The pool party had just finished when Katie found the lump.
She’d spent the past few hours partying in Los Angeles – splashing around in sunshine-dappled waters at one of the world’s largest all-female LGBT festivals.
It had been a day to remember, drinking and dancing alongside her fiancé and hundreds of others.
But as she stepped into the shower to cool off, her fingers ran over something raised.
Watching the water circle the drain, Katie double-checked and felt it again.
ADVERTISEMENT
Something wasn’t right.
She was a long way from home in Manchester, but Katie knew she needed to get this checked. And quickly.
ADVERTISEMENT
By this point, she already knew the warning signs.
***
Bitter winds and warm beer
The Pool Party
Eight years prior to that life-changing bathroom visit in southern California, Katie was at a very different type of party more than 5,000 miles away.
ADVERTISEMENT
Before the days of swimming pools, cocktails and techno music of L.A., there were terraced houses, warm lager and bitter winds of Newcastle.
It was 2010 and Katie was a student in the North-East, attending the sort of house party you’ll find happening in almost every student city on any given weekend.
On the surface, it was just another typical uni gathering. But it turned out to be an important one.
This was the night she met Nicola.
Sparks started flying almost immediately, and before the night was up, Nicola asked Katie if she fancied attending another party at her place in the coming days.
ADVERTISEMENT
Katie agreed, but it was all a ruse.
“Nobody else showed up,” laughs Katie.
“She ‘honey trapped’ me – and the rest is history!”
Hollywood
The pair quickly fell in love, graduated, moved in together, and even got jobs in the same office – working for a major IT corporation.
On paper, it was all perfect. But something just didn’t feel right.
ADVERTISEMENT
“We had a lovely city centre apartment and a car on finance, but we could barely afford our bills,” Katie says.
“It seemed everyone wanted a piece of our income and the ironic part of it all is that we moved to the city to enjoy the nightlife and dining out. We couldn’t afford it once we lived there.
“We were literally living to work.”
The couple flirted with the idea of escaping for a few months, and eventually found themselves consumed by wanderlust.
They’d spend every night staring up at the enormous world map beside their bed, dreaming of exploring the planet together and deciding which places to go.
ADVERTISEMENT
To make it happen, they scrimped and saved for months on end, moving into a house-share to cut down on rent expenses, and selling everything they didn’t want to take with them on the plane at car boot sales.
Then, in 2015, they took the plunge. And the adventure began.
***
“You need to cancel your flight”
The Great Wall of China
Katie and Nicola photographed everything the moment they left the UK. And it’s a good job they did.
Without the images, their travels sound too extravagant to be true.
ADVERTISEMENT
Sharing breakfast with baby sloths in Costa Rica. Swimming with manatees in Florida. Watched a 3-day sumo wrestling tournament in Tokyo. Riding the world’s longest cable car in Hong Kong. Ice skating in New York City on Christmas Day.
Katie and Nicola seemed to be living in a travel montage from a Hollywood movie (Hollywood being another place they ticked off the list).
Their amazing journey even involved a perfect proposal.
After purchasing a ring in Venice and keeping it stashed away in her luggage until she reached the States, Katie took Nicola to the California beach and revealed the ring at sunset.
Nicola said yes, and when daylight broke a few hours later, the United States legalised same-sex marriage across the country.
ADVERTISEMENT
It was cinematic.
Baby sloth in Costa Rica
After a brief return home in March 2016, the pair ventured out into the wild again the following Christmas (2017). They’d caught the travel bug and couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
But that was when the fairytale faltered.
During their second trip around the world, Katie was diagnosed with skin cancer.
“We were due to go to Reykjavik in Iceland to celebrate New Year with some friends,” Katie explains.
ADVERTISEMENT
“I was trying on clothes for the trip in a shop when I spotted a dark and very obviously changed mole on my back.”
She decided to get it checked out.
The advice was sobering.
“Cancel your flight,” said the doctor.
