If you’re in the market for an incredibly wholesome (and very stunning) summer activity, how does an afternoon picking sunflowers sound?
There’s a farm nestled in the countryside where you can roam through a field of 10ft-tall flowers, eating freshly-made gelato, and even getting towed around by a tractor in a bumblebee car.
This charming little spot is Farmer Copleys, a family-run farm that has become beloved by locals and visitors alike, The Hoot Leeds reports.
Among the farm’s many seasonal attractions, the most famous being the October pumpkin festival, they currently have a huge 10 acre field filled with golden sunflowers ready for picking.
Just half an hour from Leeds city centre, whether you’re a photography enthusiast, a nature lover, or simply looking for a wholesome day out with the family, this experience is an ideal afternoon out.
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Hopping into the bumble bee tractor pulled tractor lovely farmer Steve will take you down to the row upon row of towering sunflowers, some up to 10ft tall. As you wander around there’s loads of fun photo opportunities and back drops making it the perfect spot for a reet good Instagram post.
There’s a beautiful farm up north where you can go sunflower picking. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
For only £2 a stem you can grab some pliers and pick yourself your favourite flower to take home, just be warned they’re heavier than they look.
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Whether you prefer a tall, sturdy stem or a smaller, more delicate bloom, there’s a sunflower to brighten up any home.
Sunflower picking at Farmer Copleys isn’t just for adults—it’s a fantastic activity for children too. Kids can run freely through the fields, playing hide and seek among the tall flowers or learning about nature as they pick their own sunflowers.
They know kids aren’t the easiest to keep entertained so they have loads more family-friendly activities, including a maze, tractor rides, strawberry picking and an adventure playground.
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All that frolicking is hungry work, thankfully the Moo Café is on hand to provide refreshments, offering everything from hearty breakfasts to delicious homemade cakes.
So why not head to Farmer Copleys for a day filled with sunshine, flowers, and fun? The sunflowers are waiting!
9 amazing lesser-known destinations you can fly to from Manchester for less than £100
Daisy Jackson
Planning a holiday – especially during the school summer break – can be a daunting and expensive process.
Demand over the summer months can see prices on flights and accommodation rocket, especially to popular holiday destinations.
Which is why Manchester Airport has published a list of lesser-known destinations which you can still fly to this summer, with flights from less than £100.
As well as hidden gem destinations, there are a few holiday hotspots like Ibiza and Mallorca on the list.
Manchester Airport serves more than 200 destinations worldwide, and airport bosses have now dug through that whopping list to pull together some of the best deals, as well as sharing some tips for securing the best deals during peak season.
Manchester Airport’s Chief Commercial Officer Stephen Turner said: “Here at Manchester Airport we are proud to connect the North to the World – with a bigger and better route network than any UK airport outside London.
“What that means in practice is better choice and value for our passengers – so they can still get great deals even during the summer holidays when prices to lots of destinations tend to rise.
“We fly to lots of lesser-known destinations that other airports don’t, so there are a lot of bargains to be found. But because we also offer more flights each day to some of Europe’s top destinations, that helps keep prices down too.”
Here are nine lesser-known destinations you can fly to from Manchester Airport this summer.
Skip the busy Amalfi coast or popular summer cities like Florence and Rome, and instead head to Rimini, on Italy’s Adriatic coast.
This beautiful destination – a brand-new addition to Manchester Airport’s network – is famed for having miles of sandy beaches, a picturesque old town, and a marina.
It’s also home to Italia in Miniatura, a model village-style attraction where you can see Italy’s most famous sites in a small scale.
Direct flights start from £58pp return with Ryanair in August
Girona
Manchester to Girona flights start from £75pp return. Credit: Lucas Gallone on Unsplash
Head further north along the Costa Brava coast from Barcelona and you’ll find Girona, a city that’s emerging as a new family favourite in Spain – and which you might recognise as a major Game of Thrones setting.
As well as the beaches and tapas that have made the European country so popular for decades, Girona boasts the pretty whitewashed town of Cadaqués, the home of Salvador Dali for more than 50 years.
You can visit his former home, now a museum, before heading back to resume your tapas crawl.
Flights start from £75pp return, based on TUI trips in August
The South of France always feels like it should a very luxury destination, but it is more than possible to visit parts of this beautiful part of the world for less.
You can fly from Manchester to Beziers, the gateway to France’s Languedoc coast, where you’ll be spoilt with 120 miles-worth of golden sandy beaches, port town, and fishing villages.
The towns of Agde and Sete are popular places to stay for exploring the coastline and the inland vineyards nearby.
You can fly from £80pp return with Ryanair in early August
You already know Majorca and Ibiza, but did you know that Menorca remains the least-visited of the three big Balearic Islands?
