Travel & Tourism

The free bus service that quietly loops around Manchester is being overhauled this weekend

The contract has ended, but the free buses remain - albeit with some changes.

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 14th April 2023

Manchester’s often-overlooked free bus service is being given a shake-up this month, with two new routes and new destinations added.

The city centre’s free bus service has previously allowed people to get around town along three different circular routes.

Now, with its existing contract is coming to an end, the whole service is getting a revamp.

Mancs will still be able to use the buses to get to popular attractions like the Arndale shopping centre, the Royal Exchange, Manchester Art Gallery, The Science and Industry Museum,

It will also continue to link together transport hubs and railway stations around the city centre.

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But as part of Transport for Greater Manchester and Manchester City Council’s promise to continue funding the service for the foreseeable, the previous three routes will be switched for two new ones, as well as new timetables.

New destinations will be added to the free shuttle bus trips around Manchester too, including HOME and Deansgate Locks.

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The new routes the free bus around Manchester will take. Credit: TfGM

The buses will run every 10 minutes between 7am and 7.30pm Monday to Saturday, and 10am to 6.30pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

Stephen Rhodes, TfGM’s Director of Bus, said: “The free bus has been a staple of Manchester city centre’s transport network since it was first introduced as Metroshuttle more than 20 years ago.

“The service is provided by TfGM and Manchester City Council, and by delivering these changes we are keen to build on this partnership and continue delivering the service for years to come.”

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Neil Fairlamb, strategic director of neighbourhoods for Manchester City Council said: “The free bus services around Manchester are a vital asset for many of our residents, one which we are glad to continue funding alongside our partners at TfGM.

“We know that public transport is the better, more environmentally friendly way to travel and we hope that for many more years to come people will take advantage of this shuttle service.”

  • Free bus 1 – a clockwise loop from Piccadilly rail station to Deansgate rail station, then via MOSI, Spinningfields and Chinatown back to Piccadilly. This route will provide a link from Piccadilly to attractions at the bottom end of Deansgate, such as MOSI and HOME, while maintaining links between Piccadilly and Spinningfields
  • Free bus 2 – a clockwise loop from Piccadilly rail station to Chinatown, King Street, St Marys Gate, Victoria rail station and Shudehill, then back to Piccadilly. This route will provide a link from Piccadilly to the shopping areas of King Street, Market Street and Deansgate.

The revised free bus routes around Manchester will launch on 16 April. To find out more, visit tfgm.com/public-transport/bus/free-bus.

Featured image: Unsplash

Travel & Tourism

You can now have a private tour of Manchester Christmas Markets

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

Every year, Manchester Christmas Markets hosts its almost two-month long residency on the frosty streets of our lively city, but now you can enjoy the cute huts with an unbeatable luxury experience.

Travel agency, Viator, who are directly connected to TripAdvisor, have launched a one on one guided tour of Manchester and its stunning Manchester Christmas Markets in all their glory.

This private tour of the festivities occurring in the city will last two hours and for the whole duration of your time, a city host will be on hand to offer undivided attention, catering to your every need.

A makeshift itinerary is already awaiting guests and can be tailored according to the individual taking the tour, everything is catered to your preferences.

Anyone who books onto the tour also receives a complimentary hot chocolate and that’s sweetened the deal for me, I’m sold.

Best sandwich at Manchester Christmas Markets.
How can you go wrong with these incredible options at Manchester Christmas Markets?
The best cheesy things at Manchester Christmas Markets.
You can recreate your very own gigantic cheese pull and your local host can snap a piccie.
Waffle Kart at Manchester Christmas Markets
Scrumptious selection of food available as you venture through Manchester Christmas Markets in style.

There’s also the chance to keep your hands toasty with a free cup of mulled wine or a soft-drink for those who aren’t interested in the warm alcoholic beverage.

Manchester Christmas Markets are a phenomenal day or night-out regardless so this latest personalised opportunity will take your festive fantasies to a whole new level.

This private tour provides a one-of-a-kind exclusive treatment making your stroll down Manchester Cathedral, Exchange Square and Manchester Town Hall that little bit more special.

These tours are a great chance to immerse yourself in one of Manchester’s many selling points as you can choose to focus your time around art and culture, fashion, architecture or our personal favourite – food.

Although the tour doesn’t include the cost for the amount of gifts and presents you’re about to buy while walking round the event, it’s definitely an innovative way to explore everything Manchester has to offer at Christmastime.