“You need a biopsy.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Katie and Nicola had to stay put.
“I was devastated and worried,” Katie remembers.
“But after the biopsy, we were allowed to travel while we were waiting for the results. We flew to Stockholm for a few days to take our minds off it.”
At Stockholm Central Station, Katie got the news.
She had a malignant melanoma and required surgery.
ADVERTISEMENT
Hurrying back to the UK, Katie got the medical attention she needed, and was relieved to hear she’d “caught it early.”
After a huge sigh of relief, the duo gathered their composure, counted their blessings, dusted themselves down, and went back to what they knew best: Travelling.
This time, they took an epic 4,000 mile road trip to New Orleans for Mardis Gras, crossing Arizona, Texas, New Mexico and parts of Louisiana en route.
Their final destination: Los Angeles.
And the pool party.
ADVERTISEMENT
***
“This is my third chance”
Dogsledding in Greenland
“It could just be trauma,” said the doctor in Beverly Hills.
“Leave it for a couple of weeks.”
Katie was having the lump in her breast examined, and the physician seemed to think it could be benign.
Unconvinced, Katie decided she was taking no chances.
ADVERTISEMENT
With Nicola in tow, Katie travelled back to Manchester and signed in at the Christie to have more tests.
It turned out to be breast cancer.
“I had surgery to remove the tumor and had an agonising wait for a number of results from the biopsy that lasted around 3 months,” Katie says.
“They found a lesion on my spine and I was tested for bone cancer.
“It was petrifying to think that I might die at 34.”
ADVERTISEMENT
The scary news put Katie in a very dark place. But a change in mindset helped to pave the way for a second miraculous recovery.
“After refusing chemo and other conventional treatment, I changed my lifestyle,” Katie says.
“I got into yoga, meditation and herbalism.”
She’s still in that frame of mind today.
“I have never felt better and I count my blessings every single day.
“I am so grateful for a third chance at life.”
After being given the all-clear, Katie and Nicola decided to get out to the Great White North and visit Canada.
But what they didn’t know was that coronavirus was coming.
Just as Katie got out of one set of woods, she found herself locked inside another…
***
“We’ve had no electricity, running water or internet for seven months”
Canada
Moments after Katie and Nicola touched down in Vancouver, the country shut its borders.
They made it into Canada by the “skin of their teeth” in March.
And they’re still there right now.
The original plan had been to do a road trip down to the States, covering the likes of Oregon and California later in the year.
The girls had even bought a camper van with a wood-burning stove inside to stay warm – but all of a sudden, they had nowhere to drive it.
Like almost everyone else on the planet, they’d been told to stay indoors until further notice.
“Our travel insurance couldn’t help us,” says Katie.
“Our families and friends back home were concerned for us but they know that travel is in our hearts and that we’d make this work however we could.”
The first step, of course, was finding some money.
Nicola went out and got herself a Canadian work permit; finding a job in an essential service so the pair could buy food and stay safe.
After looking around for a place to stay, the pair settled on a small mountain town
in British Columbia – around an hour north of Vancouver.
“The real name of the town is Skwxwú7mesh but it’s simplified in English as ‘Squamish’,” Katie explains.
“The town is visually stunning and is a very affluent and desirable area to live.
“Subsequently it’s expensive to rent – and one beds can be in excess of £1500 a month.
“Luckily, we found a nearby non-profit campground on what Canadian’s call ‘Crown land’.
“The campground staff were very understanding of our situation and allowed us to set up there with our camper van with distancing and protective protocols in place.”
This was seven months ago.
In all that time, Katie and Nicola have had no electricity, no running water, and no internet.
“All we have is a plot of land, the rainforest, and ‘pit toilets’ which do not flush,” Katie says.
And the funniest part? They’ve never been happier.
“We have learned to forage wild food, build campfires, hula hoop, play the ukulele, and spent time writing poetry, fiction and music production,” Katie tells us.
