3 days around Manchester, UK
Jun 8th, 2008, 08:32 AM
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3 days around Manchester, UK
Hello fellow fodorites,
I was recently told I have to go to Manchester on business, and was able to finagle an extra day to sightsee. I'm getting there on 7/4 in the early morning (6:00 AM) and meetings are not till 7/6-7/7.
While I've been to London before, I am not at all familiar with Manchester or the areas around it. I need some help with ideas on what I can do around here in 3 days. I won't be driving, but I'm failry adept at public transpot options. I would love to head to the Lakes district or to Edinburgh but given the duration, not sure if I have time. I'm a history & nature lover. I know this isn't much to go on, but I would appreciate if the more exprienced travelers in this area could make some suggestions.
Thank you in advance for the ideas - I will probably be back with more specific questions
I was recently told I have to go to Manchester on business, and was able to finagle an extra day to sightsee. I'm getting there on 7/4 in the early morning (6:00 AM) and meetings are not till 7/6-7/7.
While I've been to London before, I am not at all familiar with Manchester or the areas around it. I need some help with ideas on what I can do around here in 3 days. I won't be driving, but I'm failry adept at public transpot options. I would love to head to the Lakes district or to Edinburgh but given the duration, not sure if I have time. I'm a history & nature lover. I know this isn't much to go on, but I would appreciate if the more exprienced travelers in this area could make some suggestions.
Thank you in advance for the ideas - I will probably be back with more specific questions
Jun 8th, 2008, 08:57 AM
#2
The Peak District (great scenery, pretty towns, plus several important stately homes in and nearby) and Chester would both be very doable by public transport from Manchester. Or into North Wales for amazing castles and coastal/mountain scenery.
Jun 8th, 2008, 09:53 AM
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Thank you janisj and asalamy for your suggestions. I googled the peak district and it sounds really interesting - gotta read up some more. I hadn't thought of northern Wales before. A quick scan of the posts in this forum and a google search on wales lead to more questions - how easy is it to go from town to town in northern wales? i was considering staying in Conwy for 7/4 and 7/5 nights and visiting the castle at Conwy, and also Caernaforn as well as the area around Llandadno. The main attraction around Blaeneau Ffestiniog seems to be the cog railway- for this limited time, is it worth the trip? any other suggestions for the limited time in wales without a car? can i include a visit to Chester, possibly on 7/6 on the way back to Manchester for that night's stay?
Thank you again.
Thank you again.
Jun 8th, 2008, 10:06 AM
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So here's a rough itinerary that's starting to take shape...
7/4 AM - land at Manchester, head to Cheater for the castle, then continue on to Conwy. spend night in Conwy.
7/5 - Caernaforn (excuse the spelling) and / or other towns
7/6 - Llandudno and Colwyn, head back to Manchester that night.
Suggestions or comments? Doable with public transport?
Thank you!
7/4 AM - land at Manchester, head to Cheater for the castle, then continue on to Conwy. spend night in Conwy.
7/5 - Caernaforn (excuse the spelling) and / or other towns
7/6 - Llandudno and Colwyn, head back to Manchester that night.
Suggestions or comments? Doable with public transport?
Thank you!
Jun 8th, 2008, 11:09 AM
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Yes you can do that-just a few suggestions
1. I think that buses run along the coast from Llandudno- Bangor (and then on to Caernarfon) every hour. They go via Conwy.
2. I take it you're flying transatlantic if you're arriving at 6.ooa.m. so I would miss Chester at this stage and go directly to Conwy. Take a rest and then see Llandudno and (if you must! ) Colwyn Bay later that day. If your flight is on time it will be 7.00 before you leave the airport and at the very least 9.30 before you reach Conwy. Be aware that there are two train routes from the airport-one via Manchester Picadilly and the other via Crewe. I think I'm right in saying that if you buy a ticket in advance it will usually cover you for any route. If you buy at Manchester Airport station just check which route is most convenient for you and say you want to go that way.Trains from Manchester Picadilly generally go every hour during the day but many go to Llandudno. This means you will have to get off at Llandudno Junction(the last stop before Llandudno) and wait for the next train to Conwy-which will probably be the one you would have caught if you had travelled via Crewe! Conwy is the next stop towards Bangor and Holyhead and will not cost you a great deal if you decide to get a taxi at this point. It is about 2 miles .
