How often do you stop and take a moment to truly appreciate the beauty of our region?
Whether it be the ever-changing skyline of city centre buildings, the rolling hills within our borders, the lakes, rivers and reservoirs spanning for miles, or the wealth of untouched nature right on our doorsteps, Greater Manchester has a lot to offer.
And if there’s one thing that can really shine a light on that, it’s photography.
The power of photography has the ability to capture a moment in time that may otherwise have passed us by, and allow us to remember that moment forever.
So, in an attempt to not only showcase the beauty around us, but to also give a well-deserved platform to some of the region’s most talented amateur and professional photographers, for the past 10 weeks over on our Instagram – @the.manc – we have scoured the internet to find and feature 10 of the best photographs taken in each of Greater Manchester’s 10 boroughs – and it’s proven to be an extremely popular series with our 142,000+ audience.
ADVERTISEMENT
That popular, in fact, that we have decided to round-up each of the 10 posts in one place to really bring home why Greater Manchester is so great.
Don’t forget to go over and follow @the.manc on Instagram if you’re keen to see more.
ADVERTISEMENT
___
Manchester
https://www.instagram.com/p/CNSrkjDjDL6/
The borough of Manchester itself may not boast some of sights that its neighbours do, but it’s not one to be overlooked.
Manchester is overflowing with culture, character and charm.
ADVERTISEMENT
This was undoubtedly one of the hardest boroughs to whittle down 10 photos for, as there are plenty of talented photographers teeming our streets and an endless list of moments to capture, but with everything from sunkissed skylines and skyscrapers, to rainy days, blue skies and more, we’ve picked the best of a brilliant bunch.
Don’t forget to head on over to Instagram to show some love and check out more from the photographers featured in our Manchester round-up.
Salford
https://www.instagram.com/p/CL4jyNqgEHc/
There’s nowhere quite like Salford.
Besides being home to Greater Manchester’s second city, a wealth of cultural sites that are worth visiting, the ever-developing and expanding MediaCity UK, and some of the most close-knit communities around, Salford is also spoilt with green space and weekend walks thanks to Kersal Wetlands, Worsley Woods and Drinkwater Park.
It’s also hard to ignore the spectacular scenery on offer at the Quays, too.
ADVERTISEMENT
The 10 pictures featured as part of the Salford round-up showcase all the borough has on offer.
Don’t forget to head on over to Instagram to show some love and check out more from the photographers featured in our Salford round-up.
Oldham
https://www.instagram.com/p/CNAw3NwMbGJ/
How brilliant is that view of the Manchester skyline?
Thanks to its location neighbouring the Pennines and between the rivers Irk and Medlock, the eastern Greater Manchester borough of Oldham not only offers one of the best looks at the city centre from afar, but it also boasts gorgeous hill views and breathtaking reservoir scenery, with places like Tandle Hill and Dovestones all within its borders.
We were truly spoilt for choice when narrowing down 10 photographs to showcase here.
ADVERTISEMENT
Don’t forget to head on over to Instagram to show some love and check out more from the photographers featured in our Oldham round-up.
Bury
https://www.instagram.com/p/CMc0jFmjIg2/
Despite the pronunciation of ‘Bury’ being up for debate amongst us Mancunians, we can at least all agree that the borough has some great views, right?
Not only is it home to several popular town centres, alongside Holcombe Hill, Peel Tower and Heaton Park, but Bury is also known nationally for its black pudding, as well as being steeped in history as the regimental town of the Lancashire Fusiliers, and the start of the East Lancashire Railway.
Have a gander at 10 of the best snapshots captured by local photographers.
Don’t forget to head on over to Instagram to show some love and check out more from the photographers featured in our Bury round-up.
ADVERTISEMENT
Wigan
https://www.instagram.com/p/CMu2K3FLSib/
Can you believe that the vast range of sights and scenery showcased in this selection of 10 photos are all nestled in the same borough?
Wigan really has a lot to shout about.
Not only is the borough home to the famous Uncle Joe’s Mint Balls, and is known the world-over for its iconic pier and pies, there’s also a wealth of beautiful nature reserves, great public parks, monuments and some rich heritage to explore too.
Don’t forget to head on over to Instagram to show some love and check out more from the photographers featured in our Wigan round-up.
Rochdale
https://www.instagram.com/p/CMKlVeOAZrw/
We can’t get enough of the views on offer in Rochdale.
ADVERTISEMENT
This is one of Greater Manchester’s most underrated gems, so when it comes to experiencing all that nature and culture can bring, you need look no further than Rochdale with its bustling town centre, multiple reservoirs, the beautiful Hollingworth Lake, Healey Dell Nature Reserve and so much more.