That means that even in the height of summer, you’ve a good chance of finding quiet beaches and waterside restaurants.
If you can tear yourself away from the crystal clear waters, make sure to visit Cuitadella, a winding Medieval town with a brilliant food scene.
Ryanair flies direct from £45pp
Faro
From Faro you can access the beautiful Algarve. Credit: Ioana Mohanu on Unsplash
Faro serves as a gateway to Portugal’s hugely popular Algarve, which has much more to it than golf clubs and lively nightlife strips.
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Faro itself is a charming town with great local restaurants, but head along the coast to find tonnes of family-friendly resorts, lively towns, and beautiful dramatic coastlines.
The weather is usually pretty blissful down here, too.
There’s so much to discover of Spain, and one lesser-explored region singled out by Manchester Airport travel exports is Santander.
Located on the north coast and the Cantabrian Sea, this is where you’ll find charming landmarks like a 13th century cathedral, and an Old Town packed with pintxos bars.
You can also relax on the iconic El Sardinero beach, a popular surfing spot.
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AND if you hate the crushing heat of summer, this is the spot for you – it’s generally cooler than other parts of Spain at a delightful 25ºC even in the height of summer.
Direct flights in August with Ryanair start from £75pp return
Heading back to France again, this time to the country’s second-largest city which makes for an excellent city break.
Formerly an Ancient Greek colony, you’ll still find incredible ruins near the city’s port, surrounded by fine dining restaurants, museums and galleries.
Get out of the city and you’ll be able to explore the Calanques National Park, where stony beaches nestle into narrow bays beneath the cliffs.
Direct flights start from just £59pp return with Ryanair
Yes, like the olives. But this sometimes-overlooked destination on the Greek mainland has a lot more to it than that.
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Standing on the tip of the Peloponnese peninsula, Kalamata dates back nearly 3000 years and has an Old Town, a medieval castle, and masses of Ancient Greek sites to explore.
You can really mix up a city break and a beach break here – split your time between historical sites, family-run tavernas, and the nearby two-mile-long Bouka Beach.
EasyJet will get you there from £76pp return
To save money when booking your holiday flights this summer:
Check prices regularly – and if you see a deal you like the look of, don’t hold off. Travellers are booking later this summer, so last-minute deals are there to be had – but don’t cut it too fine.
If you know you love the seaside resorts of Spain, or the whitewashed villages of Greece, expand your horizons and look at parts of the country you haven’t visited before. Manchester Airport flies to dozens of destinations in these countries and if you’re willing to be flexible on where exactly you go, you might nab a better deal.
Working parents will tend to book a calendar week or two off work during the school summer holidays and theferore they tend to want to fly at the weekend, or as close to is as possible, to maximise their time away. As such, you could save significant sums on your flights if you’re willing to travel between Tuesday and Thursday.
The fantastic pub near Manchester Airport that’s a perfect plane-spotting site
Daisy Jackson
Forget rooftop bars and waterfront terraces – this pub comes with front-row seats to one of the busiest runways in the UK.
Just 50 feet from the end of Manchester Airport’s runway, The Airport Pub is where lunch comes with a side of jumbo jets.
If you’re an aviation enthusiast, or plane-spotting has never appealed until you factor in the idea of doing it with a pint in hand, this is the spot to check out. Bonus points if you whip out FlightRadar.
With an outdoor area for the kids too, it’s an easy win for a family day out.
Planes roar overhead every few minutes, thanks to the pub’s obvious proximity to the busy runways of Manchester Airport.
Step inside and the aviation theme continues, with propeller-style chandeliers, jet engine booth seating and other plane-inspired touches that make the pub feel every bit as unique as its location.
But if you ask us, the best seats in the house are outside, where you can tuck into a hearty pub lunch (hello, cheese and onion pie) while watching the constant parade of arrivals.
Cheese and onion pieInside the Airport Pub in ManchesterA pint in the Airport Pub beer gardenPropellor chandeliers inside the Airport PubPlanes land just 50ft from the beer gardenYou can sit inside a booth built from an old engineThe Hangar bar outsideFried chicken and waffles
For an even better view, head over to The Hangar, the pub’s outdoor bar, where you can grab a pint or an ice cream before claiming one of the picnic benches just metres from the runway.
It’s surprisingly easy to lose track of time as everything from short-haul jets to giant long-haul aircraft passes right in front of you.
The Airport Pub isn’t just about the view either. Its family-friendly atmosphere, spacious beer garden and classic diner-style menu make it a great stop whether you’re waiting for a flight, entertaining the kids or simply fancying one of the most memorable pub experiences in the country.
Abbie Bartlett -
26th August 2024 
