A luxury train journey costing £440 per ticket, where passengers walk a red carpet to board, will depart from Manchester this year.
A ride on board the Northern Belle often includes a seven-course dinner, champagne, and on-board entertainment.
The prestigious train, rated by Conde Nast as one of the top 10 in the world, has seven Pullman carriages, each one decorated by master craftsmen in a 1930s-style.
It’s a seriously luxurious experience, with tickets costing anywhere between £295 and £695 per person – which, to be fair, isn’t even that much more than a last-minute ticket on an Avanti train to London…
Trips promise to take in some of the most scenic stretches of Britain’s railways.
The Spirit of Travel lunch departs from Manchester Victoria and snakes its way past Rochdale, Hebden Bridge and Brighouse.
On board, passengers sink into plush armchairs with crisp white tablecloths on the tables between them.
On board the Northern Belle. Credit: Facebook, Northern Belle
Within minutes, liveried stewards crack open the champagne and guests get a chance to browse the menu created by celebrated chef Matthew Green.
As passengers are whisked through the British countryside, seven fine dining courses are served to their tables, alongside complementary fine wine chosen by Northern Belle’s own sommelier.
Condé Nast Traveller magazine named it in the top 10 train journeys in the world, beating the iconic Flying Scotsman.
They wrote: “It’s all about the food – and the scenery, but mostly about the food – on this lovingly-restored train which zig-zags its way across the countryside.
“The meal services are exquisite, offering fine dining crafted mostly from UK suppliers so you can enjoy classic British fare as the heaths, meadows and dales roll on by.”
There are two different journeys on the Northern Belle that will depart from Manchester Victoria in the coming months.
One is the aforementioned The Spirit of Travel Lunch on Friday 21 April, priced at £375 per passenger.
Then on the same day is the Laurent-Perrier Champagne Lunch, with a menu from Matthew Green again but with Laurent Perrier champagne served to couples on board.
Northern Belle’s website says: “So relax in your elegant surroundings and gaze out the picture window, watching the passing scenery unfold and contemplating the gastronomic journey ahead.”
The Peak District barn conversion that rivals even the fanciest of hotel suites
Daisy Jackson
There’s a barn conversion in the Peak District that has struck an almost-impossible balance between true rural countryside setting, and absolute luxury.
While most countryside staycations involve a degree of ruggedness – whether it’s shovelling sawdust into a toilet or having to wrestle a log burner to get some heat in the room – Stanage Barn has nothing of the sort.
This luxury converted barn is so remote you’re taken there by your hosts in an off-road buggy, but is fitted with absolutely every modern comfort you could dream of.
A spa-worthy bathroom, modern interiors, ultra-fast WiFi, a wine fridge, recliner chairs, and a premium bed all match with its incredible rural countryside location for a truly world-class staycation.
They’ve even pampered your four-legged friends with this conversion, factoring in a utility room with a dog wash sink in it.
The family who run this spot shunned any quaint barn conversion template and instead drew on Scandi architecture and modern touches to deliver such luxury.
There are the angular tables and worktops, the wooden-clad walls, the indoor-outdoor element from huge picture windows and sliding doors. It really is an architectural marvel.
Even the walk between the bedroom and the bathroom will take your breath away, with a floating walkway separating the two.
Inside Stanage Barn in the Peak District
There’s a kitchen fitted with – genuinely – everything you could need. Anyone ever stayed in a place where they give you Tupperware and a salad spinner?
And if you don’t want to spend a minute inside with such beautiful surroundings, there’s an outdoor BBQ too.
With such comfortable accommodation it’s easy to forget that you are actually in proper Peak District countryside. Until you look out the window and a sheep’s looking back at you, that is.
Stanage Barn is right near Stanage Edge, one of the Peak’s most famous landmarks, and is walking distance from the village of Hathersage and its lido, country pubs and pretty cobbled streets.
Fair warning though – the walk back is beautiful, crossing streams and fields full of sheep, but that last stretch to the barn itself is steep. Nothing a chilled glass of wine in your private, enclosed courtyard as the sun sets can’t fix though.
If you’re on the hunt for a countryside escape but really aren’t here for the yurt life, Stanage Barn is, hands-down, the best Peak District spot for you.
Four rare African ducklings have been hatched at Chester Zoo for the very first time
Danny Jones
More conversation celebration down the road at Chester Zoo, as the award-winning wildlife park has welcomed four African ducklings who belong to a rare breed.
As is so often the case with the work they do all year-round, their arrival could help signal the species’ survival in the long run, whose status was sadly upgraded from vulnerable to endangered on the official IUCN Red List.
The particular type of fowl we’re referring to is the Maccao duck, a stiff-tailed bird that typically belongs to the fresh and brackish inland waters of Eastern and Southern Africa.
Medium-sized, chunky, with big bills and subtle striping around their heads, they’re gorgeous creatures as is, but especially so as ducklings…
If you didn’t say ‘awww’ out loud, then you’re just lying.
As the Zoo itself put it, they are “rare, fluffy and VERY cute.” Celebrating what is “a breeding breakthrough for one of Africa’s rarest ducks […] so these little guys are kind of a big deal.”
These little delightful little duckies are known for diving down to the bottom of lakes and riverbeds to forage for aquatic invertebrates and plants; in fact, given the choice, they tend to prefer going underwater over flying pretty much full-stop.
As a resident species that doesn’t migrate like many other birds, they are native to nations like Namibia, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia. They’re identifiable by their dark black heads, blue bills (among the males, at least) and presence within the wetlands.
However, their estimated numbers continue to drop, and unfortunately, just 14 of their kind currently remain in Kenya and only 100 in Tanzania, with fewer than 5,000 believed to be left across the entire African continent.
Not only is this the first time the species has ever been successfully bred by bird experts at Chester Zoo, but conservationists hope ducklings will put a spotlight on the threatened species.
Their scientific name is ‘Oxyura maccoa’.Just like human babies, they prone to stuff all over their face.As far as ducklings go, these adorable little African variants are pretty special. (Credit: Supplied)
The zoo’s Head of Birds, Andrew Owen, said of their birth: “As one of just seven zoos in Europe – and 12 zoos globally – that care for Maccoa ducks, these ducklings are very special as they’re the first of their kind to ever hatch here at the zoo – making it a really historic moment for our team,
“This success gives a real boost to the future of the species, and these vital new additions will contribute to the safety-net population in zoos. These birds are facing rapid decline in the wild, so every hatchling really does count.
“To see them now out on the water inside our new Heart of Africa habitat, which is dedicated to helping Africa’s most threatened species thrive, makes this milestone even more special.”
Nothing short of brilliant news, we’re sure you’ll agree; better still, in addition to the crucially charitable and conversation-based tourist attraction being named one of England’s most popular destinations once again, but these are the only rare birds welcome by the zookeepers this month.
Daisy Jackson -
27th January 2023 
