Things To Do

Bloomtown – the beautiful blossom walking trail through Manchester city centre

Just beyond stunning out there.

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 28th March 2024

Manchester never looks better than it does in the spring, when all the blossom trees burst back to life – and now there’s a walking trail through town that shows off the best bits.

From the iconic purple blooms outside the Central Library to the surprising sprays that pop up in the middle of Ancoats, there are pretty colours appearing all over town.

The National Trust is once again shining a spotlight on Manchester and bringing back its new-and-improved Bloomtown Map.

There are 39 spots all over the city centre (and slightly beyond) included along the route, each one showcasing one of the city’s most picturesque locations.

The digital Bloomtown Map will tell you a little something about each hotspot as you arrive, whether you’re interested in the history of the place or just want to know what particular flower you’re looking at.

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This year’s trail again starts up at Castlefield Viaduct, the incredible industrial structure that’s been brought back to life by the National Trust and turned into an urban sky park.

It then weaves through landmarks in the city centre like the Rochdale canal, Parsonage Gardens, and Manchester Cathedral.

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Blossom trees in Ancoats
Blossom trees in Ancoats
Purple blossom flowers on St Peter's Square in Manchester
Purple blossom flowers on St Peter’s Square in Manchester
Stunning pink blossom at Parsonage Gardens
Stunning pink blossom at Parsonage Gardens

And there are five branches of the trail to check out this year too, covering Hulme and South Manchester, East Manchester, Salford and Trafford.

Because this is Manchester, and our weather is famously all over the place, not all of the blossom trees have kicked into action yet (and some of the ones that bloomed early are dropping their petals like confetti already).

But April is usually the best time to see the blossom in full bloom – which makes the Easter weekend perfectly placed to get out for a stroll.

See the full Bloomtown Map below, or click here for the blossom trail around Manchester

All the places on the Bloomtown Map 2024 around Manchester

  • Alexandra Park
  • Angel Meadow
  • Ardwick Green
  • Birchfields Park
  • Manchester Metropolitan University Birley Orchard
  • Blackleach Country Park
  • Bridgewater Community Garden
  • Castlefield Viaduct
  • Clifton Country Park
  • Cutting Room Square
  • Dukes Drive
  • Gartside Gardens
  • Hullard Park
  • Hulme Community Garden Centre
  • Hulme Park
  • Manchester Cathedral
  • Mayfield Park
  • Ordsall Hall
  • Parsonage Gardens
  • Peel Park
  • Philips Park
  • Platt Fields Park
  • Queens Park
  • RHS Bridgewater
  • Rochdale Canal Lock 87
  • Rochdale Canal Lock 89
  • Sackville Gardens
  • Sadler’s Yard
  • Salford Quays
  • Science and Industry Museum
  • St George’s Park
  • St John’s Gardens
  • St Peter’s Square
  • Tariff Street
  • Thomas Street Pocket Park
  • University of Manchester Students’ Union
  • Waterside Arts
  • Victoria Park
  • The Whitworth
  • Whitworth Street West
  • Wythenshawe Park and Gardens
Blossom on Castlefield Viaduct, Manchester
Blossom on Castlefield Viaduct, Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
The Bloomtown Map is a blossom trail walk around Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
The Bloomtown Map is a blossom trail walk around Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group

Pick up a recyclable paper copy of the Bloomtown map at

  • Manchester Central Library
  • Manchester Art Gallery
  • NOMA
  • Platt Fields Visitors Centre
  • Local parks across Greater Manchester
  • Mayfield Park
  • Waterside Arts
  • RHS Bridgewater
  • Hulme Community Garden Centre
  • Castlefield Viaduct
  • Quarry Bank
  • Dunham Massey
  • Lyme

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Featured image: The Manc Group

Things To Do

Forget pub crawls – you can now go on a guided cheese crawl around Manchester

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

Manchester is a foodie’s paradise and with so many options at hand why not break it down into individual food groups – starting with the dairy crowd pleaser, cheese.

Long gone are the draining pub crawls of the past, it’s time to make way for the new pioneer in the world of adventurous crawling, ‘The Manchester Cheese Crawl’.

There’s always lots of food and drink options flowing throughout our bubbly city spanning all cuisines and cultures so it comes as no surprise that the latest way to experience Manchester is via cheese, a staple of many citizens’ diets.

On the tour, there will be insider knowledge on-hand as you wander the streets and sample the creamy delights, assisting you with any dying queso queries and pecorino ponders that you need to get off your chest.

There’ll be plenty of familiar independents on the Manchester Cheese Crawl, including Northern Soul’s impressive grilled cheese sandwiches as well as more traditional cheese samples.

How could this experience get any better I hear you ask, how about a free glass of fizz to accompany those already impressive cheese selections? Yes please! 

Guests can expect to sample some of Manchester’s dairy delights while being directed by some of Manchester’s top cheese connoisseurs that are the real big cheese.

Groups who take the tour aren’t just treated to food and drink, they also receive free entertainment from their food guides who are prepared to make you chuckle with their incredible humour.

