Travel & Tourism

The northern spa retreat with one of the most beautiful outdoor pools in the country

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 11th October 2024

If you turn to the great outdoors to relax in your spare time, but you don’t actually want to swim in a pond, then we’ve found the absolute perfect spa retreat for you.

This spa might just have the best swimming spot in the UK, with an outdoor swimming pool sunk right into a natural pool so you can feel like a mermaid without actually touching a mystery plant with your bare toes.

This is the Yorkshire Spa Retreat, part of Hoseasons’ collection of holiday escapes right here on home turf.

And as soon as our friends over at The Hoot Leeds discovered it, we knew they’d landed on something special.

It’s set in more than eight acres of gorgeous rolling Yorkshire parkland, an oasis of tranquillity that’s the ideal place to give yourself some well-deserved TLC.

You can enjoy the beauty of the Yorkshire countryside with a dip in the hydro-pool, or take a turn in the herbal steam room, sauna, or salt chamber.

Then there is of course that incredible wild swimming pool.

The northern spa retreat with the most beautiful outdoor pool in the country
The northern spa retreat with the most beautiful outdoor pool in the country
The northern spa retreat with the most beautiful outdoor pool in the country. Credit: Hoseasons

Of course there’s a long list of spa treatments to take your reset to the next level and a menu of locally sourced food and drinks to keep you going.

All that relaxing deserves a good night’s sleep and here you’ll find a blend of bespoke luxury holiday homes and stunning lodges which are cosy and comforting with all of the best modern amenities.

You don’t have to spend the night if you don’t want to, with day spa packages available too.

But to be honest, I don’t think we’d ever be able to tear ourselves away once we were submerged here.

With an overnight or weekend stay, you’ll have a number of national parks on your doorstep, including the North York Moors which wraps around the Yorkshire Spa Retreat.

Nearby attractions include a Land Rover tour of the local area, Castle Howard, Rievaulx Abbey, the market town of Helmsley, and the city of York itself.

You can see more and book a stay HERE.

Read more

Featured image: Hoseasons

Travel & Tourism

A young BMX star from Trafford finished on the podium in the 2025 World Championships

Danny Jones Danny Jones Leo Rowlands from Timperley Manchester 3rd World BMX Championships

A Greater Manchester native placed on the podium at the 2025 BMX World Championships in yet another display of our region’s sporting excellence.

12-year-old Leo Rowlands from Timperley in Trafford was one of the several promising BMX riders representing Team GB at the World Championships in Copenhagen, which kicked off at the end of July.

Back in 2023, Geordie-born Kieran Reilly became the UK’s first champion at the UCI BMX Freestyle Worlds in Glasgow, and this year, London’s Beth Shriever claimed a trio of world titles.

Combine that with the incredible achievement of the talented young lad coming third overall in his own category, and it really was another brilliant performance from Great Britain.

Credit: Supplied

Penning a proud statement online, local outlet Altrincham Today wrote: “HUGE congratulations to Leo Rowlands, who has just claimed WORLD No. 3 at the BMX World Championships in Copenhagen.

“The Year 7 [aged 11-12] Altrincham College student, who’s been racing since age 6 and trains at Bruntwood Park BMX Club in Cheadle, came through a field of over 140 of the world’s best riders to reach the final and secure his spot on the podium.

“Already North Champion and UK National No. 2, Leo will be going for the British Championship title in Kent this month.”

Joining in sharing their pride and praise on social media, his home college in Alty, along with Rowlands’ fellow students, simply added: “Incredible performance, Leo!”

The comments underneath both posts are filled with other parents and fellow locals passing on their congrats. You love to see it.

great britain world bmx championships 2025
leo rowlands bmx
Credit: Family Handout (supplied)

As for his regular cycling haunt, Bruntwood Park BMX Club also went on to add: “Yesterday, two riders reached the top of the sport for their age, and it is with great pride that they bring home the club’s first W plates from a World Championships.

“First up, Leo Rowlands, who put down a stunning lap in the Male 12s final, working his way back from dead last out of the gate to make a brilliant podium and take home W3.”

They went on to credit all of their rising talents, including another promising young and already multi-title-winning champion in Lexi Waite, who fought her way back from a slipped gate to finish in fifth.

Bruntwood signed off by adding: “What an incredible achievement from both of these outstanding riders, and we cannot wait to have these guys back with their W plates!”

There’s plenty of cycling history being made here in Greater Manchester, and we’ve no doubt there’s more to come.

BMX history made in Manchester at inaugural Red Bull event

Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Family handout/Supplied

Travel & Tourism

Popular airline to give long-distance friends ‘well deserved’ reunions with FREE flights

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Two people hugging

A popular airline is set to give long-distance friends the chance to reunite by offering free flights.

That’s right – Loganair has launched an exciting new competition and is calling on the public to help track down some of the country’s longest distance friendships across its network, as the award-winning regional airline looks to bring one deserving duo back together with complimentary flights.

Whether it’s childhood best friends who now live hundreds of miles apart, or university flatmates who haven’t seen each other since graduation, Loganair says its latest ‘Season of Connections’ campaign is a celebration of friendship that endures, no matter the postcode.

As the UK’s leading regional airline, Loganair prides itself on connecting communities across the UK, whether that be from remote islands or bustling business hubs like Manchester, Glasgow, and Edinburgh, and its extensive network of flights allows passengers nationwide to explore a wide range of destinations.

This competition – which is launching this week on the airline’s Instagram and Facebook channels – aims to do just that, and all without the lucky winners having to spend a penny.

The ‘Season of Connections’ competition invites people to share their story and explain why their long-distance friendship deserves a long-overdue reunion.

The winning pair will receive return flights to each other’s city, helping bridge the gap.

Loganair is giving long-distance friends ‘well deserved’ reunions with free flights / Credit: Loganair

It follows the huge response to Loganair’s Christmas giveaway last year that offered one lucky winner a year of free flights across Loganair’s extensive network, and now the airline is hoping to bring another memorable reunion to life – this time between two friends kept apart by distance.

“This campaign is all about celebrating the real, meaningful connections that define our lives, and demonstrating the role regional travel can play in bringing people together,” commented Lyn MacDonald, who is the Head of Marketing and Brand at Loganair.

“Whether it’s been months or years since friends last met in person, we want to help make that reunion possible.”

Read more:

The competition runs until Sunday 17 August, and to take part, all you’ll need to do is visit Loganair’s Instagram or Facebook pages and follow the link in bio to submit your story.

The winning friends will be announced later this summer, with their reunion taking place in the autumn.

Featured Image – Priscilla Du Preez (via Unsplash)

More Travel & Tourism

Kendal Calling guide 2025 important info

Audio

Kendal Calling 2025 festival guide – everything you need to know ahead of a milestone year

Boroughs

Northern is offering Greater Manchester students half-price train tickets for the entire academic year

Manchester Airport opens another section of new Terminal 2, with Joe & The Juice and LEGO

Business

Manchester Airport opens another section of new Terminal 2, with Joe & The Juice and LEGO

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches