It can often feel like so much of the countryside that surrounds Manchester can be a little out of reach if you don’t own a car – but that’s far from the case with this lot.
We’ve teamed up once again with walking expert GetLostMCR along with The Bee Network to work out a list of stunning winter walks you can access with public transport.
There’s everything from canal-side strolls, the water’s surface sometimes frozen over, to brisk walks up to some of the north west’s best viewpoints.
You can get to National Trust sites, woodland, and loads more for just £2 with Bee Network bus tickets, too.
So get your thermals on, download the Bee Network app, hop on a bus, and find a new adventure on your doorstep.
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Here are some of the best walks you can do around Greater Manchester using public transport.
Midshires Way, Stockport
Midshires Way walk in StockportMidshires Way walk in Stockport
Midshires Way is a long boy – a footpath that stretches some 225 miles. So obviously we are not suggesting that anyone attempt to take on the whole thing.
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This route from GetLostMCR incorporates just a small section of it, on a weaving loop of Woodbank Park and along sections of the River Goyt.
This idyllic trail may just be a stone’s throw from the M60 but as you wander down quiet old farm lanes and through towering trees you’d never know it.
This route can also be linked to other footpaths in Stockport, such as the Alan Newton and Fred Perry Way.
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How to get there: The 364 Bee Network bus loops from Stockport to Hazel Grove and will drop you right at the entrance to the park.
The route:
Dunham Massey, Trafford
Deer at Dunham MasseyWalking along the canals at Dunham Massey
Dunham Massey is one of the region’s most scenic destinations, from its impressive country house to its ancient deer park.
And while most of us are familiar with the area, we’ve probably just driven straight to it and parked up without exploring the surrounding area properly.
The route outlined below is an easy breezy three-mile loop that in part follows the Bridgewater Canal.
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And by the time you walk along to Dunham Massey, you can explore the grounds for free – the National Trust only charges entry to vehicles.
If you make it there over the next couple of weeks you can also take in the twinkling wonder of Christmas at Dunham Massey, its already-beautiful grounds illuminated by light installations.
How to get there: Take a Metrolink tram to Altrincham then hop on the 280 bus.
The route:
Rivington Pike, Bolton
Rivington Pike in BoltonRivington Pike in Bolton
Are you ready to blow out some end-of-year cobwebs? Then you are going to want to get yourself up high.
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You may be exposed to the elements up at the top of Winter Hill, and the walk is a little more strenuous than others on this list, but boy oh boy are those views worth it.
You’ll be 1,496 feet high up at the summit with views of Manchester city itself and the rolling hills of Lancashire too.
And then you can take your time strolling around Rivington Pike, on the border of Bolton and Chorley, on your way back down, where The Terraced Gardens include a hidden Japanese Garden, lakes, waterfalls, bridges, sculptures and caves.
How to get there: From Bolton town centre you can take the 913 bus, or the 912 and 915 bus routes also go to Rivington.
The route:
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Lyme loop, Stockport
You’ll feel like you’ve stepped into a box of Christmas cards when you visit Lyme Park in winter, especially if you’re blessed with a sprinkling of snow.
You can completely avoid needing a car to get here too, and take a pretty walk along the canal from Marple all the way to the National Trust estate at Lyme.
It’s a long walk – you’ll want to take your time and allow for a full afternoon – but it’s so worth it, with GetLostMCR’s loop taking you past locks and bridges, rugged moorland and formal gardens.
You can refuel at Lyme Park’s cafe at your halfway point too, but if the return leg feels like too much effort for you, you can just hop on another Bee Network bus for £2 to take you back to your starting point.
How to get there: You can take a train to Marple from Manchester to start your walk
The smash-hit daytime rave where you can still be in bed early is returning to Manchester
Clementine Hall
That’s right: Day Fever, the daytime rave designed to still get you tucked in at a reasonable hour, is coming back to Manchester city centre this year.
Following their biggest raft of shows across the UK and Ireland in 2025, the smash-hit night out that is very much aimed at those of us 30 and over – but fellow sleepy heads are obviously more than welcome – Day Fever are targeting big things in 2026.
Launched in early 2024 by actress Vicky McClure and Reverend & The Makers frontman, Jon McClure, Day Fever has become a cultural sensation.