On the other hand if you go from the airport to Crewe you will get a connection every half hour to Chester and then every other train will go on to Bangor. Not every train passing through Conwy stops there-another good reason to get a taxi from Junction if the train you're on doesn't. If your train does stop at Conwy sometimes they don't use all the doors on the train so listen to the announcement which will tell you to move to particular doors.
3. Take your trip to Caernarfon the next day.You will have more than enough time to see Caernarfon in that day.
4. Take the train back to Manchester the next day stopping off at Chester on the way.As I mentioned above trains go from Chester to Manchester every hour so you can tailor the day to your needs.
There is a city-rail bus from directly outside Chester station which is free if you have a rail ticket to continue your journey. It runs every 10 mins. Even if you want to walk it is a fast 10 mins to the city centre. I LOVE Chester!
.
1. I think that buses run along the coast from Llandudno- Bangor (and then on to Caernarfon) every hour. They go via Conwy.
2. I take it you're flying transatlantic if you're arriving at 6.ooa.m. so I would miss Chester at this stage and go directly to Conwy. Take a rest and then see Llandudno and (if you must! ) Colwyn Bay later that day. If your flight is on time it will be 7.00 before you leave the airport and at the very least 9.30 before you reach Conwy. Be aware that there are two train routes from the airport-one via Manchester Picadilly and the other via Crewe. I think I'm right in saying that if you buy a ticket in advance it will usually cover you for any route. If you buy at Manchester Airport station just check which route is most convenient for you and say you want to go that way.Trains from Manchester Picadilly generally go every hour during the day but many go to Llandudno. This means you will have to get off at Llandudno Junction(the last stop before Llandudno) and wait for the next train to Conwy-which will probably be the one you would have caught if you had travelled via Crewe! Conwy is the next stop towards Bangor and Holyhead and will not cost you a great deal if you decide to get a taxi at this point. It is about 2 miles .
On the other hand if you go from the airport to Crewe you will get a connection every half hour to Chester and then every other train will go on to Bangor. Not every train passing through Conwy stops there-another good reason to get a taxi from Junction if the train you're on doesn't. If your train does stop at Conwy sometimes they don't use all the doors on the train so listen to the announcement which will tell you to move to particular doors.
3. Take your trip to Caernarfon the next day.You will have more than enough time to see Caernarfon in that day.
4. Take the train back to Manchester the next day stopping off at Chester on the way.As I mentioned above trains go from Chester to Manchester every hour so you can tailor the day to your needs.
There is a city-rail bus from directly outside Chester station which is free if you have a rail ticket to continue your journey. It runs every 10 mins. Even if you want to walk it is a fast 10 mins to the city centre. I LOVE Chester!
.
Jun 8th, 2008, 12:10 PM
#8
Frances has given you excellent advice/info re the trains. I definitely agree that going on to Conwy first and then hitting Chester on your way back to Manchester makes the most sense time and logistics-wise.
Jun 8th, 2008, 12:44 PM
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Thank you Francis - I appreciate the suggestions. What is the possibility of there being lockers or other places to leave luggage at Chester? I was planing to bring a rolling carry-on and won't want to lug it all around chester. Do you have other suggestions than Llandudno? I really wanted to make it to the southern part of wales (Cader Idris as I read the Susan Johnson books as a kid) but I don't think 3 days is sufficient.
Jun 8th, 2008, 01:05 PM
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I'm not sure if there are luggage lockers in Chester but I'll find out.
Cader Idris is not in South Wales but just north of the centre. I know that because I come from South Wales and my husband lived in Dolgellau when we got engaged. Dolgellau is the jumping off point for Cader. Someone asked my father (in Welsh) who the "North Walian" was that I had got engaged to!(It's all relative!)
Anyway, Dolgellau is about 1.5 hours south by car from Caernarfon. There is a bus which does this route (the Trawscambria) daily but I don't think its feasible for a day round-trip.I'm also not sure how close you can get to Cader because when I went up it we accessed it from the road to Fairbourne. The bus actually goes right up over the top on the road-but what part would you want to go to?