This exclusive tour package which highlights the best of Manchester Christmas Markets is definitely a present in itself with tickets costing a hefty sum of £100.

If you want to visit Manchester Christmas Markets while also living the high life with a private tour, ‘Christmas In Manchester: Private Experience With A City Host’ is running all the way until the huts shut shop on 22 December and tickets can be found here.

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Featured Image: The Manc Group

Travel & Tourism

The Pack Horse – the Michelin-recommended Peak District pub serving the best pre-hike breakfast in the North

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson The full breakfast at The Pack Horse Hayfield. Credit: The Manc Group

There’s a pub in the Peak District that’s comfortably established itself as one of the very best in the UK, and this banging local isn’t just about pints and Sunday roasts.

The Pack Horse in the village of Hayfield is also a purveyor of an excellent breakfast, perfect to fuel you up before a big hike in the surrounding hills.

Want a little taste of this pub’s accolades? In the space of just one week, The Pack Horse placed in the Top 50 Gastropubs and then got added to the Michelin Guide – a stunning double header.

The restaurant in Hayfield was praised by Michelin inspectors for being ‘a true village local’.

Just this week, it was also added to the Good Food Guide’s list of the best Sunday roasts in the UK.

Headed up by chef and co-owner Luke Payne, The Pack Horse in the village of Hayfield is an outstanding establishment.

Here is a pub where you can have a world-class meal that shows off the best of British produce, while sipping an ale, with muddy boots on your feet.

Inside The Pack Horse Hayfield. Credit: The Manc Group
Inside The Pack Horse Hayfield. Credit: The Manc Group
Outside the Pack Horse in Hayfield
Outside the Pack Horse in Hayfield

It doesn’t really matter who you ask, The Pack Horse is readily and consistently named one of the best pubs in the entire UK and anyone stepping through its door would struggle to argue with that. 

Because although the price point sits a little higher than your average boozer, it still has all the trappings of a proper country pub. 

Yes, there are crisps behind the bar. Yes, there’s a pub quiz. Yes, there’s a resident pub dog (Lola the Labrador will sit and stare you out if there is anything edible in your immediate vicinity). 

But what we haven’t seen anywhere near enough people harp on about is the breakfast at The Pack Horse.

The ingredients on their breakfast menu are all sourced so locally you could probably hike to any of them with a bit of grit and determination.

From Port of Lancaster smoked kippers to bacon cut thick and laced with maple, everything is of the highest quality.

You can’t go wrong with The Pack Horse signature breakfast, which has eggs, bacon, Manchester sausage, crispy hash browns, Doreen’s black pudding, wild mushrooms, confit tomato, trotter beans, AND sourdough.

A bacon and egg muffin at The Pack Horse Hayfield
A bacon and egg muffin at The Pack Horse Hayfield
Coffee, juice and a breakfast menu at The Pack Horse. Credit: The Manc Group
Coffee, juice and a breakfast menu at The Pack Horse. Credit: The Manc Group

You can have the full portion for £20 or just take one of each item for £10 and then immediately regret not having more.

The bulk of the menu beyond that centres around the pub’s homemade English muffins, toasted and buttered and filled with whatever breakfast item takes your fancy (scrambled egg and bacon for me, always).

It’s a breakfast worthy of the fanciest hotels and most popular of brunch spots. 

Once you’re suitably fuelled and ready for a walk there are two hikes nearby that aren’t too strenuous and crucially don’t take too long (those daylight savings hours really mess with a big hike, eh). 

The Sett Valley Trail starts just across the road and is a consistent and mostly flat out-and-back.

Kinder Reservoir in the Peak District. Credit: The Manc Group
Kinder Reservoir in the Peak District. Credit: The Manc Group
Kinder Reservoir in the Peak District. Credit: The Manc Group
Kinder Reservoir in the Peak District. Credit: The Manc Group

You can follow it all the way to the Torrs Millennium Walkway in New Mills if you fancy, or just turn back when you’ve had enough.

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Or you can head the other way through Hayfield out towards Kinder Reservoir – the loop will take you over streams and stepping stones and little wooden bridges, past the huge body of water, through woodland and fields, and place you within sight of Kinder Downfall waterfall. 

This is the poster child of the Peak District and one of the National Park’s best, most comprehensive walks. 

You’ll also be close to Kinder Scout, but this is a more challenging hike and at this time of year we’d really recommend setting off nice and early to get maximum daylight hours.

And that would mean no time for a Pack Horse breakfast, which just won’t do. 

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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