Well, it’s been a year already and it’s only just September. There’s been riots, elections, celebrity breakups, it has been A LOT and I’m knackered. With so much going on in the world and trying to find time to eat, sleep, socialise, clean the house and remember to breathe, we all deserve a little escape to unwind.
Less than an hour from Manchester sits the wonderful Three Horseshoes Hotel & Spa, where you can relax in a spa, AND kick back in an award-winning pub all in one place.
With a whole host of treatments to choose from and their waterwheel room with an ice cold plunge pool, sauna and steam room, all with an extra dose of history, it is the perfect place to relax your mind and muscles.
On arrival, the staff are incredibly welcoming, a sense of calm ripples through the space making you feel instantly relaxed.
Our room wasn’t ready just yet so we were guided into the spa space and handed fluffy towels and robes to relax in.
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There is a fun ‘service button’ when you want a drink or something to eat and everything is brought to wherever you’re relaxing.
Outside are a number of comfy seats to recline in and there is a hot tub pool to relax in.
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On our visit the weather is warm and the sun is shining intermittently, perfect for sitting outside.
We could order breakfast, lunch and cocktails to the spa (which we did, obviously) and it feels like such a treat. Everyone feels like a VIP.
Ham hock and fondue sandwichBlue cheese and mushrooms on toast
We indulged in a ham hock and fondue sandwich, and blue cheese and mushrooms on toast from their light bites section, both of which were delicious. The cocktails were divine and there was plenty to choose from and spoil yourself with.
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The spa has a giant water wheel which harks back to the building’s history and heritage and doubles up an one of the initial ‘treatments’ as part of the experience.
Guests are encouraged to go through a cycle of cold and hot experiences, starting with a drench from the water wheel, before moving into the stone bath steam room.
There is a jazzy contraption that lifts hot stones and dumps them into cold water, flooding the room with steam to help relax your muscles.
Inside the spa at the Three Horseshoes hotel in Leek. Credit: The Manc Group
After 15 minutes of heat you then jump (probably don’t actually jump, it is slippy) into the ice cold plunge pool, which as you might have guessed, is freezing.
I lasted significantly longer than my other half but it was definitely a battle after being so warm.
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They have the Farmers Sauna which is delightful post plunge pool. All of the spa spaces are designed with the history of the building and area in mind which makes the space feel extra special.
We had the opportunity to try out the Beach Hut experience which replicates a sunrise to sunset to give you a heavy dose of vitamin D while you relax in the nice warm sand without fear of being harassed by seagulls.
The beach hut experience in the spa at Three Horseshoes. Credit: The Manc GroupThe beach hut experience in the spa at Three Horseshoes. Credit: The Manc Group
Being by the seaside in the middle of Staffordshire is an odd experience for the senses but we really enjoyed it. We also both had a mixed massage and facial, where we talked through our skin type needs and then lay back and let the masseurs knead our backs like bread dough.
Our room was incredibly cosy. We had a four-poster bed and I’d let the team know that it was our wedding anniversary so they made the space extra special.
We had a gorgeous little hot tub in our private garden which was perfect to relax in before going across to the pub for dinner.
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Bedrooms at Three Horseshoes. Credit: The Manc GroupA private hot tub with a hotel room. Credit: The Manc GroupThe Three Horseshoes country inn. Credit: The Manc Group
The Three Horseshoes country inn is an award winning restaurant with loads to choose from and the products are all sourced locally. There are stunning views of the Staffordshire peaks for you to enjoy while you dine.
In the winter it will be the perfect spot to sit by roaring fires and getting cosy with pals.
You can get a roast every day of the week between 12-2 and all day on a Sunday which sounds ideal to me.
We had to try their famous sponge pudding which was delicate and fluffy, served with gallons upon gallons of custard. Their limoncello tiramisu was the perfect balance of tart and sweet (and a little bit boozy). Breakfast is also served here buffet style, which is how breakfast should always be served in my humble opinion.
So if you’re looking for a reason to escape the rat race, then the Three Horseshoes in Leek is the place for you.
This Manchester suburb has just been named one of the UK’s ‘happiest’ places to live in 2024
Thomas Melia
An annual poll has named the Manchester suburb of Didsbury spot among 70 locations said to be the ‘happiest’ places to live in the UK.
