inclusive future. From Dunham Massey in the south, to Northern Roots in Oldham; from Leigh via RHS Bridgewater, Media City on to the foot of the Pennines.”
Mike Innerdale, regional director North of England, National Trust said: “National Trust are firm supporters of CyanLines, not least because its core aim mirrors our own of ensuring more people have access to nature particularly in our towns and cities, and to bring nature to people’s doorsteps wherever they live.
“We recently announced we have secured the majority of the £3 million of funding for the Castlefield Viaduct which will allow us to bring Phase 2 of this iconic sky park project to life, enabling us to create a through route at the heart of the city. We look forward to working with the CyanLines team and other partners as both our projects advance, connecting Castlefield viaduct with the other wonderful spaces in Manchester and Salford city centres.”
Manchester is getting a £2m highways maintenance ‘blitz’ to fix the roads ready for winter
Emily Sergeant
Manchester is getting itself a £2m highways maintenance ‘blitz’ to fix up the roads across the region ready for winter.
Manchester City Council has confirmed that the maintenance work is due to take place throughout this month to ensure Manchester roads are ‘future-proofed’ for the next decade and more – and this will, crucially, include things like resurfacing.
It comes after the Council spoke to Mancs earlier this year, and residents declared that they wanted roads and pavements ‘up to standard’ and for them to stay that way, so as part of the Council’s commitment to this, a large-scale £2m resurfacing programme is set to run throughout September, with 53 roads due to be improved.
Ahead of winter, and the inevitable wet and cold weather it brings – which is the cause of a large number of issues to the road network – these upcoming works are to put a protective barrier in place ahead of time to nip potential future issues in the bud.
The work being carried out will take place in two stages – first will be the surface dressing stage, before the sealing stage, also known as the ‘Kiely Lock’ process, finishes it off.
Manchester is getting a £2m highways maintenance ‘blitz’ to fix the roads ready for winter / Credit: MJ Richardson (via Geograph)
“We know that the cold and wet of winter puts additional stress on our roads, add in freezing temperatures and we have a recipe that can make short work of the road surface,” commented Councillor Tracey Rawlins, who is the Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment, and Transport at Manchester City Council.
“This is why we’re mobilising now to ensure that we can protect as many roads as possible, which not only saves the taxpayer money in the long term, but also makes our journeys quicker and safer.
“Over the past year we have invested heavily in improvements to our highways network as we know from our residents’ feedback it’s one of the issues most important to them.
“We are confident that this programme of works will be a net positive for our residents and I’d like to thank them ahead of time for their patience as we futureproof our roads for the coming decade.”
The planned improvements will start on Tuesday 16 September, and will continue though until Saturday 27 September, and some disruption is to be expected, so do plan ahead.
You can find the full list of roads being resurfaced here.
Daisy Jackson -
8th September 2023 
