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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.”
Forget pub crawls – you can now go on a guided cheese crawl around Manchester
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.
The Manchester Cheese Crawl will feature plenty of bites for curd nerdsA 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.
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
Travel & Tourism
Manchester has been named one of Europe’s top destinations to visit this winter
Daisy Jackson
Manchester has been named one of the best places to visit in Europe this winter – apparently our city is ‘brilliant when the cold snap hits’.
The list of 14 winter destinations includes snowy paradises like Grindelwald in Switzerland and Lapland in Finland, as well as vibrant cities famed for their Christmas vibes, like Riga in Latvia and even Amsterdam.
But coming in at a respectable 6th place – and the only UK city on the list – is our very own home city.
Time Out’s list of the best winter destinations in Europe, picked by travel writers, shouted out the Manchester Christmas Markets, as well as the quieter places you can hide from the elements (and the crowds).
Picked for being the best place to find indoorsy things to do, Time Out listed Mackie Mayor and Skof, as well as John Rylands Library, as reasons people should visit Manchester this winter.
They wrote: “Even though it’s pretty much guaranteed the North of England will be battered by wind and rain throughout the winter, Manchester is a brilliant place to be when the cold snap hits.
“Spend your days dipping into vintage shops and record stores, and fuel up with street food at Mackie Mayor (or for an occasion, book a table at new-ish fine dining spot Skof).
“What’s more, Manchester’s home to a surprisingly brilliant selection of Christmas markets, from classics to goth-themed, all selling great food and gifts from independent shops.
“If the weather really goes wild, hide out in John Rylands Library, one of the most hauntingly beautiful spots in the city.”
Daisy Jackson -
27th January 2023 
