Cheshire is a historic and scenic county in North West England offering walkable historic centres, Roman and medieval heritage, extensive canals, and good rail and public transport connections for tourists.
17 Oct–1 Nov
Explore an outdoor art installation of ten decorated doorways across the Lyme landscape, with QR codes revealing local folklore, historic customs and ghost stories. The route begins at the historic Chapel and continues through the estate grounds.
Lyme Park is a large estate in Cheshire managed by the National Trust, featuring the largest house in Cheshire with Elizabethan and Palladian-Baroque architecture, extensive formal gardens and deer park, and historical indoor exhibits including the Lyme Caxton Missal. It also serves as a filming location and offers food facilities on site.
10 Oct–12 Nov (next week)
Stranger Folk is an outdoor interactive adventure at Speke Hall, played using a free app and inspired by British folklore. Families with children aged 7–12 can explore a story featuring goblins, boggarts and other strange creatures.
Speke Hall is a Grade I listed Tudor manor house in Liverpool, renowned for its historic timber-framed architecture, ancient yew trees, and scenic views over the Mersey estuary. Owned by the National Trust, it offers visitors both indoor exploration of historic rooms and outdoor gardens with walking paths.
12 Oct–7 Nov (next week)
Explore an exhibition about five tree species at Lyme Park and their fungal associates, then follow a self-guided trail around the Top Lawn. On 17, 24 and 31 October, the exhibition curator will be available to answer questions and discuss the research.
7 Oct–1 Nov (another 23 days)
A photographic exhibition exploring the botanical paper collages of eighteenth-century artist Mary Delany, displayed in the Dunham Massey Orangery.
7 Oct–1 Nov (another 23 days)
Children can follow a journey through Dunham Massey’s historic house with Speechly the Pineapple, spotting suitcases and collecting stamps in a Pineapple Passport. The indoor trail also includes a Book Nook exploring themes of travel and journeys.
Dunham Massey Hall is a Grade I listed English country house in Greater Manchester featuring historic formal gardens, a deer park, and a notable collection of Huguenot silver. The venue includes indoor experiences such as house tours and art collections, as well as outdoor experiences in its extensive gardens and deer park. It also commemorates its history as a World War I military hospital with immersive recreations. Visitors can enjoy food on-site and there are facilities and activities suitable for children.
17 Oct (next Saturday)
A performance of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Jekyll and Hyde, presented by Don’t Go Into the Cellar. Attendees can have tea or coffee and a sweet treat before watching the show in Speke Hall’s Great Hall.
20 Forthlin Road is the childhood home of Paul McCartney in Liverpool, preserved by the National Trust as the birthplace of the Beatles. Visitors can explore the historic house where early Beatles songs were composed and rehearsed.
17 Oct (next Saturday)
A hands-on smartphone photography workshop led by photographer Jane Burkinshaw. Participants learn about phone camera features, lighting and image composition, with classroom instruction and time outdoors taking photographs around Tatton Park.
7 Oct–1 Nov (another 23 days)
sanctum is a deep-listening experience in Dunham Massey’s chapel, using sound and light on water to create a space for quiet reflection.
9 Mar–1 Nov (another 23 days)
Visitors can explore Dunham Massey House, including its library, study, bedrooms and servants’ quarters, and discover the collection and the lives of people who lived and worked there.
Tatton Park in Cheshire is a historic estate featuring a Medieval Old Hall, Neo-Classical Mansion, extensive gardens, a rare-breed farm, and a large deer park. It offers diverse experiences including indoor mansion tours, outdoor parkland exploration, and family-friendly activities like an adventure playground and farm visits.
7–11 Oct, 14–18 Oct…
Visitors can use a free spotter guide to explore the wall paintings and protective marks at Little Moreton Hall, learning about Tudor interior design and how conservators care for historic paintings.
Little Moreton Hall is a historic 16th-century half-timbered moated manor house near Congleton, Cheshire. It features well-preserved Tudor architecture, extensive gardens, and a famous Long Gallery. Visitors can explore the restored house interiors, enjoy the gardens, and dine in the on-site restaurant, making it a comprehensive historic and outdoor experience.
7 Oct–1 Nov (another 23 days)
Quarry Bank Scarecrow Festival features an outdoor scarecrow trail and seasonal activities, alongside indoor crafts, storytelling, an autumn-themed play area, a tour of the Apprentice House and an interactive game inspired by British folklore.
18 Oct (next Sunday)
A wedding show at Tatton Park where couples can meet wedding suppliers and find exclusive offers and goodies.
Quarry Bank Mill in Cheshire is a well-preserved historic textile mill from the Industrial Revolution, featuring working waterwheel machinery, factory and worker village tours, and exhibits on industrial heritage and child apprentices. It is operated as a museum by National Trust.
12 Oct–1 Nov (next week)
Follow a detective trail through Lyme House to find bugs and beasties, learn how insects affect the historic collections, and investigate damaged objects in the Long Gallery.
7–11 Oct, 14–18 Oct…
Visitors can borrow a Nature Pack and use it to explore wildlife and the garden, including looking for creepy crawlies, listening to woodland birds and making a den. The packs are aimed particularly at children aged three and over, though adults can join in too.