“We built an outdoor kitchen powered by propane and protected by tarp… and we had to build [our own] outdoor shower as all gyms and recreation centres were closed at one point.
“We now bathe, drink and wash our dishes using boiled glacial water from the sacred Mamquam river.”
Alice Lake, Canada
For most of us, lockdown has intermittently revolved around Netflix, Zoom, oversleeping and skin-creasingly long hot baths. So, the prospect of being quarantined in a campsite with none of the above may sound nothing short of daunting.
But for Katie and Nicola, it’s been bliss.
“We’re surrounded by rainforest – and being in nature at a time like this has really kept us calm and focused,” Katie says.
“It’s been a blessing being here during the pandemic because we’re able to go on long hikes and visit campsites that are secluded and remote.”
Restrictions in rural Canada are also more flexible, meaning they’ve been able to van it across British Columbia to gorgeous beaches by the Pacific Ocean, national parks, and picturesque mountain towns.
Technically, they’ve been trapped.
But for the first time since recovering from her second cancer scare, Katie feels completely free…
***
“Go slow, enjoy the culture, and live with the locals.”
Frozen Sea, Greenland
Between their sled dog expeditions in Greenland and being sucked away by the current on a Guatemalan river, Katie and Nicola have become something of a trusted voice in the travelling community.
The pair started chronicling their experiences via an online blog a few years back, which eventually morphed into a publication titled Round The World Magazine.
Today, it attracts 50,000 visitors a month – offering advice and guidance for anyone globetrotting on a budget.
“It took around 3 years for the blog to really take off,” Katie tell us.
“We got featured on Travel and Leisure which changed everything and much of our LGBT content is ranking top 10 on Google search!”
The duo also have some words of wisdom for anyone hoping to get out and about when the world eventually reopens, whenever that will be.
“When it’s safe to do so, we would strongly suggest visiting Iceland,” says Katie.
“It’s one of our favourite places in the world and we make sure we go at least once a year.
“The whole country is incredibly unique with its volcanic history and weather worn terrain. It’s like landing on Mars and not only will you see the Northern Lights in winter but you can experience the midnight sun in summer.
“It’s one of the most friendliest places we’ve ever visited and we’re in love with the idea of starting up a hostel retreat there one day.”
According to Katie, you don’t need a huge wallet to see the planet, either.
“You don’t need a huge savings pot to do what we did,” she emphasises.
“You can work for free accommodation all over the world and we have resources on our site where you can find free car hire, free RV rentals and work abroad sites in every country.
“Go slow, enjoy the culture of a place, live with locals, go out of tourist zones, start a blog early on, or sell your images to help support you on your way.”
Shanghai
The pair are coming home for Christmas 2020 – with plans to purchase a camper van so they can safely explore their own homeland.
“We’ll be stocking our bellies on chip butties, crumpets and Yorkshire tea – which is something impossible to find in Canada!” says Katie.
“Then, we’re hoping to eventually go back to Canada to start the permanent residency process.”
As for the wedding, that might still be a few months away.
“We had plans to get married in June 2021 in Los Angeles,” says Katie.
“But we’re not too sure what’s going to happen with the travel restrictions.
“We have our wedding dresses ready and I won’t be surprised with our spontaneity if we wake up one day and say: ‘Let’s do it in Manchester!’”
So, after visiting as many as 36 countries, Katie still might tie the knot in the north-west after all.
Mancs often tend to have a bit of a homing instinct. Even the ones with itchy feet like Katie.
“We always think of our people back home,” she tells us.
“Especially in Manchester. It’s where our hearts will always lie.”
Follow Katie and Nicola’s blog, Round The World Magazine, on Instagram. @roundtheworldmagazine
Feature
All the Greater Manchester restaurants included in the Michelin Guide
Daisy Jackson
Our city’s thriving food scene really does span all budgets and appetites, from Michelin star fine-dining to award-winning street food.