Cader Idris is not in South Wales but just north of the centre. I know that because I come from South Wales and my husband lived in Dolgellau when we got engaged. Dolgellau is the jumping off point for Cader. Someone asked my father (in Welsh) who the "North Walian" was that I had got engaged to!(It's all relative!)
Anyway, Dolgellau is about 1.5 hours south by car from Caernarfon. There is a bus which does this route (the Trawscambria) daily but I don't think its feasible for a day round-trip.I'm also not sure how close you can get to Cader because when I went up it we accessed it from the road to Fairbourne. The bus actually goes right up over the top on the road-but what part would you want to go to?
Jun 8th, 2008, 01:33 PM
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Frances, I'm not as interested in climbing the mountain as in spending a day or so in the general vicinity. I enjoy nature and spending time in what looks to be beautiful countryside is really appealing. I wouldn't be opposed to spending the night here for one of the nights if that would enable me to take a couple of long walks / hikes. In the US I have spent a lot of time in the national parks and have loved every minute of it. I guess I just don't want to see the castles in Wales but also the countryside Wish I had more time, but I want to make the most of the time i do have. Thanks again for all of your advice.
Wish I had more time, but I want to make the most of the time i do have. Thanks again for all of your advice.
Jun 9th, 2008, 12:10 PM
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Luggage
There are no left luggage facilities in Chester station. Think of these alternatives.Could you take your luggage to your Manchester hotel on your way through the city from the airport? You could then come on to North Wales with just the bare essentials? Alternatively-buy a roll-along which has straps for you to put on your back. Finally it is not a major hardship to take your pull-along around Chester with you.I often cross Chester by foot on my way to work and my pull-along is bigger than handbaggage size and full of papers. The biggest problem I face is in the shops-especially at Christmas- I'm really popular then!
Chester has a fairly complete city wall which you can walk along. I seem to remember that the surface is quite good so wheels wouldn't be a problem. You also have the Rows at Row level(1st floor level) You will have to climb steps up and to come down again but once up you can go quite a distance without having to negotiate steps.
On the question of walking/being in the mountains,I don't think you'll make it to Cader Idris. Its a shame because I would recommend staying in the George 111 Hotel in Penmaenpool right on the river estuary www.georgethethird.co.uk .Lovely food and gorgeous location.You COULD get the Trawscambria from Bangor at 9am on your second morning and you would be in Dolgellau at 11.10. Whereas there are buses to Fairbourne which pass the George (the George is about 5 miles from Dolgellau) I haven't gone that far.This is because you would have to leave next morning for bus to Bangor, train to Chester and this is a Sunday. Rail travel in Britain on a Sunday is not for the faint hearted. There is widespread engineering work which means that sections of the railway are replaced by bus connections. If you are lucky you will get to your destination at much the same time as you would have on the train. If you're not.......
Nevertheless three alternatives
1. From Conwy you can catch a bus west(the bus will be for Bangor) and get off at Aber. You can walk up beyond the falls and back to Conwy across the top of the mountain above Llanfairfechan and Penmaenmawr. This will take 3 hours + but you will generally have marvellous views over Anglesey Puffin Island and out to sea.
2.On the day you go to Caernarfon you can catch the Snowdon Sherpa (Search "Snowdon Sherpa"
which circles from Caernarfon up one side of Snowdon across the back and down the other side. You can get off and on where you like.
3.You can catch the bus from Caernarfon to Llanberis and catch the train up Snowdon. You can then walk down.
4. O.K. I thought of another one. This is a full day. Catch the train from Llandudno Junction to Blaenau Ffestiniog-about an hour. Visit the slate museum. Catch the narrow gauge railway to Porthmadog but get off at Minffordd and visit Potmeirion-Italianate village. Be aware that Portmeirion is about 1.5 miles off the main road. Beautiful walks on the beach after you walk down through the village and if the tide is out you can walk around to Porthmadog. From Porthmadog catch the bus back to caernarfon and change for Conwy or take the bus as far as Bangor and catch the train to Conwy.