It was hard to narrow it down, but we’ve picked a selection of photos that truly show what Rochdale is made of.
Don’t forget to head on over to Instagram to show some love and check out more from the photographers featured in our Rochdale round-up.
Bolton
https://www.instagram.com/p/CLmgTSCjY04/
There’s so much hidden beauty in Bolton.
The northwestern borough doesn’t always get the level of recognition that the rest of the region does, but with its popular country parks, reservoir walks, picturesque views over the city, and a historic town centre with streets that have been used as filming locations for a number of films and well-known TV shows, don’t count Bolton out.
ADVERTISEMENT
Here’s 10 of the best snapshots Bolton has to show for itself.
Don’t forget to head on over to Instagram to show some love and check out more from the photographers featured in our Bolton round-up.
Stockport
https://www.instagram.com/p/CLHa5lzDrVH/
Stockport has plenty of show-stopping sights.
The region’s most-southern borough is known by the rest of Greater Manchester for its iconic viaduct, M60 pyramid and Plaza, but with the wonders of Lyme Park, Reddish Vale and Etherow Country Park all within its borders too, Stockport has so much more to offer than initially meets the eye.
We’ve selected 10 of the best snapshots by local photographers to show Stockport off.
ADVERTISEMENT
Don’t forget to head on over to Instagram to show some love and check out more from the photographers featured in our Stockport round-up.
Tameside
https://www.instagram.com/p/CKwdfXtA1cQ/
Looking for some of the best views in Greater Manchester?
Head to Tameside.
With are large chunk of the eastern borough neighbouring Derbyshire and the unrivalled sights of the Peak District National Park, Tameside is home to some of the best views the region has to offer, whatever the weather, so we’ve done our best to highlight its beauty through the lens of local photographers.
Don’t forget to head on over to Instagram to show some love and check out more from the photographers featured in our Tameside round-up.
ADVERTISEMENT
Trafford
https://www.instagram.com/p/CLUS4scDibR/
Trafford’s got it all.
The sought-after borough in the southwestern part of Greater Manchester is known for bringing a little bit of everything to the table, so from cultured high streets and grand shopping centres, to public parks, nature reserves, National Trust sites and everything in between, we’ve picked 10 of our favourite snapshots to best represent the area.
The beautiful scenes from the recent winter months are definitely the star of the show.
Don’t forget to head on over to Instagram to show some love and check out more from the photographers featured in our Trafford round-up.
30 years ago, the IRA detonated a 1,500kg lorry bomb on Corporation Street in the heart of Manchester – here’s the story
Georgina Pellant
Today marks three whole decades since an explosion from the inside of a lorry parked on Corporation Street shattered windows and destroyed buildings across the city centre.
Causing an evisceration that stretched for miles, when the 1,500 kilogram IRA bomb went off in 1996, it was the biggest detonation in Great Britain since the Second World War.
Following the explosion, the city fell silent – leaving rack, rubble and ruin in its wake. Famously, one red post box was left standing – today fitted with a memorial plaque in remembrance of the tragedy.
It seems scary to think that back then, most people could only stand there, watch on and worry.
The bomb caused an estimated £700 million worth of damage to Manchester’s infrastructure and economy, and over a quarter of a century later, locals still tell the stories of where they were when it went off – and of the devastation it left behind.
Notably, one resident of the Cromford Court maisonettes on top of the Arndale – a 77-year-old RAF veteran suffering from the flu – didn’t even bother to get up when the telephone warning to evacuate hit, considering himself to have survived much worse feats during his time in military service.
Having been a rear gunner in a Lancaster in the war, he reportedly told police and authorities “he was buggered if he was going to let a small bomb affect him.”
In subsequent years, Danny O’Neill has become a part of an urban legend surrounding the bomb as his staggering story has been told time and time again.
Around 90 minutes prior to the detonation, the Provisional Irish Republican Army had telephoned in warnings – meaning that around 75,000 people were able to be evacuated from the area before the bomb went off from the back of a van.
However, the bomb squad were unable to defuse it in time, leading to over 200 injuries from people still left in the area.
Thankfully, despite those injuries, there were no fatalities, and many of those reported traumas came from the shattering of thousands of windows and other damage to buildings in which unsuspecting people were getting on with their days.
Several buildings near the explosion were damaged beyond repair and had to be demolished, while many more were closed for months for structural repairs, and this prompted the biggest regeneration of Manchester city centre ever – something that is still continuing to this day, arguably at a more rapid rate than ever.