And the quality of our city’s higher-end establishments is evident with just a glance at the Michelin Guide, where esteemed judges have selected 18 Greater Manchester spots of note.
A few establishments have quietly dropped off the Michelin list in the last year, with Canto in Ancoats, Tast on King Street, and the now-closed Habas and Ramsbottom’s Levanter no longer featured.
But there are new entries too, including (so far) a new Bib Gourmand for Higher Ground plus plenty of new additions to the wider guide.
Keep reading to discover the full list of restaurants in Greater Manchester included in the Michelin Guide.
Simon Martin’s ultra-high-end Ancoats restaurant Mana is the only restaurant in Greater Manchester to currently hold a Michelin star, breaking a 40-year dry spell for Manchester city centre.
What the Michelin guide says: “The personality and experience of chef-owner Simon Martin shine brightly at this stylish, modern restaurant, where every one of the well-spaced tables has a view of the kitchen.
“British produce leads the way, including plenty of seafood because, as Simon puts it, ‘we live on an island’. There are many Asian techniques on display and the cooking marries complex flavours with a pure, natural approach, in dishes such as a superb roasted hogget with white miso sabayon.”
Skof, NOMA
Inside Skof, Manchester’s newest restaurant
This shiny new restaurant from Tom Barnes and Simon Rogan’s UMBEL Group has been justifiably making waves since launching in May 2024, scooping itself a Michelin Star within its first year (and only the second star Manchester has had in decades).
What the guide says: “Located in an old textile warehouse, this restaurant from former L’Enclume Executive Chef Tom Barnes gives a nod to Manchester’s industrial heritage with its exposed brickwork and girders.
“The cooking skilfully blends measured international flavours with those from the restaurant’s doorstep; for dessert, you’re just as likely to get amakase sorbet as you are Manchester honey ice cream. The meal ends with a scoop of “Barney’s Tiramisu”, touchingly inspired by Tom’s late father.
“A relaxed atmosphere is encouraged, with the chef’s hand-picked playlist and the chattering diners combining for a brilliant buzz.”
Higher Ground, New York Street
Rick Stein named Higher Ground as one of his favourite restaurants in the UK. Credit: The Manc GroupHigher Ground received a Michelin Bib Gourmand this year
When Michelin announced a raft of new Bib Gourmands (which celebrate more affordable but high-quality restaurants) ahead of the main awards, it was no great surprise to see Higher Ground on the list.
The guide says of this newcomer: “What started life as a pop-up in 2020 is now a permanent spot in the heart of the city, owned and run by three friends who also operate wine bar Flawd and a market garden in the Cheshire countryside.
“The latter provides much of the top quality produce found on the menu, in dishes that are designed for sharing and packed with flavour. Sit at the large counter to see the chefs putting care and pride into every dish, like the terrific malted barley pudding with stout caramel. The whole team, led by the owners, are charming and cheery.”
Another restaurant that’s earned itself a Bib Gourmand is Simon Shaw’s El Gato Negro, the brilliant, multi-storey Spanish restaurant right in the heart of King Street.
What the guide says: “‘The Black Cat’ is a buzzing tapas restaurant split over three levels: the ground floor is home to the bar and outdoor tables in the pedestrianised street; the first floor boasts great counter seats in front of the open kitchen; and the third floor includes a fabulous roof terrace that’s ideal for private events.
“The cooking is as enjoyable as the atmosphere, offering great value across the wide selection of recognisable Spanish dishes, including meats from the Josper grill.”
The Sparrows, Green Quarter
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Comfort food heaven, The Sparrows really captures the magic of Alpine food right beneath a Manchester railway arch, and is the third Manchester Bib Gourmand restaurant in the Michelin Guide.
What the guide says: “Nestled under the railway arches in Manchester’s Green Quarter is this somewhat hidden restaurant where you have to ring a bell to enter. Its name is (almost) the English translation of the word ‘spätzle’ – which gives some clue as to the style of food on offer here.
