Cheshire
Cheese, Horse Racing, Harry Styles, footballers and their WAGs – there’s plenty to do and see in Cheshire. No wonder it’s been named one of the best places to live in the Northwest.
But its greatest big name is the one and only ‘You have no authority here’ Handforth Parish Council superstar, Jackie Weaver. Need we say more? No. But we will.
When it comes to things to do in Cheshire the list is endless, and while, no, you can’t go and see Jackie Weaver, there’s lots of other famous Cheshire things to do.
You can take a trip to Cheshire Oaks and visit the famous four legged shopping Queen Gimli. She’s pretty well known amongst the designer outlet regulars and can be spotted playing mannequin in store windows or curling up in the soft furnishings of a homeware section. When you spot her you can post a pic on her official Facebook page. Yeah, she’s pretty famous with 4,300 followers and counting. So, add this to your Cheshire to-do list.
Before Harry Styles burst onto the scene, Cheshire was mostly famous for having the (unverifiable) longest cul-de-sac in England. What are you supposed to do with this information? We’re not sure. Maybe store it for a pub quiz. This (unverified) fact has been a point of pride for the Cheshire locals and is not to be dismissed. If you’re looking for something to do in Cheshire, then maybe go and have a walk down England’s longest cul-de-sac (this is, and we cannot state enough, an unverified fact – the locals told us).
Hungry for an actual verified Cheshire fact? How about ice cream? Well here’s something with a bit of both – Crewe is the ice cream van capital of the world. Big claim. There’s one firm that has made the twinkly sound of Greensleeves and Teddy Bear’s Picnic inject a rush of adrenaline into every child, and many adults, everywhere. Whitby Morrison was founded in 1962 by Bryan Whitby, and has had a grip on the mobile ice cream truck market ever since. The trucks are so dominant that you can find them in Australia and Azerbaijan.
Whitby Morrison is a third generation family run business making bespoke, innovative ice cream vans. They’re basically the Rolls Royce of ice cream vans. Company boss Ed Whitby says at any given time somewhere in the world, someone is probably buying an ice cream from one of its vans. So why don’t you make yourself one of them, get to Crewe and get yourself an ice cream. It’s a very Cheshire thing to do.
It’s not just ice cream we’re famous for, Crewe was the epicentre of the British Railway. The original Crewe Works site was constructed by the Grand Junction Railway Company, and in 1843 the first locomotive, ‘Tamerlane’, rolled off the production line. As the London & Northwest Railway network grew and demand for trains increased, additional workshops were built along the Chester line. Then came the age of Diesel and Electric locomotives in the 1960’s and the Crewe Old Works site was left abandoned. Now when you’re looking for things to do in Cheshire you can visit the Crewe Heritage Centre – which is the Old Works site, and Francis Bourgeoise it up with train facts.
We said there were loads of famous things to do in Cheshire and we weren’t joking. But you can keep it pretty low key if you like.
If you’re looking for things to do with family and friends while you’re in Cheshire there’s oodles, like Crocky Trail or the historic Picturedrome. You can find out more about the best things to do here.
Maybe you’re looking for a bit of culture for the weekend, well Cheshire has got you covered with cultural things to do in the area. There are castles, museums and a bunch of National Trusts to explore, telling you all about Cheshire’s past and present.
If you’re vibing a free day out doing things in Cheshire then we’ve got the page for you here. Note: pack outdoor gear, especially a raincoat (‘cause you know, it’s the north).
When your tummy starts to rumble, because you’ve worked up an appetite doing things in Cheshire, it’s time to check out our recommended food and bev stops in this Greater Manchester borough.
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