From its debut in Sheffield to a tour that sees thousands of ravers hitting the dance floor each month, the message is clear: people want to dance and let loose, but still be in bed before 9pm – and let’s be honest, who can blame them?
The founders (L-R): Jon McClure, James O’Hara, Jonny Owen, Vicky and Chris McClure. (supplied)
Running from 3-8pm, Day Fever provides a proper night out that doesn’t completely write you off for the entire weekend.
“It started as a WhatsApp idea”, says Jon McClure. “Jonny just said, ‘A daytime disco, how good would that be?’ We’re all a bit nuts, so we just said, ‘Come on then!’”
“It feels like a massive house party at your nan’s,” laughs Vicky. “No drama, no egos, just people acting daft, getting dressed up, and having the best time.”
From here in 0161 and our mates over in Leeds, to Newcastle, Glasgow and many more, each Day Fever event has its own unique flavour.
There’ll be local DJs who know their crowds keep the energy high with a nostalgic mix of Northern Soul, disco, indie, and 90s classics. “Manchester goes mad for Oasis,” says Jon, “and if Vicky’s there, we have to play Whitney, it’s non-negotiable!”
For starters, just look at the turnout they got over Christmas:
They last popped up their second home of New Century Hall over the festive period, so it’s no surprise they’re coming back from.
Day Fever will be turning up the speakers at New Century once again on Saturday, 31 January, and we will absolutely see you there. Better still, the organisers have just announced additional shows due to phenomenal demand, including 7 March and 11 April here in Manchester.
Find the rest of their previously announced shows, as well as the extra dates for 2026, in full down below:
24 Jan, 28 February and 25 April – Glasgow, BAaD
24 Jan, 14 Feb and 21 March – Nottingham, Palais
24 Jan, 7 March and 4 April – Sheffield, City Hall
31 Jan, 7 March and 11 April – Manchester, New Century Hall
A Heated Rivalry club night is coming to Manchester next month
Emily Sergeant
Who’s ready for a night at the cottage?
We honestly can’t believe we finally get to say this, but a Heated Rivalry-themed club night – as in the ones we’ve seen going viral all over our TikTok FYPs – is finally coming to Manchester next month, as one popular local venue has decided to jump on the bandwagon and give us all what we deserve… a night at the cottage.
If you’ve been living under a rock and somehow haven’t heard about Heated Rivalry (you don’t have to have watched it, but we’d be shocked if you haven’t at least heard of it), it’s also affectionately nicknamed and known on the internet as ‘the gay hockey show’, which kind of does some it up really.
It’s a story of two elite ice hockey players, Canada’s Shane Hollander (played by Hudson Williams) and Russia’s Ilya Rozanov (played by Connor Storrie).
The two play for rival teams and countries in the MHL and begin a ‘relationship’ over a 10-year period, which they choose to keep a secret due to homophobia in the world of hockey, and also just not fully understanding their connection themselves.
The six-part Canadian series has gone viral since its initial release back in late November last year, and UK release earlier this month… in fact ‘viral’ is an understatement, it’s been critically and commercially acclaimed like nothing else has in the television space for a while.
Its undeniable success has also spawned club nights across the world, with the soundtrack blasting out of speakers at full volume and fan edits of the show playing on big screens behind the DJ.
A Heated Rivalry club night is coming to Manchester next month / Credit: Sky / Crave (Press Images)
And now, Manchester’s finally getting a taste of the action.
Popular live music and club venue Gorilla has teamed up with Throwback Events to announced that it’ll be hosting its own Heated Rivalry club night next month, and fans can expect DJs to play music from the show’s soundtrack, before it’s woven into a late-night mix of the greatest 00s and 10s pop/queer club anthems.
Plus, you’ll also see edits on the big screen too, making it like a proper night at The Cottage.
“Join us for a night inspired by the viral hit TV show and book, built around tension, proximity, and the kind of chemistry you can’t ignore,” the event’s description reads.
The Heated Rivalry Club Night is coming to Gorilla in Manchester on Friday 20 February from 11pm, right through to 3am, and tickets are on sale now – with early bird options also available.
And as an extra perk, NHS staff or anyone with a birthday between 13-27 February go free.
Daisy Jackson -
22nd December 2023 
