manchester Archives - SmartSplit.co.uk https://SmartSplit.co.uk/tag/manchester/ Buy Cheap Train Tickets Wed, 11 Sep 2024 10:14:06 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.1 https://SmartSplit.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/294748859_423505363129012_7461189509751287711_n-150x150.png manchester Archives - SmartSplit.co.uk https://SmartSplit.co.uk/tag/manchester/ 32 32 What are the cheapest railway station pints? https://SmartSplit.co.uk/destinations/station-pubs/what-are-the-cheapest-railway-station-pints/ https://SmartSplit.co.uk/destinations/station-pubs/what-are-the-cheapest-railway-station-pints/#comments Tue, 04 Jul 2023 14:12:39 +0000 https://SmartSplit.co.uk/?p=3043 There’s no doubt that just like everything else, the price of a pint is steadily on the rise. No matter whether you’re in the north or the south, everyone is feeling the pinch. So, here at SmartSplit, we set out on a mission to find the best-value railway station pints that you can grab up… Continue reading What are the cheapest railway station pints?

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There’s no doubt that just like everything else, the price of a pint is steadily on the rise. No matter whether you’re in the north or the south, everyone is feeling the pinch. So, here at SmartSplit, we set out on a mission to find the best-value railway station pints that you can grab up and down the country. It’s also a great chance to showcase the best of British pubs and breweries.

How we found the best value railway station pints

Well, we had to do our research! We worked together to compile a list of all of the station pubs that we knew about. We’re based in different parts of the country, so everyone could chip in and add some local knowledge to the mix. Then, we reached out to them for their help.

Of course, we had to do some in-person research as well. We’ve had the pleasure of going into a wide selection of these pubs and sampling some railway station pints for ourselves.

We found some great beers, superb pubs and brilliant community spirit along the way. All that’s left to do is to show you what we found!

What was the cheapest of the railway station pints?

That honour goes to Aberystwyth. If Ruddle’s Best is your thing, you can get a pint of it on the station for just £1.71. Whether or not you’re a fan, that’s undeniably brilliant value in 2023.

We’ve put all of this information into an easy-to-read map. So the next time that you’re wondering if there’s railway station pints to be had nearby, you’ll know what awaits you, and how much it might cost:

 

You can download and view the entire map here. We’ve included dedicated maps for London and Greater Manchester, as they’re just so full to the brim with places to enjoy a drink before your train.

What were the pubs like?

We can’t deny that we came across some real gems when we were checking out the prices of railway station pints. A station pub isn’t just a place to drink, but it’s somewhere that locals cross paths with travellers from across the country (and even the globe), and it serves as a meeting place for the community, too.

Track & Sleeper on Knaresborough station is a fairly ‘young’ station pub. The brewery behind it, the Gorilla Brewing Co, was only founded in 2019! Yet, it’s already a firm favourite with the community and with rail travellers alike:

knaresborough railway station pub

 

It serves a variety of its own beers, as well as other guest beers on tap and cask. If beer isn’t your thing, there’s plenty of gin on offer.

Meanwhile, in Newcastle, you’ll find the Centurion. It has a selection of local cask beers as well as your usual lagers on tap, but the main thing that sets it apart is, well, the pub itself. It was the former First Class lounge back in the day, and nothing beats sitting back in surroundings like this:

newcastle railway station pub

 

Is there anything else I should know?

We hope that you’ve found our map of the best value railway station pints useful. All that’s left for you to do is to hop on a train and pay some of the pubs a visit! Looking for more about pubs? You can take a look at our favourite pubs in Yorkshire and the East Midlands, the North East and even a quick round-up of the cheapest pints. We’ve also taken a trip to find some of the best beer in East London.

It’s just as well that we specialise in great-value rail tickets, as well as beer. You can get all of your train tickets with SmartSplit. We’ll be sure to show you the slower and cheaper options, so you can get the best value fare for your journey.

Changed your mind? Need to travel on a different day? No problem at all. You can change or refund your ticket (if it’s refundable) without any extra fees.

