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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
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
Chester Zoo’s FREE family festival returns next weekend – with wildlife shows, live music, and more
Emily Sergeant
Watching live wildlife shows and building dens are just some of the things you can get stuck into at Chester Zoo next weekend.
That’s because the UK’s biggest charity zoo’s free family festival is returning for another year.
Scientists recently revealed that more than half of all UK species are now in decline, including hedgehogs, butterflies, and wildflowers, Chester Zoo has announced that its Nature Fest is back by popular demand next weekend – with the two-day event boasting a jam-packed lineup of interactive events for all ages.
Taking place across the zoo’s six-hectare nature reserve, conservationists hope the weekend-long event will connect festivalgoers with nature, all while raising awareness of precious UK wildlife.
Open to everyone for free of charge, Nature Fest will have hands-on activities, workshops, talks, and performances – including the interactive Hedgehog Hideaway adventure, which teaches participants how to make their gardens more hedgehog friendly.
Chester Zoo’s free family festival returns next weekend / Credit: Chester Zoo
There’s also opportunities to take on conservation volunteering tasks like habitat restoration, take part in interactive wildlife talks at the Picnic Patch, and even blend together art, music, and nature.
Now in its ninth year, the 2025 event is part of Chester Zoo’s Networks for Nature initiative, which recently received a £4 million boost from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to expand its community-led conservation work across the UK.
“Chester Zoo’s nature reserve is open to people all year round, but Nature Fest is a chance to shine a spotlight on this vital part of the zoo,” commented Ruby Merriman, who is the Estate Biodiversity Manager at Chester Zoo.
“As one of the most nature-depleted countries on earth, British wildlife needs just as much support as species abroad, and Nature Fest offers a way for aspiring conservationists to learn how to get involved.”
There’ll be wildlife shows, interactive hands-on activities, live music, and more / Credit: Chester Zoo
Christopher Ablett, who is the Community Volunteer Coordinator, added: “These experiences help people of all ages build a personal connection with UK wildlife and understand the role they can play in its protection.
“We want people to know that small actions matter, community makes a difference, connectivity is key and that, while UK wildlife is facing serious challenges, everyone can help, and you can find out how at Nature Fest.”
Nature Fest takes place on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 September from 11:30am to 4:30pm.
The Nature Reserve is located at the far end of Chester Zoo car park and parking is free. You do not need to book either, so you can just turn up on the day.
Featured Image – Chester Zoo
What's On
Ed Sheeran announces ‘intimate’ Manchester date later this year
Danny Jones
The king of contemporary male pop music, Ed Sheeran, is returning to Manchester for one of his biggest dates ever, as well as his venue debut.
Yep, Teddy’s coming to Co-op Live.
The 34-year-old solo star and songwriting extraordinaire hasn’t played a standalone Manchester show since 2023, when he played the legendary AO Arena barely a year on from playing four sold-out nights at the Etihad Stadium.
And now he’s back for more with his first-ever gig at the city’s newest and Europe’s biggest indoor entertainment space.
Confirmed on Wednesday, 3 September, Ed Sheeran is set to play just a small handful of huge headline spaces this winter, including dates in Paris, Munich, Coventry and Dublin, as well as here in Manchester.
Announced ahead of his new LP and eighth studio album, Play, of which we’ve already heard four new tracks: ‘Sapphire’, ‘Old Phone’, ‘A Little More’ and ‘Azizam’ – the latter of which went straight to number one and stayed there for five whole weeks after it dropped.
These upcoming shows will be an extra and rare chance to see Sheeran before his all-new ‘Loop’ stadium tour, which kicks off in Australia next January.
Revealing details about the limited number of EU dates via his own social media channels, Sheeran wrote: “Coming to play some shows in Europe. These shows will be more intimate than a stadium show, obvz, but still will be incredible.”
We don’t know how he plans to make a room as big as the Co-op Live arena ‘intimate’, but we’re looking forward to seeing what he has in store…
He went on to add that he loves “playing these venues so much”, urging fans to pre-order the new record if they want to get their hands on tickets ASAP.
Play releases on Friday, 12 September, and those who pre-order the album exclusively through Amazon.co.uk before 7pm BST this Sunday, 7 September, can put themselves in with a chance of securing pre-sale tickets.
Elsewhere, early access will also be available to official Co-op members next Wednesday (10/9/25) ahead of general admission going live on Thursday, 11 September.
You can get ready to grab your tickets for Ed Sheeran at Co-op Live on Sunday, 7 December HERE.
Daisy Jackson -
22nd December 2023 