7 Oct–1 Nov, 4–8 Nov…
Explore Quarry Bank using the HistoryScapes app, which brings the history of the historic landscape to life through an outdoor trail. The pilot project aims to help visitors discover more about the site’s history.
Alderley Edge offers an outdoor experience with dramatic scenery including a red sandstone escarpment, scenic countryside walks, and historical sites such as a Bronze Age burial mound. Visitors can explore wildlife-rich woodlands and enjoy a locally-run tea room on site. The venue is dog friendly and offers activities suitable for children.
12 Oct–8 Nov (next week)
Visitors follow an outdoor trail around the grounds of Speke Hall, completing five activities to discover a magic word and reunite the Sorceress of Speke with her lost animal familiars.
251 Menlove Avenue, known as Mendips, is the childhood home of John Lennon in Liverpool, preserved by the National Trust and restored to its 1950s state. Visitors can explore the historic house famously associated with the Beatles legend.
17–18 Oct (next weekend)
Visitors can meet the farmyard animals at Tatton Park Farm and pick their own pumpkins from the pumpkin field. Pumpkins are available in a range of colours and sizes.
Tatton Park is a historic estate in Cheshire featuring a neoclassical mansion, extensive formal and natural gardens, a large deer park, and a working farm showcasing rare breeds. Visitors can enjoy indoor tours of the mansion, outdoor exploration of gardens and parkland, and family-friendly activities including a children's playground and various events throughout the year.
10 Oct, 17 Oct…
A volunteer-led talk in the Chinese Garden explores its history, design, different elements and sources of inspiration.
Biddulph Old Hall is a historic Elizabethan mansion and medieval hunting lodge with guided tours covering its rich history, gardens, ruins, and former uses as an artist's home and Buddhist retreat. Visitors can explore both the house interior and extensive grounds, enjoying seasonal gardens and refreshments.
Biddulph is a picturesque market town in Staffordshire Moorlands known for its historic sites including Mow Cop Castle, Biddulph Grange gardens, and scenic valley setting between Mow Cop and Biddulph Moor.
17 Oct, 21 Nov
A guided forest-bathing experience at Alderley Edge, introducing the mindful Japanese practice of Shinrin-Yoku through a gentle walk and nature-based activities. Participants are guided to slow down, engage their senses and take away practices for continuing their connection with nature.
7 Oct–1 Nov (another 23 days)
Visitors can use the Stranger Folk app to take part in an outdoor interactive adventure inspired by British folklore, featuring goblins and other creatures. The app is designed for children aged 7–12.
17 Oct (next Saturday)
A guided tour of Tatton’s fifteenth-century Old Hall explores the building and its history across five centuries, including its atmosphere and ghost stories.
Quarry Bank is a historic 18th-century cotton mill estate in Cheshire featuring working industrial machinery, restored gardens, and a complete industrial community including the mill owner's house and workers' village. Visitors can explore indoor exhibits and historic buildings, extensive outdoor gardens and woodland, as well as enjoy family-friendly facilities and dog-friendly outdoor areas.
7–11 Oct, 14–18 Oct…
A free spotter activity at Little Moreton Hall invites visitors to look for the wolf on the Moreton family crest and find wolves hidden around the hall and courtyard.
Rode Hall & Gardens offers a historic landscape designed by Humphry Repton featuring formal gardens, woodland walks, a rock garden, and unique plant collections including snowdrops and bluebells, alongside a kitchen garden supplying produce to onsite tearooms and markets.
17 Oct–1 Nov
Follow family-friendly trails through Erddig’s historic house and garden to discover Welsh folklore and seasonal traditions. Seasonal crafts and marshmallow toasting are also offered during the event.
Erddig is a historic country house and estate in Wrexham, Wales, featuring a unique collection of servant memorabilia, 18th-century furniture, and extensive formal gardens. Visitors can explore both the house interiors and the landscaped outdoor parklands including remnants of Norman and medieval earthworks. The estate provides a distinctive insight into the life of an 18th-century Welsh country squire and his household, with on-site amenities including a café and activities suitable for children.
17 Oct–1 Nov
Follow a map around the garden to find eight pumpkins and complete spooky challenges with the Halloween Friends before the Great Pumpkin Parade.
Biddulph Grange Garden is a Victorian formal garden featuring themed garden rooms with international plants, a geological gallery, and distinctive areas like the Chinese Garden and Egyptian Court, offering an adventurous outdoor experience for all ages.
7–11 Oct, 14–18 Oct…
An exhibition exploring Samuel Egerton’s journey from Cheshire to Venice and his connection to Canaletto. Visitors can see rare paintings, letters and artefacts, digital installations, and Tatton Park’s Canaletto masterpieces.
Tatton Park in Cheshire is a vast historic estate featuring an opulently decorated 18th-century mansion, extensive landscaped gardens including Japanese and Italian styles, a working rare breed farm, and 1,000 acres of deer park with wildlife and trails. Visitors can enjoy dining, shopping, and a variety of family-friendly outdoor and indoor activities.