Mrs Kirkham's Lancashire Cheese, a cheeseboard staple, has been recalled
The Manchester Cheese Crawl will feature plenty of bites for curd nerds
A selection of dairy heaven displayed on a wonderful variety cheese board.
A selection of dairy heaven displayed on a wonderful variety cheese board.
Credit: Unsplash

Previous visitors have commented on their experience while taking the tour sharing the names their groups received with highlights such as ‘Shaken not curd’ and ‘Three blind mice’.

They really are serious about their cheeses, another previous visitor who went on the tour revealed their guide even had a name that perfectly fit the occasion, ‘Mel the babybel’. 

It’s sure to be a fantastic day with games and activities planned for all as you walk between the shops landmarked on the cheese-filled route.

Everyone on the tour also gets a small taste of the high life as they are treated to a Lancashire cheese handmade by a local star and celebrity.

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Starting at the Richard Cobden Statue and finishing on the always vibrant Tib Street, a quick google search reveals this walk isn’t too strenuous taking only 12 minutes but with many cheeses to get your whiskers on it will probably take around an estimated two hours to tackle.

Running this Saturday 16 November and planned to continue until November 2025 and beyond, you’d be emmental to miss out on this cheesy adventure.

If all this cheese talk has left you dreaming about your next foodie fix, tickets for ‘The Manchester Cheese Crawl’ are on sale and available here.

Featured Image: Unsplash

Things To Do

Rochdale’s incredible fire festival will bring blazing sculptures and fiery displays to town this month

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Ignite Fire Festival is back in Rochdale this month. Credit: Supplied

Rochdale will be filled with dazzling pyrotechnic displays later this month when the Ignite Fire Festival returns to town. 

The spectacular free event will see the gardens opposite the Rochdale Town Hall – which reopened to the public earlier this year – transformed with fiery displays, blazing sculptures and illuminated installations. 

The smash hit event debuted last year, attracting more than 10,500 people, and this year’s will be even bigger with three nights of magical family entertainment. 

And the festival will culminate on the Sunday with the Rochdale Christmas lights switch-on. 

Ignite Fire Festival comes from Walk the Plank, the outdoor arts specialists behind some of the UK’s biggest and best outdoor arts events, who have called upon artists and pyro technicians to create the many installations on show. 

Between 5pm and 8pm each night, visitors will be able to walk past fire-based sculptures like goblets of fire, a daisy chain of flaming flowers, a fire bird with blazing eyes, and smaller birds circling a flaming nest – to name just a few.

There’ll also be sculptures that twist, flap and erupt with balls of fire, and ‘In The Balance’ will be a festival highlight, where rotating globes of flame seemingly defy the laws of physics. 

Ignite Fire Festival is back in Rochdale this month. Credit: Supplied
Ignite Fire Festival is back in Rochdale this month. Credit: Supplied

Each evening, a fire drawing designed and made by local residents will be ignited alongside flaming hot performances from some of the UK’s top talent including Flame Oz – a thrilling fire dancing and juggling show. 

There’ll also be performances from Liverpool’s Bring the Fire Project, local favourites Skylight Circus Arts, and street theatre and interactive arts group Travelling Light Circus. 

Visitors should look out for Drum Machine, a 20-strong drumming collective, The Fire Man Dave performing a live fire show with fire eating and juggling, and Astro Aliens, a trio of cosmic beings that will entertain all ages. 

The incredible event, sponsored by car supermarket The Trade Centre UK, is set to take place between Friday 22 and Sunday 24 November. 

Ignite Fire Festival takes place in the gardens opposite the Rochdale Town Hall
Ignite Fire Festival takes place in the gardens opposite the Rochdale Town Hall
There'll be performers as well as pyrotechnic sculptures. Credit; Supplied
There’ll be performers as well as pyrotechnic sculptures. Credit; Supplied
Ignite Fire Festival is back for a second year. Credit: Supplied
Ignite Fire Festival is back for a second year. Credit: Supplied

After exploring the gardens, you’ll be able to pick up hot food, mulled wine and other seasonal drinks served each night.

On Sunday, Father Christmas will be in town to switch on the Christmas lights at 5.30pm in front of the town hall.  

Councillor Sue Smith, cabinet member for communities and co-operation at Rochdale Borough Council said: “Last year’s Ignite Fire Festival and Christmas Light’s Switch On was a fantastic event and an instant hit with audiences from across Greater Manchester. 

“It’s an exciting and unique event and the perfect addition to our big switch-on, providing family entertainment across the weekend.”

Mark Bailey, founder and owner of sponsor Trade Centre UK added: “Our partnership with Ignite Fire Festival and the Rochdale Christmas Lights Switch On is a fantastic opportunity to give back to a community that has welcomed us so warmly. 

“At Trade Centre UK, we believe in more than just selling cars; we believe in being part of the fabric of the local area. Supporting events like this, which bring people together to celebrate in the heart of Rochdale, aligns perfectly with our core values of community and connection.”

The event is free, and no tickets are required. Ignite is organised by Rochdale Borough Council in partnership with Walk the Plank and Culture Co-op, a ‘Creative People and Places’ programme, funded by Arts Council England.  

Find out more and plan your visit to Ignite Fire Festival HERE. 

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Featured image: Supplied

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