Cheshire

Popular dinosaur trail Totally Roarsome has reopened near Manchester for half term

The much-loved attraction has found a new home for 2022 at Arley Hall in Cheshire.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 18th February 2022

One of the North West’s most-popular outdoor events has reopened near Manchester, and it’s an ideal day out for families this half term.

For the past two years, Totally Roarsome has taken the region by storm and has seen visitors flock from far and wide after it opened in untouched woodland following the initial lifting of lockdown restrictions in mid-2020, before returning after popular demand for the Easter half term in 2021.

And now, it’s found a new home for 2022’s event at Arley Hall in Cheshire.

Aimed at primary school children, and named as one of the safest attractions for all the family in Greater Manchester, there will be more than 200 individual dinosaur models making up the woodland trail this year, with kids will be able to get up close to the raptors, brontosaurus, spinosaurus, triceratops, and stegosaurus, and so much more.

Not only that, but there’ll also be other creatures and animals to keep them company too, from sea creatures and unicorns, to aliens and farm animals.

Totally Roarsome’s new home for 2022 is Arley Hall in Cheshire / Credit: Totally Roarsome

Groups enter every 15 minutes to space people apart, with the trail said to take between an hour and an hour-and-a-half to complete.

The path is suitable for pushchairs and prams.

If the chance to see all sorts of creatures in the wild wasn’t exciting and educational enough as it is, on entry, visitors are given a quiz sheet that features different levels of questions aimed at different age groups, and the answers are on the fact boards as you make your way around.

The popular event has taken the region by storm and has seen visitors flock from far and wide the past two years / Credit: Totally Roarsome

Having already opened last Friday and due to run up until Friday 27 February, followed by weekends throughout March, tickets for Totally Roarsome have been selling fast and are now available to book online.

Tickets will set you back £8.95 each, and must be booked in advance.

Find out more information and book here. 

Featured Image – Totally Roarsome

Cheshire

First look at new Netflix series House of Guinness filmed in and around Greater Manchester

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

A highly-anticipated new drama series from Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight is set to hit Netflix this autumn.

And a series of exciting first look images have now been released.

Knight has traded in the foggy streets of Birmingham for the back alleys and stately mansions of Dublin – as well as its world-renowned brewery, of course – as House of Guinness is set to whisk audiences back to the 1860s, where the powerful and debaucherous titular Guinness family is ‘on the precipice of greatness’.

Set in 19th-century Dublin and New York, the eight-part series explores an epic story inspired by one of Europe’s most famous and enduring dynasties, and begins immediately after the death of Sir Benjamin Guinness.

The story follows the far-reaching impact of Sir Guinness’s will on the fate of his four adult children, Arthur, Edward, Anne, and Ben, as well as on a group of Dublin characters who work and interact with the phenomenon that is Guinness.

The four Guinness siblings are played by actors Anthony Boyle (Arthur), Louis Partridge (Edward), Emily Fairn (Anne), and Fionn O’Shea (Ben).

Audiences get to watch the Guinnesses experience ‘ecstatic highs’ and heartbreaking lows’ as they work to live up to their birthright of black gold.

Other acting names set to appear in the series include James Norton, Niamh McCormack, Seamus O’Hara, David Wilmot, Michael McElhatton, Jack Gleeson, Dervla Kirwan, Hilda Fay, and many more.

First look images of Netflix’s new drama series, House of Guinness, have been released / Credit: Ben Blackall (via Netflix)

Production and filming for House of Guinness commenced from summer 2024 onwards, and some very well-known Greater Manchester places were used as filming locations, such as the Northern Quarter, and Stockport‘s legendary Underbanks.

Mansions in Cheshire and Liverpool were also used as filming locations for the show.

“It’s the extraordinary story of a family who happens to be the inheritors of the biggest brewery in the world,” creator Steven Knight told Netflix.

“They’re young and are given the task of taking on this incredibly successful brand. The first priority is – don’t screw it up. And the second priority is to make Guinness even bigger.”

Read more:

House of Guinness will air on Netflix on 25 September, with all eight episodes to available to stream straight away.

Featured Image – Ben Blackall (via Netflix)

Cheshire

First look at Chester Zoo’s new luxury safari-style lodges where you can sleep amongst the animals

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

The first look at Chester Zoo’s new luxury safari-style resort has been released to the public, and it looks stunning.

In case you missed it, artist impression images of the highly anticipated wildlife lodge experience at Chester Zoo, called The Reserve, were unveiled earlier this year ahead of its grand opening to the public this month following several years in the works… but now opening day is right around the corner, the first official images have been shared.

The Reserve at Chester Zoo features 51 beautifully-designed lodges, with some overlooking a private savannah where giraffes, zebras, and blesbok antelope roam free, while others are nestled beside a peaceful lake.

Guests can choose from a variety of different lodges to stay in, available for up to nine people.

The lodges have been crafted using natural and sustainable materials, with the décor being inspired by landscapes in Africa, and it’s already being described as ‘the ultimate African safari experience right here in the UK’.

Combining luxurious accommodation with exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the zoo’s world-renowned wildlife, Chester Zoo says the new resort is set to transform how travellers experience conservation in the UK.

Those behind the project say the innovative concept – where every stay directly-funds the protection of threatened species globally – will help to strengthen the zoo’s role as ‘one of the country’s most loved and most impactful conservation charities’.

Chester Zoo has given the first look at its new luxury safari-style lodges / Credit: Chester Zoo

“The Reserve at Chester Zoo is a game-changer, not just for luxury travel but for conservation,” commented Jamie Christon, who is the CEO at Chester Zoo.

“Born from our long-standing commitment to protecting African wildlife, we’ve created a truly immersive, safari-style experience right here in the UK, where guests may wake up to giraffes on their doorstep, enjoy unforgettable wildlife encounters and relax in beautifully designed lodges surrounded by nature.

“But what makes The Reserve truly unique is its purpose.

“Guests at The Reserve aren’t just going to enjoy a luxury break – they’re going to power our conservation movement for generations to come.”

Stays at the resort are now available to book online / Credit: Chester Zoo

In the off-season, prices for the lodges start from £375, while one-night stays in summer start from £672.50.

And then in peak season, for the more luxurious lodges, prices can go all the way up to £2,486, but it is worth noting, however, that this does include guided safari tours and going behind the scenes with the giraffes.

Read more:

Find out more and book your stay at The Reserve when it finally opens to the public on Monday 18 August on the Chester Zoo website here.

Featured Image – Chester Zoo

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