North of England

The North has many great cities such as Manchester, Newcastle and Liverpool which were originally industrial but have  been transformed in recent decades into some of the UK’s most exciting centres of culture, entertainment, shopping and nightlife. Manchester is now second only to London in terms of cultural importance, with a fantastic arts and music scene which has produced pop bands such as Oasis, Take That and Stone Roses. Liverpool, European Capital of Culture in 2008, has wonderful galleries and cultural venues and is a favourite with the many visitors who wish to explore the birthplace of pop music’s greatest legends, the Beatles.  For those with quieter tastes, there are the ancient cathedral cities of York and Durham to visit, or the elegant walled Roman city of Chester. A top visitor attraction is Hadrian’s Wall, built by the Romans to protect their northern border.

The Lake District in the North West is one of the most famously beautiful regions of Britain, loved for its unique landscape of sparkling lakes, gentle hills and dramatic mountains and for its literary associations with the Romantic poet William Wordsworth and the author Beatrix Potter. This is a great area for walking or other outdoor activities or visitors can just enjoy the scenery and explore enchanting Lake District towns such as Ulverston and Windermere. The Yorkshire Dales and Moors, strongly associated with the writers Charlotte and Emily Bronte, are wild and romantic, and both the East and West coasts of this region offer spectacular scenery and famous resorts such as Scarborough and Whitby.

Finally, Northerners are famous for their spirit and humour, and pride themselves on being friendlier than their Southern counterparts!  And, as an extra bonus, the North is the home of many classic English foods and recipes for visitors to try, such as Lancashire and Cheshire cheese, Cumberland Sausage, Lancashire Hotpot, Kendal Mint Cake, Eccles Cakes and Bakewell Tart.