The city lay dormant for days after the explosion, as people came to terms with what had happened and kept their distance. Many moved out of the centre for a period of time, while many more simply decided not to visit for fear of another incident.
It was a desolate place, eerily quiet, and in need of some serious TLC.
According to Home Office statistics, an estimated 400 businesses within half a mile (0.8 km) of the 1996 blast were affected, 40% of which did not recover.
Credit: Manchester Libraries
Market Street – near the explosion and at that time the second-busiest shopping street in the UK – was considered by some a “fearful” place, and one that was to be “avoided like the plague”.
The prospect of pulling Manchester’s bustling city centre out of its darkest depression was not casually approached by those in charge.
It was acknowledged as a mammoth task from the get-go, but Greater Manchester has never let anything get in its way. Despite how steep the hill is that we’re standing at the base of, we always manage to reach the peak, ready to go again.
Gig review | Lola Young’s Manchester comeback – A joyous return to stage at the O2 Apollo Manchester
Kristen MacGregor-Houlston
The excitement in the air is palpable in the O2 Apollo Manchester, the crowd is itching for her to make her way onto stage and is chanting her name – Manchester has missed you, Lola Young.
After an extended hiatus since she collapsed at the All Things Go festival in New York last September, Lola is back on a short tour to find her feet again. Whilst Manchester isn’t officially the first show, it is the headline performance for her comeback.
Lola’s break had come at a pivotal moment, with her third studio album, I’m Only F***ing Myself (2025), earning huge acclaim, performances across the globe, and endorsements from the likes of Elton John for her talent.
After cancelling all of her shows ‘for the foreseeable future’, Lola asked fans for their forgiveness, writing in an emotional statement: “I really hope you’ll give me a second chance once I’ve had some time to work on myself and come back stronger.”
Tough to handle for anyone, let alone a young rising artist.
It was clear to everyone that her hard work on herself had paid off, as this was a different Lola Young from the one I saw at Glastonbury last year: there was a calmness to her – she seemed more centred and more confident.
That calmness, however, did not mean a lacklustre performance: she is still a powerhouse; her stage presence is just magnetic, and it is clear to see how loved she is by her fans. The energy in the room didn’t falter the entire time she was on stage.
She kicked things off with ‘Sad Sob Story’, a song about moving on from a toxic relationship, which seemed fitting as she steps away from the drama and difficulties of last year into a fresh start. A wall-shaking opening number that set the scene for what was to follow with the rest of the show.
As part of her healing journey, Young stated that she has decided to write something special and specific for each show to tell herself if she’s worried or doubting her ability.
She shared her Manchester mantra with us: “When you are connected, when you express what you feel is true to you, when you open yourself up and share your very unique experience, remember you are electric… Those who want to listen will lean in, no matter your volume.”
Although she was clearly introspecting, she was also speaking to her audience, her fans, and expressing gratitude for them still being there. Shouts of support echoed out through the venue, her fans truly loving and supporting her as they have since day one, perhaps more so than ever.
Her performances of songs like ‘Big Brown Eyes’, ‘Not Like That Anymore’ and ‘Conceited’, showed just how much fun Lola was having on stage, being back and being surrounded by people who truly loved her.
At times, the crowd were singing along so loudly and passionately that she laughed and told the audience, “I can’t even hear myself in my own ears.” She had to occasionally take moments to step back and take it all in, seemingly overwhelmed with joy at the outpouring of love being reflected back to her.
Her band were also a stand-out, sharing in her energy and passion. It is clear that Young and her band could easily fill huge arenas with their talent and fervour, but this more intimate venue just seemed correct.
Lola continued to prove throughout the night why she was so deserving of her BRIT Award for ‘Breakthrough Artist of the Year’, and her Grammy nominations for ‘Best New Artist’ and ‘Best Pop Solo Performance’.
Her vocal talent, emotional depth and electric stage presence were showcased in songs like ‘why do i feel better when i hurt you?’, ‘Post Sex Clarity’ and the incredible ‘You Noticed’, showing an extremely vulnerable side to her that had many audience members tearing up.
We saw all sides of Young during this show, with her iconic songs ‘One Thing’, ‘d£aler’ and ‘Messy’ practically blasting the roof off of the O2 Apollo Manchester.
The fans could hardly contain themselves, screaming the lyrics back at her – it was truly a night to remember for everyone.
With another night in Manchester due to popular demand, Lola promised to be back soon. Could it be a bigger tour, bigger venues, new music?
Who knows, but for now we’re just glad to see her healthy and have her back in our lives again.
Emily Sergeant -
8th April 2021 