“The dumplings and assorted pasta dishes are all made in-house and include excellent pierogi. The focus on Eastern Europe carries through to the wine list, which has a leaning towards Polish wines.”
This incredible restaurant over in Stockport earned itself a ‘green’ Michelin star a couple of years ago, recognised for its sustainability practices. Could it be the next to get itself a full Michelin star?
What the guide says: “This large, loft-style restaurant is located on the top floor of a Victorian coffee warehouse and its open kitchen forms part of the room. The surprise menu is formed from whatever they have foraged that day and beasts are brought in whole and fully utilised. Matching wine flights focus on natural wines.”
Stow, Bridge Street
Stow is a brilliant new restaurant on Bridge Street where everything – even the desserts – is cooked over fire. It’s technical and utterly brilliant and has received rave reviews across the board since its launch.
The Michelin Guide said: “With its winning combo of cocktails and cooking over fire, Stow feels like a restaurant for our times. Start (and end) your visit with a drink in the front bar, before taking your seat at the counter in the tucked-away dining room.
“The small size gives it the feel of an intimate secret supper club, as you watch the chefs close-up, extracting maximum flavour from their ingredients.
“Prime cuts of meat, including ex-dairy beef, are a feature, but don’t miss the imaginative vegetable dishes too. Finish with the smoked cream tart, its gentile smokiness coming through in every mouthful.”
Three more restaurants have been added to the Michelin Guide. Credit: The Manc Group
Next up for the Michelin Guide in Manchester is Bangkok Diners Club, a fantastic Thai restaurant tucked up above the Edinburgh Castle pub in Ancoats.
It’s headed up by Chef Ben Humpheys – formerly of the futuristic Thai restaurant District – and his wife Bo, and fuses his 20-year obsession with Thai cuisine with a ‘new-found love for low-n-slow cooking’ inspired by the BBQs of Miami.
The Michelin Guide says: “A taste of Thailand has arrived, of all places, above a Victorian pub in Ancoats. Sitting on the first floor of the characterful Edinburgh Castle inn, it’s a lively, deservedly popular place with a cool rustic-meets-retro vibe.
“Despite the name, the cooking takes inspiration from all over Thailand, including several dishes from the northeastern Isan region, such as raw bass with calamansi nam jim or a classic papaya salad. Each plate looks neat and vibrant, delivering an array of well-balanced flavours and the occasional hit of creativity.”
Climat, Blackfriars House
Climat is a sky-high restaurant famed for its vast wine collection and fabulous views across the rooftops of Manchester city centre, which has now caught the eye of the Michelin Guide.
Here’s what the Michelin Guide had to say about Climat: “You have to be in the know to come across Climat, tucked away on the eighth floor of a city centre office building. You arrive at a dedicated entrance and make your way up to the chic penthouse, where stunning city views await you.
“An open kitchen is the focus of the room, with its aromas filling the air, and the concise fixed-price menu includes well-executed dishes such as halibut with spinach and sorrel velouté, where the ingredient quality shines through.
“Wine is a feature with one side of the room acting as a bar and the carefully curated list deftly mixing traditional and modern styles.”
Winsome, Princess Street
Winsome, one of the newest restaurants in Greater Manchester, is now in the Michelin Guide
Winsome is a restaurant from former Chef of the Year award-winner Shaun Moffat, a modern British bistro where dishes are playful and classic.
The Michelin Guide said: “Manchester’s industrial history feels like it’s had an overt influence on this buzzing brasserie with a large kitchen counter and a stripped-back look.
“The cooking has an admirably gutsy, straightforward quality to it, with hints of nostalgia. Think cold cuts, whole fish, hearty homemade pies and a mixed grill. It’s all executed with skill and the ingredients are of obvious quality, resulting in no shortage of flavour.
“The young and enthusiastic service team are a perfect fit for such a fun place.”
Pip at Treehouse Hotel
Pip has been added to the Michelin GuidePip has been added to the Michelin Guide
Pip is a new spot from acclaimed local chef Mary-Ellen McTague, offering up seasonal, proudly local dishes, and receiving glowing national reviews as a result.