Greater Manchester has got lots to say for itself, especially with its diverse and unique cultural landscapes, as well as various vibrant communities, so it comes as no surprise that one of our beautiful suburbs has been voted in a list of the UK’s happiest places to live for this year.
The survey included submissions from 5,000 people and there’s a lot of love being shown to the neighbouring areas of Yorkshire like Doncaster, Bingley, and Harrogate – the lattermost placed in second in the entire country.
But, ranking 62nd out of a possible 70 places, the distinct and vibrant area of Didsbury has been noticed by Furniturebox as one of the ‘happiest’ places to live in the UK.
Credit: The Manc Group
The results took into consideration good state schools, affordable housing, as well as accessibility to pubs, bars, restaurants, independent shops, retailers and more.
With multiple parks, walking destinations, and top-notch travel links with Bee Network trams and buses easily taking you back into the city centre and out to other boroughs, East, West and Didsbury Village all remain some of the most sought-after areas in the region.
There’s a whole host of indie retailers to enjoy, especially on the likes of the main high street and Burton Road, which effectively serves as its own cultural district, home to vintage clothing shops like Steranko, tailored styling opticians Fox Brothers and much more.
Burton Rd also boasts countless fantastic food and drink spots like The Great Kathmandu, SANTÉ, Volta and Proove Pizza, just to name a few; we’ve spent plenty of time just on this stretch of Didsbury alone.
If you’ve spent even a little time in Dids, you’ll know there’s plenty going on and it’s certainly one our happiest places in all of Greater Manchester and therefore the UK.
You can also enjoy the famous ‘Didsbury Dozen’ right on your doorstep.
Elsewhere, and somewhat unsurprisingly, Shakespeare’s ever-romanticised hometown of Stratford-Upon-Avon once again reigned supreme at the top of this list.
That being said, it’s refreshing to see that these locations weren’t entirely related to wealth and similar factors, the survey took affordability into careful consideration.
Cheshire was destined for success with its cracking views and grand properties, as the North West county made waves for the region managing to place in fifth position, holding up against Falmouth in Cornwall which placed in sixth.
Although not nabbing that all-important top spot, Didsbury is carrying the flag for 0161 and showing what all know to be true: Northerners do it best.
A Greater Manchester town could be set to get a train station for the first time in 60 years
Emily Sergeant
It’s been a whopping six decades, but the residents of one local town could soon be able to hop on a train out of there.
That’s because a planning application for a brand-new £32 million station in Golborne – which would connect the Greater Manchester town, in the Wigan borough, to the rail network for the first time in more than 60 years – has been submitted to Wigan Council, meaning connectivity is finally one step closer to becoming reality.
In case you didn’t know, Golborne currently has no direct bus, train, or tram services to Manchester, and Leigh is the biggest town in England without a rail station, while the wider area is the largest and most-populous area in Greater Manchester not connected to the rail network.
The milestone aims to boost access to jobs and opportunities for people in the town and the wider Wigan borough.
NEWS: Greater Manchester on track with plan for first new rail station in over 20 years. 🚉
✅ 90%+ public consultation support for Golborne station in Wigan ✅ Planning application in to @WiganCouncil ✅ Local area improvements and walking and cycling links
According to Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), the Golborne station scheme forms part of a wider ambition to bring eight commuter lines into the Bee Network by 2028 – of which “significant investment” has been put into.
The application includes plans for a new accessible two-platform rail station, including step-free access throughout with a footbridge across the tracks and lifts to both platforms, a new hourly service between Wigan and Manchester Victoria, and onwards to Stalybridge, an improved town centre car park, and also new walking and cycling links to the town centre.
The submitting of the proposals comes after nearly 3,000 people had their say on the station earlier this year, with more than 90% of respondents supporting the plans.
A CGI of what the proposed new Golborne station could look like, if plans are approved / Credit: TfGM
If the plans are approved by Wigan Council, work on the site should begin in 2026, according to TfGM, with the new station scheduled to open in 2027.
Mayor Andy Burnham called the submitting of the proposals a “transformative step” for the region.
“It has taken a huge effort to get us to this point,” he explained. “But we have finally reached a major milestone on the journey to reconnect Golborne to the rail network for the first time in over 60 years.
“The proposal is based on extremely sound evidence and huge progress has been made with a planning application being submitted and overwhelming support from local residents.”
Kristen MacGregor-Houlston -
6th September 2024 