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What’s the best train from Leeds to Manchester? https://SmartSplit.co.uk/journey-comparisons/whats-the-best-train-from-leeds-to-manchester/ https://SmartSplit.co.uk/journey-comparisons/whats-the-best-train-from-leeds-to-manchester/#respond Fri, 23 Jun 2023 13:14:49 +0000 https://SmartSplit.co.uk/?p=2942 Leeds to Manchester is one of the busiest railway routes in the North of England. You have a choice of two routes, too. So, is it better to take TransPennine Express straight through Huddersfield into Manchester, or is taking the slower Northern train through the Calder Valley a better idea? Let’s compare the two trains,… Continue reading What’s the best train from Leeds to Manchester?

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Leeds to Manchester is one of the busiest railway routes in the North of England. You have a choice of two routes, too. So, is it better to take TransPennine Express straight through Huddersfield into Manchester, or is taking the slower Northern train through the Calder Valley a better idea? Let’s compare the two trains, and work out the best train from Leeds to Manchester.

How do we work out the best train from Leeds to Manchester?

There are a few factors that we need to look at when we’re deciding on the best train from Leeds to Manchester:

  • The cost – is it good value for money?
  • Speed – will it get us there quickly?
  • Comfort – what are the trains like?
  • Reliability – will the train actually turn up?

We have two operators to choose from: TransPennine Express and Northern. TransPennine Express are usually the most popular option. After all, their trains tend to be faster. Meanwhile, Northern are the ‘cheap’ option. Let’s see what both companies are like.

TransPennine Express

On a typical weekday, when there aren’t any engineering works, you’ll usually find three trains per hour between Leeds and Manchester:

  • One per hour goes to Manchester Victoria, stopping at Dewsbury, Huddersfield and Stalybridge
  • One per hour goes to Manchester Piccadilly, stopping at all stations to Huddersfield, then non-stop to Manchester
  • One per hour serves Manchester Victoria, Manchester Oxford Road and Manchester Piccadilly, stopping at Dewsbury and Huddersfield.

The fastest trains take around 50 minutes to reach Manchester Victoria, while the peak trains to Manchester take up to 70 minutes. More services run during peak hours. 

The cost

Let’s take a look at how much you can typically expect to pay for a one-way journey a week in advance. For this, we’ll look at the cost of trains to Manchester Piccadilly:

tpe trains from leeds to manchester on SmartSplit site

 

So, you can expect to pay between 16 and 18 pounds. That’s a little steep, but these are fairly popular trains. A day return (valid after 09:29 weekdays) is £27.20, while one that’s valid at any time (and to return within a month) is £41.00.

The trains

Two different types of train run on the route from Leeds to Manchester. The first one is the Class 185:

class 185 train

These trains have three carriages and will often run in a six-car formation. You can expect to see them on the Hull to Manchester and Saltburn to Manchester Airport routes.

On the Newcastle to Liverpool services, you’ll find the Nova 1:

nova 1 train

They’re relatively new trains and have five carriages. Certainly, they’re very modern-looking and pretty striking and are probably the best train from Leeds to Manchester if you’re basing it on looks.

The seat experience

On the Class 185, you’ll find a fair few seats around tables, and the seat comfort is fairly good:

interior of a class 185 train

 

You’ll find a power socket at every window, including a USB port. All of the seats are in a 2+2 layout, while it’s a 2+1 layout in First.

The Nova 1 interior is a little more densely packed, but Standard Class seats are still in a 2+2 formation:

interior of a tpe train from leeds to manchester

 

Under each pair of seats, you’ll find two power sockets and a USB port. In First Class, all of the seats are in a 2+1 formation.

Storing your luggage

As you can see in the photos above, both types of train have reasonably-sized overhead luggage racks. You’ll easily store a cabin-sized bag in them. As for larger cases, each carriage on the Class 185 has at least one bigger rack, while there’s at least two per carriage in the Nova 1.

Put simply, it shouldn’t be a problem! TransPennine Express is probably the best train from Leeds to Manchester if you have a lot of luggage.