The Michelin Guide says: “Forming part of the Treehouse Hotel, Pip provides a calm oasis in the heart of the city. Like the hotel around it, the restaurant is decorated with a blend of repurposed materials and vintage pieces, with eye-catching pops of colour, wooden furnishings and a rustic touch.
“The kitchen is headed up Mary-Ellen McTague, a champion of the region who uses local produce and whose menu includes a satisfyingly rich and flavoursome take on the Lancashire hot pot.
“The service team are brimming with positivity and clearly love what they do.”
Cantaloupe is an achingly stylish new local restaurant for Stockport, with a frequently-changing menu built around the best produce they can get their hands on.
The Michelin Guide wrote of Cantaloupe: “There’s a fresh, clean feel to both the décor and the cooking at this welcoming little wine bar and restaurant. The concise but appealing wine list will appeal to traditional oenophiles, with quality established growers to the fore.
“The menu has a Mediterranean leaning, so whilst it changes daily, it will likely include a pasta dish and possibly some whole fish. This is cooking that relies on simplicity and skill, with immense care poured into dishes like peri peri octopus and duck fat crisps, so that the natural flavours shine.”
Adam Reid at The French, The Midland
Adam Reid at The French could nab another Michelin star for Manchester this yearAdam Reid at The French could nab another Michelin star for Manchester this year
For almost a decade, people have been predicting that Adam Reid at The French would be the next in Manchester to get a Michelin Star, seeing as it’s one of the city’s best fine-dining restaurants. It’s not happened yet, but it’s still exceptional.
What the guide says: “This famous hotel was first built to herald the arrival of the Midland railway in Manchester, and its restaurant was created in the Belle Époque style to evoke the luxury of the day.
“Whilst its name remains in homage to its historical past, today, chef Adam Reid’s multi-course menu is very much a homage to his Northern roots, with dishes having names such as ‘A Warm Northern Welcome’, ‘Yesterday’s Dinner’ and ‘Today’s Tea’. Personable chefs explain and finish each course off tableside, and dishes are richly flavoured with the occasional playful touch.”
Erst in Ancoats is Michelin-recommended restaurantErst in Ancoats is Michelin-recommended restaurant
Easily one of The Manc’s personal favourite restaurants, Erst has become a neighbourhood restaurant of which Ancoats is very proud, and is another worth addition to the Michelin Guide for Manchester.
What the guide says: “A modern, industrial-style wine bar run by a group of friends, laid-back Erst offers something refreshingly different in the city. It specialises in natural, low-intervention wines – many of which you can buy to take home – accompanied by a selection of flavoursome small plates.”
The newest entrant to the Michelin Guide is Orme, which offers a seasonal and affordable tasting menu concept.
The Michelin Guide says: “You will find a pleasantly welcoming quality at this small restaurant run by three young owners. There’s a distinct Nordic touch to proceedings, yet British produce is at the heart of the appealing tasting menu – which gives you the option to add supplementary courses for a more bespoke experience.
“Attractively presented dishes offer bold, vibrant flavours with a mix of the classic and the modern in their influences. Wine flights are also available, including a particularly interesting British themed option.”
The White Hart at Lydgate, Oldham
Image: The White Hart
Image: The White Hart
Country pubs don’t come much better than The White Hart, which has far-reaching views all the way back to Manchester’s city centre skyline.
What the Michelin guide says: “This 18C stone pub on the moor is a place that constantly evolves. It’s usually busy but the staff have everything under control and there are comfy bedrooms for those wishing to stay. Dining takes place in the cosy Tap Room or smart brasserie; the appealing menu has a British heart and global influences.”
Maya, Canal Street
Maya is a new restaurant and bar on Canal Street in Manchester. Credit: The Manc GroupDesserts at Maya, which has been added to the Michelin Guide
Maya in the Gay Village managed to earn its place in the Michelin Guide just two months after opening, with judges noting its ‘elegant, beautifully appointed’ decor.