5. So I can't count!I know you said you're not a castles man but a gentle day is bus from Caernarfon when you've finished there to Bangor and change for Beaumaris (Arrivabus.co.uk service 57 and 58).Beaumaris has a castle but also a prison museum and a very old courthouse which are all worth a visit. Some Summers a bus is run linking Caernarfon with Beaumaris and also Plas Newydd a stately home on the Menai Straits. At this stage I've been unable to find if its running this summer.
What else can I help you with?
There are no left luggage facilities in Chester station. Think of these alternatives.Could you take your luggage to your Manchester hotel on your way through the city from the airport? You could then come on to North Wales with just the bare essentials? Alternatively-buy a roll-along which has straps for you to put on your back. Finally it is not a major hardship to take your pull-along around Chester with you.I often cross Chester by foot on my way to work and my pull-along is bigger than handbaggage size and full of papers. The biggest problem I face is in the shops-especially at Christmas- I'm really popular then!
Chester has a fairly complete city wall which you can walk along. I seem to remember that the surface is quite good so wheels wouldn't be a problem. You also have the Rows at Row level(1st floor level) You will have to climb steps up and to come down again but once up you can go quite a distance without having to negotiate steps.
On the question of walking/being in the mountains,I don't think you'll make it to Cader Idris. Its a shame because I would recommend staying in the George 111 Hotel in Penmaenpool right on the river estuary www.georgethethird.co.uk .Lovely food and gorgeous location.You COULD get the Trawscambria from Bangor at 9am on your second morning and you would be in Dolgellau at 11.10. Whereas there are buses to Fairbourne which pass the George (the George is about 5 miles from Dolgellau) I haven't gone that far.This is because you would have to leave next morning for bus to Bangor, train to Chester and this is a Sunday. Rail travel in Britain on a Sunday is not for the faint hearted. There is widespread engineering work which means that sections of the railway are replaced by bus connections. If you are lucky you will get to your destination at much the same time as you would have on the train. If you're not.......
Nevertheless three alternatives
1. From Conwy you can catch a bus west(the bus will be for Bangor) and get off at Aber. You can walk up beyond the falls and back to Conwy across the top of the mountain above Llanfairfechan and Penmaenmawr. This will take 3 hours + but you will generally have marvellous views over Anglesey Puffin Island and out to sea.
2.On the day you go to Caernarfon you can catch the Snowdon Sherpa (Search "Snowdon Sherpa"
which circles from Caernarfon up one side of Snowdon across the back and down the other side. You can get off and on where you like.3.You can catch the bus from Caernarfon to Llanberis and catch the train up Snowdon. You can then walk down.
4. O.K. I thought of another one. This is a full day. Catch the train from Llandudno Junction to Blaenau Ffestiniog-about an hour. Visit the slate museum. Catch the narrow gauge railway to Porthmadog but get off at Minffordd and visit Potmeirion-Italianate village. Be aware that Portmeirion is about 1.5 miles off the main road. Beautiful walks on the beach after you walk down through the village and if the tide is out you can walk around to Porthmadog. From Porthmadog catch the bus back to caernarfon and change for Conwy or take the bus as far as Bangor and catch the train to Conwy.
5. So I can't count!I know you said you're not a castles man but a gentle day is bus from Caernarfon when you've finished there to Bangor and change for Beaumaris (Arrivabus.co.uk service 57 and 58).Beaumaris has a castle but also a prison museum and a very old courthouse which are all worth a visit. Some Summers a bus is run linking Caernarfon with Beaumaris and also Plas Newydd a stately home on the Menai Straits. At this stage I've been unable to find if its running this summer.
What else can I help you with?
Jun 14th, 2008, 04:09 PM
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Frances,
thanks for all your suggestions. I didn't have time during the week to look into this any further, but I've been reading up and am getting very excited about the upcoming trip. Would you be ok with emailing you directly about questions?
thanks for all your suggestions. I didn't have time during the week to look into this any further, but I've been reading up and am getting very excited about the upcoming trip. Would you be ok with emailing you directly about questions?