Upgrading to First Class

If you upgrade to First Class on TransPennine Express, you’ll get a bigger seat that reclines. On most trains, you’ll also get complimentary catering on part of the trip. You can take a look at the First Class menu here.

Here’s what the Class 185 trains look like in First Class:

first class on a class 185 train

 

In terms of power outlets, provision is pretty much the same as in Standard Class. You’ll still want a window seat if you need a power socket on the Class 185 trains.

Northern

Next, let’s take a look at Northern. You’ll usually find three trains per hour on a weekday between Leeds and Manchester Victoria:

  • Two per hour stopping at Bramley, New Pudsey, Bradford Interchange, Low Moor (one per hour), Halifax, Sowerby Bridge (one per hour), Mytholmroyd (one per hour) Hebden Bridge, Todmorden and Rochdale
  • One per hour stopping at Morley, Batley, Dewsbury, Mirfield, Brighouse, Sowerby Bridge, Mytholmroyd, Hebden Bridge, Todmorden, Walsden, Littleborough, Smithy Bridge and Rochdale.

On Sundays, there are two trains per hour, and they both go via Bradford Interchange.

The fastest trains take around 75 minutes, while the slowest train via Dewsbury and Brighouse takes around 90.

The cost

This is what sets the Northern service apart and what arguably makes it the best train from Leeds to Manchester. It’s actually quite cheap! Let’s take a look at one-way fares a week in advance to Manchester Victoria:

fares on the SmartSplit website for northern leeds to manchester trains

 

A single fare of £6.80 is less than half the cost of the TransPennine Express fare.

The trains

The fastest Northern services on this route are operated by Class 195 trains. They have either two or three carriages, but can run in formations of up to six carriages:

northern train from leeds to manchester

 

They’re relatively new trains, though they’re very much designed for commuters and they’re fairly ‘lightweight’, so expect a couple of bumps in the track along the way.

The seat experience

All of the seats on these trains are in a 2+2 formation. They’re pretty thin and firm, but this means that legroom in the ‘airline’ style seats is fairly generous:

interior of a northern train from leeds to manchester

 

There are quite a few tables as well, and every pair of seats has access to a power socket under the seat. They’re not quite as luxurious as TransPennine Express trains, but they’re fine for a journey of an hour and a half.

Storing your luggage

The overhead racks on these trains are reasonable and will store a cabin-sized bag. You won’t find any bigger luggage stacks, but there are areas with tip-up seats and the areas around the doors have a fair amount of space.

That said, we wouldn’t recommend travelling on these trains with everything but the kitchen sink. They’re commuter trains, after all.

Upgrading to First Class

You won’t find First Class on any Northern service. You’ll need to travel with TransPennine Express if you want a little more luxury!

Verdict: What’s the best train from Leeds to Manchester?

All things considered, the best train from Leeds to Manchester at the moment has to be Northern on the basis that it’s a lot more predictable! It’s cheaper, too. Unless you want to go First Class or you have a lot of luggage, it’s simply the smarter option.

There are a couple of things that you can do to make your journey even smarter:

  • At busier times, such as in the rush hour, aim for the trains that start at Manchester Victoria if you’re travelling east. They leave at around 57 minutes past the hour (54 on Sundays) and have around 20 minutes turnaround time in Manchester. This gives you a good chance to turn up and get a seat
  • The trains via Bradford will swap direction there, so you’ll need to switch seats if you don’t want to travel backwards. Alternatively, take the train that goes via Brighouse and Dewsbury
  • All trains start and terminate at Leeds. Just make sure you get there around 10 minutes before departure to guarantee a seat on busier trains

Is there anything else I should know?

The final thing we’d recommend is using the SmartSplit website to book your next journey. We’re completely independent, so we’re happy to ‘tell you like it is’ when it comes to rail fares. Not only that, but we’ll show you the slower, but cheaper options that some websites won’t.

Don’t forget that we don’t charge any fees, either. That includes if you change your mind and want to travel on a different day. If your ticket is refundable, we’ll refund it fee-free, too!

