Castlefield in Manchester is a great starting point for waterside walks in Manchester. It’s across the road from Manchester Science and Industry Museum, an exciting place to visit even before you start walking! Follow the Bridgewater Canal south west as far as Old Trafford (where a stadium tour is available), and then walk across to the Manchester Ship Canal. On the Trafford side there is the Imperial War Museum, or cross the footbridge to visit the Lowry Gallery and theatre complex (and outlet shopping mall). If you don’t want to walk back, you can always take the tram. In the other direction from Castlefield, follow the Rochdale Canal to walk under central Manchester’s busiest streets whilst watching barges negotiate locks. There is plenty of choice for refreshment with the bars and restaurants at Deansgate Locks and along Canal Street. At Piccadilly Basin you can either return to Castlefield by walking through the city centre, visiting museums, art galleries (or shops) along the way – or continue walking along the towpaths of either the Rochdale Canal or the Manchester and Ashton Under Lyne Canal. The latter leads to Manchester’s other football stadium.

www.penninewaterways.co.uk/manchester/castlefield.htm
www.visitmanchester.com

Museum of Science and Industry:
www.mosi.org.uk
Liverpool Road, Castlefield, Manchester, M3 4FP
+44(0)161 832 2244
Google map: bit.ly/qiM1Hu

The Lowry
www.thelowry.com
The Lowry, Pier 8, Salford Quays, M50 3AZ
+44(0)843 208 6000
Google map: bit.ly/oTOCEe

Imperial War Museum North
north.iwm.org.uk
The Quays, Trafford Wharf Road, Manchester M17 1TZ
+ 44 (0) 161 836 4000
Google map: bit.ly/pDppEq

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Once a cotton spinning mill in Salford, now a product of gentrified Greater Manchester among a run down high street, it would be almost too easy for this gig venue, bar, art space and recording studio to attract the most pretentious 'scenester kids' that Manchester has to offer. Yet somehow the crowds are always friendly and welcoming and never without a healthy amount of grizzled music journalists in their midst, all just eager to hear the best gigs being performed in their city. Putting on acts from Beach House to Lightning Bolt to The Ex, music fans will find themselves walking the long walk from Manchester city centre back to this venue time and time again.

James Street, Salford, Manchester M3 5HW
www.islingtonmill.com/
+44(0)7947 649 896
Google map: bit.ly/a5E01m

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Challenge your world weary kids with the sly, funny and Surreal performances of The Whalley Range All Stars. You’ll need to be on the move around the UK to catch them, as they don’t work from a permanent theatre. Watch out for them at festivals, in foyers, libraries, theatre rooftops, the street, anywhere really.

In ‘Bedcases’ get into bed with four strangers and pull the duvet up under your chins to watch a Magritte inspired, gentle, snoozy dream. One actor, five audience members and three flying ducks. Suckle up to a lactating, pink sow the size of an elephant and enter her body to experience a short theatre piece. Or Pop your head into a box to see ‘Headcase’ a theatre where there’s room for you only. You can’t get any more intimate than this.

But the Allstars don’t always work to such a small scale, their lastest show, ‘Brainwave’ is designed for audiences of two or three hundred with gigantic puppets, animators and a stage within a giant head within a garden shed. The summer seems to be their busy time so keep your eyes peeled and check their website for future sightings.

The Whalley Range All Stars.
Venues vary check the website
www.wras.org.uk

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The Gallery provides a large collection of great permanent and special event art exhibitions which would interest all ages.

All sorts of works from all periods of art history, including paintings and sculptures. The building itself is architecturally very interesting with its new all-glass section connecting two parts of the main buildings. Other galleries in the area worth noting are the Whitworth (on Wilmslow road across the road from the hospitals) and the Lowry centre (in Salford Quays).

www.manchestergalleries.org
Mosley Street, not far from the Central Library and the Town Hall.

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Manchester Central Library is not only architecturally impressive with its neoclassical style (shaped like a pantheon), it also houses a huge collection of publications on various media.

The shape of the building is circular so, when you are on one of the upper floors and you walk along, before you know it, you find yourself where you started without realising you're going round in a circle.

The building also houses the Library Theatre which regularly hosts high profile productions.

St Peter Square (tram stops there too) next to the town hall. www.manchester.gov.uk/libraries/central/index.htm

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World class orchestras, giving live performances all year round at the Bridgwater Hall. As well as giving fantastic symphonic performances, the programs often include concertos with famous soloists from all over the world. Recently we saw Sabine Meyer performing the Mozart Clarinet Concerto with the BBC Philharmonic at the Bridgwater Hall and it was a fantastic performance. I think it was also broadcast live on BBC Radio 3.

Bridgewater Hall Box Office www.bridgewater-hall.co.uk/ also www.halle.co.uk and www.bbc.co.uk/orchestras/philharmonic/

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Manchester’s concert venue; home to the Hallé, BBC Philharmonic and Manchester Camerata; stopping-off point for touring classical, jazz, world and folk stuff. Don’t believe all that hype about Birmingham’s Symphony Hall; this is the best music space in Britain. Up the road is Manchester Art Gallery, with a room packed with Pre-Raphaelites.

The Bridgewater Hall; Tel: 0161 950 0000; www.bridgewater-hall.co.uk

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Manchester's biggest surprise: the interior of the Royal Exchange Theatre in St Ann’s Square. Don’t look it up or read about it. Just go.

St Ann's Square; Tel: 0161 833 9833; www.royalexchange.co.uk

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