Standing high up above one of Greater Manchester’s most popular beauty spots is a lesser-known attraction, which has just been named one of the UK’s best winter hikes.
The Trinnacle is an enormous rock formation carved by centuries of extreme weather.
The view of its jagged edges with the Saddleworth Moors and reservoirs in the background is easily one of the best in the north west.
It’s also a real hidden gem, despite being directly above a notoriously busy beauty spot.
The Trinnacle above Dove Stone Reservoir. Credit: Instagram @joe.dambra
The Trinnacle is actually part of the gritstone ridge directly above Dove Stone reservoir, right on the border where Oldham meets Yorkshire.
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Perched on the very edge of the Peak District, it’s one of the easiest hiking destinations to drive to from Manchester.
The Trinnacle above Dove Stone Reservoir. Credit: Instagram @peopleofthepeak
Joe said: “The Trinnacle has got to be one of my favourite places to go for a winter hike.
“Nestled above Greenfield Reservoir, this fantastic rock formation with a view is certainly worth visiting.
“Personally, I like to start the hike from Binn Green Car Park. From there you go clockwise, past Greenfield Reservoir, then climb the brook up onto the moors. Follow the moors for around 20 minutes and you will have arrived at the Trinnacle.
The scenery around here is spectacular, especially when you reach the top. The walk itself is quite easy, bar the climb up the brook (particularly in the snow).
“There are great vistas to enjoy the whole way there; however, the view from the Trinnacle itself is my absolute favourite!”
You can hike up to The Trinnacle in a circular route just short of 8km to soak in these incredible views, or extend the walk by a few more kilometres to include a loop of Dove Stone reservoir itself.
The Trinnacle above Dove Stone Reservoir. Credit: Instagram @maddy_aspinall
Be warned though – the weather can turn quickly up here and if you’re an inexperienced hiker, you can quickly find yourself in trouble if wind, rain and fog set in.
If you are planning to head up into the hills, make sure you have everything you’d need for all weather events, even if it is blue skies and sunshine when you set off.
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The route itself is moderate in good weather, though can get very muddy up on the top.
The inflatable floating obstacle course you can splash around on near Manchester
Daisy Jackson
There’s a giant inflatable floating obstacle course less than an hour from Manchester, where you can slide, jump, and fall straight into a lake.
At Wild Shore Delamere, you can tackle obstacles like monkey bars, the ninja-jump, the tyre run, and a giant 3.8 metre-tall inflatable tower, all floating on the surface of the picturesque lake.
The adventure hub opened back in 2019, offering families a chance to play on Delamere Lake, or try new watersports right here in the North West.
Let’s head to that inflatable Aqua Park – even as a full-grown adult, this is one of the silliest afternoons you can imagine.
Squeeze yourself into a wetsuit then launch yourself into the lake, ready to clamber all over a course that is essentially a gigantic floating bouncy castle.
The trickiest part is managing to stay on your feet as you slip and slide your way around the course in your 50 minute session – but really, where’s the fun in staying on your feet?
Monkey BarsThe Ninja JumpThe Tyre RunThe Figure EightFeatures of the Aqua Park at Wild Shore Delamere
While you’re on the lake, you can also try other activities like the Ringo, which whips you up and down the water on a huge inflatable, while the operator seems dead-set on flinging you off.
As well as the inflatable Aqua Park, there’s the Aqua Chimp ropes course for the more gymnastic types, plus wakeboarding, paddle boarding, and open water swimming.
Wild Shore Delamere has also added a new sauna this year, which overlooks the water – you can enjoy contrast therapy, switching from the warm sauna to the lake itself.
Wetsuits and life vests are included, so all you need to pack is a swimsuit, towel, and a bit of reckless abandon as you crash beneath the surface.
Paddle boards at Wild Shore DelamereThe sauna and cold plungeThe RingoAqua Chimp
Family behind Salvi’s launch new concept, weeks after iconic restaurant closure
Daisy Jackson
Just weeks after the closure of its iconic, 16-year-old Italian restaurant in the Corn Exchange, the family behind Salvi’s have revealed a brand-new concept.
And this time, the reins are being handed over to the next generation.
Salvi’s founder Maurizio Cecco has helped to shape Amò, but it’s all the brainchild of his daughter, Sienna.
Sienna will run the business out of a unit up on Deansgate Mews, serving fresh pasta dishes, pizza sandwiches, tubs of tiramisu, and two-for-£10 spritzes.
The deli aspect of the original Salvi’s has been carried over to Amò too – you’ll find shelves almost to the ceiling filled with Italian pasta, wine, olive oils, pistachio spreads, and more.
Sienna has grown up in restaurants, with her parents launching Salvi’s when she was just two years old.
She said she wants the space to be a livelier, fresher version of the Italian restaurant that has been so loved by Mancs for so many years.
Sienna outside AmòFresh pasta dishesInside Amò by Salvi’sTheir viral frozen crema di caffeLemon granitaInside Amò by Salvi’sTiramisu pots
Amò, which is Neapolitan slang for ‘my love’, will have loads of fresh Italian dishes, including arancini, gnocchi, and hearty pasta plates.
At lunchtimes, guests can order from a £10 lunch menu, with dishes changing daily depending on the best produce the kitchen can get – it could be a pizza sandwich with proscuitto and tomato, a spicy pasta, or a gnocchi bake, always served with your choice of soft drink.
With its position on Deansgate Mews, Amò basks in the sunshine at lunchtimes.
And while it’s definitely a different concept to the original Salvi’s, Amò looks set to carry the family’s Italian food legacy into its next generation.
Daisy Jackson -
21st January 2022 
