Travel & Tourism

The walking trail around Manchester where you can see the beautiful spring blossom in full bloom

It's the most beautiful time of year.

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 6th April 2023

A new walking trail has been created around Greater Manchester to celebrate the spring blossom – and it’s going to be absolutely beautiful.

This is the time of year where nature puts on its most dazzling displays, with pink and white flowers blooming on trees across the UK, with (hopefully) a background of blue skies and sunshine.

And in 2023, the National Trust is shining a spotlight on Manchester, where green spaces are more plentiful than you might think.

The charity has created a 30-stop Bloomtown trail all around the city centre and beyond where you can soak in the prettiest of springtime scenes.

From the famous purple blooms in St Peter’s Square to the showers of blossom in Alexandra Park to the clouds of pink in Sackville Gardens.

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Some of the city’s newest spots are included on the trail too, including, notably, the Castlefield Viaduct.

Blossom on Castlefield Viaduct, Manchester
Blossom on Castlefield Viaduct, Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group

This abandoned old industrial beast has just recently been turned into a new urban skypark by the National Trust, drawing comparisons to New York City’s High Line.

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The Castlefield Viaduct is now home to 63 small-but-might Fuji Cherry trees, which are already bursting in bloom.

Also new to the city is Mayfield Park, the huge project which saw the River Medlock uncovered and a new green space created. The site is home to a huge variety of flowering trees and is about to celebrate its first spring since opening to the public.

Blossom will also return to Sadler’s Yard for the first time in centuries, as Plant NOMA and the National Trust create a pop-up display as an homage to the orchard believed to once be here.

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Other highlights to seek out will be Angel Meadow (formerly a mass grave), Cutting Room Square (with great bars around it too), and Manchester Cathedral (with 250,000 bees living on its roof).

The National Trust says that blossom is at its best in Manchester in April (but ‘no one tells nature what to do’) so now is the perfect time to start planning your adventure.

You’ll be looking out for cherry blossom, apple and crab apple blossom, hawthorn blossom, Rowan blossom, magnolia, and foxgloves.

The National Trust ‘Bloomtown’ blossom trail around Manchester

  1. Alexandra Park
  2. Angel Meadow
  3. Ardwick Green
  4. Birchfields Park
  5. Birley Community Orchard
  6. Bridgewater Community Garden
  7. Castlefield Viaduct
  8. Cutting Room Square
  9. Gartside Gardens
  10. Hullard Park
  11. Hulme Park
  12. Manchester Cathedral
  13. Mayfield Park
  14. Ordsall Hall
  15. Parsonage Gardens
  16. Peel Park
  17. Philips Park
  18. Platt Fields Park
  19. Queen’s Park
  20. Rochdale Canal Lock 87
  21. Rochdale Canal Lock 89
  22. Sackville Gardens
  23. Sadler’s Yard
  24. St George’s Park
  25. St John’s Gardens
  26. St Peter’s Square
  27. Tariff Street
  28. Thomas Street Pocket Park
  29. University of Manchester Students’ Union
  30. Whitworth Street West

Featured image: The Manc Group

Travel & Tourism

One of Manchester’s largest hotels has reopened after an ‘extensive’ £33m renovation

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

One of the largest hotels in Manchester city centre has now reopened its doors to the public following an “extensive” £33 million renovation.

A new chapter is officially underway for Manchester‘s Marriott Hotel in Piccadilly.

Conveniently located next to Manchester Piccadilly train station, and what is a world-class and ever-popular urban neighbourhood in Mayfield, the Piccadilly Marriott hotel is the second Marriott hotel in the city centre, and following its wide-scale refurbishment, the new premises now offers “a contemporary destination for travellers“.

A stunning bistro-style restaurant and bar, a large function room, 11 meeting rooms, a 24/7 ‘MClub’ lounge, a state-of-the-art gym, and an Elemis spa with six treatment rooms and a thermal suite, can all be found inside the new hotel.

Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly has now reopened following a £33m refurbishment / Credit: Supplied

Known as the largest four-star hotel in the city centre, Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly boasts 338 “generous” bedrooms spread across eight floors with “unparalleled comfort” and interior design that gives a nod to the neighbourhood’s industrial and music heritage.

The biggest standard-sized rooms in Manchester, 16 ‘Panoramic Suites’, and a selection of family rooms, are just some of the accommodation options the hotel now offers.

As well as the rooms, Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly is also considered to be one of the best hotels in the city for both corporate and social events, with meeting rooms, function rooms, and more all on site, and now, thanks to the recent renovations, these refurbished spaces all include the latest in digital screen technology, audio-visual equipment, high-speed WiFi, and air conditioning.

The 338-room hotel is now one of the largest in Manchester city centre following the “extensive refurbishment” / Credit: Supplied

The new hotel is also home to Manchester’s only Marriott brand exclusive, MClub Lounge – which is a unique club lounge space designed to be the perfect place to relax, socialise, or meet for business.

The hotel’s stunning new spa is also described as being a “haven of wellness”, as it boasts six treatment rooms in partnership with award-winning British skincare brand, Elemis.

The stunning new premises now offers “a contemporary destination for travellers” / Credit: Supplied

Speaking as the new hotel opens its doors this week, Stephen Rycroft, who is the General Manager of Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly, commented: “We are excited to be part of this launch, bringing the flagship Marriott brand to this grand hotel, as it’s grand in both innovative design and size, making it the largest hotel in Manchester city centre.

“Our team is committed to providing exceptional experiences for both business and leisure guests alike.”

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Prices for rooms at Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly start from just £129 per night, and you can find out more and book online here.

Featured Image – Supplied

Travel & Tourism

Classical music will be played at Northern train stations to ‘deter anti-social behaviour’

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Classical music is to be played at dozens of train stations across the North in a bid to “deter anti-social behaviour”.

It may not be the first tactic you’d think of if you were trying to ward off trouble and prevent it from happening again in the future, but after a successful trial was conducted at 35 train stations in Greater Manchester and across the North back in 2022, Northern has now announced that “classical music is here to stay”.

After noticing a rise in incidents of anti-social behaviour, the train operator orchestrated a plan to play music inspired by the likes of Beethoven, Mozart, and Handel at nine stations.

Following this, it was then introduced at another 26 stations last year.

As part of the trial aimed at “preventing loitering, vandalism, and graffiti”, the teams at the participating stations would play the classical music at certain times of the day that were identified or often associated with incidents of anti-social behaviour, but would make sure to control the volume so it didn’t disturb local residents.

Classical music will be played at Northern train stations to ‘deter anti-social behaviour’ / Credit: Northern

During the initial trial, the music was played at stations in Billingham, Shildon, Heighington, North Road, Orrell, Keighley, Hyde North, Ilkley, and Newton Aycliffe.

The following year, it was rolled out at Beverley, Birchwood, Bryn, Cottingham, Cross Gates, Fitzwilliam, Flimby, Halewood, Haltwhistle, Hattersley, Levenshulme, Lostock Gralam, Maryport, Mill Hill, Newton for Hyde, Penistone, Rainhill, Sowerby Bridge, Sunderland, Ulverston, Wetheral, Whiston, Nunthorpe, Seaton Carew, Stockton, and Seaham.

When the trail proved to be successful, passengers apparently “called for an encore” as they claimed the music made them feel safer at participating stations, because large groups had stopped gathering there on a regular basis to “cause a nuisance” – particularly during the school holidays.

It follows successful trials carried out at 35 stations in 2022 and 2023 / Credit: gov.uk

“We’re pleased to have found an innovative and effective way of deterring anti-social behaviour,” commented Tricia Williams, who is the Chief Operating Officer at Northern.

“Following the successful trial, we will continue playing classical music at these stations and look to introduce it at others in the coming months, as we want all of our customers to feel safe and secure when they travel.

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“This approach, along with other investment we are making, is working well.”

Featured Image – Jonny Walton (via Northern)

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