The guide says: “In the heart of Manchester, close to the famous Canal Street, sits this impressively renovated basement restaurant. It’s an elegant, beautifully appointed place, with an art deco feel and a large cocktail bar that feels appropriate for an area of the city known for its party scene.
“The dishes often have a modern make-up but the kitchen’s classical skillset is evident in finely executed elements like a well-made sauce bonne femme to accompany top quality turbot. Four smart bedrooms are attached if you’re visiting from afar.”
Despite being wedged in on the most hidden street in Manchester, Another Hand has become one of the city’s stand-out restaurants – as evidenced by their inclusion in the Michelin guide.
The Michelin guide says: “This 24-seater bistro offers an appealing array of sharing plates which champion produce from local, ethical growers.
“The eye-catching, vegetarian-led dishes are served one at a time and their flavours are punchy and pronounced. Craft beers and low intervention wines accompany. Service is bubbly and the atmosphere, buzzing.”
Featured image – The Manc Group
Feature
Hardcastle Crags – the prettiest autumn walk in the North West with a great restaurant at the end
Daisy Jackson
This is the time of year where it’s particularly difficult to drag yourself off the sofa and into the great outdoors.
The weather isn’t quite crisp enough to feel festive and most of us (even the pumpkin spice latte, cardigan-clad crew) are missing the more reliable warmth of the summer months.
But autumn is here, like it or not, and it definitely has its perks.
One of which is the undeniable beauty the season brings.
It’s not just the blazing red, orange, yellow and brown leaves that suddenly take over the green spaces around the UK.
It’s also in the sunsets and sunrises that become so much easier to catch while the days are shorter (you have to admit, the commutes are prettier when they coincide with sunrise).
The riverside walk at Hardcastle Crags. Credit: Unsplash
And there aren’t many places better to soak in all the autumn beauty than Hardcastle Crags, just across the border in West Yorkshire.
The National Trust site sits between Leeds and Manchester and is a popular day trip destination for Mancs, given the trains that run regularly to Hebden Bridge.
A walking route around Hardcastle Crags at this time of year will take you through a landscape of blazing orange trees, babbling streams, and dappled sunlight.
When you catch a golden autumnal day the leaves will crunch underfoot, but even on a soggy day the leaf mulch has its own special kind of beauty here.
There are two walking routes between the main car park and Gibson Mill, a former 19th century cotton mill which is now home to a lovely cafe.
One will take you down to the river, where wooden boardwalks weave right along the water’s edge.
There are even stepping stones you can use to scamper across the river – a great Instagram pic, or just a way to keep the kids entertained for a few minutes.
A walk around Hardcastle Crags in Autumn. Credit: The Manc Group
The other route goes up through the upper woodland, where pine trees loom and you get a great view of the valley below.
For an easy loop, you can do both – a stroll through the trees, a stop for coffee and cake, then return along the river (or vice versa).
But with 15 miles of footpaths, you can explore way beyond that.
The National Trust’s list of walks includes everything from a wheelchair and pram-accessible estate track to peaceful woodland loops, to rocky scrambles and former railway lines.
And when you’re done with Hardcastle Crags itself, there’s a world-class restaurant in the gorgeous town centre itself.
Coin sits in the shell of the former Lloyd’s bank, with exposed brick and massive period windows, and specialises in natural wine and small plates.
When The Manc Eats visited, we found plates of freshly-cut meat and cheese served alongside ice-cold batched classic cocktails, where ‘quality is key, and it shines through on the plate’.
Our reviewer said: “With its higgledy-piggledy stone mill houses, surrounding woodland, hidden waterfalls and treasure-trove charity shops, Hebden Bridge is a popular attraction all of its own for those wanting to venture beyond the city. Coin is simply the cherry on top.”
The Manc -
20th October 2020 