All fares stated on this page are for ONE adult with no Railcard discount and were correct at 15:00 11/09/24. Advance fares quoted are from March 2023. Timetable info is correct to December 2024. They’re subject to change at any time and SmartSplit are not responsible for any loss or disappointment incurred as a result of the information provided.

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Avanti Standard Premium vs First Class https://SmartSplit.co.uk/using-the-train/first-class/avanti-standard-premium-vs-first-class/ https://SmartSplit.co.uk/using-the-train/first-class/avanti-standard-premium-vs-first-class/#comments Fri, 16 Jun 2023 15:03:42 +0000 https://SmartSplit.co.uk/?p=2861 Avanti West Coast is fairly unique in that it offers three classes of travel. You can take their trains in Standard Class, Standard Premium or First Class. The premise was that Standard Premium would be the place to travel if you wanted a bigger seat but none of the fuss of the at-seat service. Now… Continue reading Avanti Standard Premium vs First Class

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Avanti West Coast is fairly unique in that it offers three classes of travel. You can take their trains in Standard Class, Standard Premium or First Class. The premise was that Standard Premium would be the place to travel if you wanted a bigger seat but none of the fuss of the at-seat service. Now that it’s all had a chance to bed in, I decided to compare Avanti Standard Premium vs First Class. More importantly, is First Class actually worth it anymore?

What is Standard Premium?

If you’re not used to travelling on Avanti, you might be wondering what this third class of travel is all about. In a nutshell, it’s a First Class carriage with no at-seat service. You get the bigger seat, a quieter carriage and that’s it.

All of the photos you see today are of First Class, but the seats and environment themselves are exactly the same in Standard Premium. The only difference is a headrest that says ‘Standard Premium’ instead.

The upgrade cost starts at £10 and goes up to £30 depending on the length of the journey. You can pay the upgrade fee on the train, or you can also buy Advance tickets that skip this step and allow you to pay for everything at once.

What’s the difference between Avanti Standard Premium vs First Class?

In a nutshell, Standard Premium is the same environment, you get the bigger seat, a guaranteed table and better access to a power outlet.

First Class gives you at-seat service. During the week, that means a chef-prepared hot meal on some journeys, as well as other hot and cold options. You get lounge access, too.

The First Class lounges come with complimentary refreshments, such as snacks and hot drinks.

Avanti Standard Premium vs First Class pricing

This is the big stickler when it comes to comparing Standard Premium vs First Class, and had me questioning whether the extra upgrade to First was worth it anymore. Put simply, it can be a little bit extra to take Standard Premium compared to Standard, then a massive jump to upgrade to First Class. Let’s take a look at a couple of journeys a month in advance:

standard premium vs first class fares on SmartSplit for a glasgow to london journey

 

So here, we want to travel from Glasgow to London. It’s £55 for Standard Class, £74 for Standard Premium and £125 for First Class. Standard Premium, at minimum, seems like a bit of a no-brainer for a long trip. First Class is definitely a bit steeper.

Let’s try London to Manchester:

standard premium vs first class fares on SmartSplit for a london to manchester journey

 

So, it’s £44 to travel in Standard Class, £69 in Standard Premium and £120 in First Class. Again, there’s a fair difference there. So, when it comes to Standard Premium vs First Class, there’s definitely a steep price difference. The question is: what do you get for your money if you pay the extra?

It’s worth mentioning that you can only get Standard Premium on Pendolino trains. The limited number of Super Voyager trains only have First Class and Standard Class. These trains usually run between North Wales, Chester and Crewe or London Euston, as well as on the Shrewsbury to London route. It’s easy to tell which is which – as you won’t get offered a Standard Premium ticket for a Super Voyager!

The First Class service

I set out on June 15th, 2023, to find this out. I’d booked a ticket on the 09:10 train from Carlisle to Crewe, which took roughly two hours. This seemed like a decent length of journey to allow me to judge what kind of service you’d get in First Class.

The train rolled in a couple of minutes late, and I was already keen to jump on. The weather was hotting up and I was looking forward to a blast of air conditioning!

Getting on board

I boarded the train in Coach J and found a table for two fairly easily. It seemed to be around a third full, and I found there to be very few people sat in Coach K, as well. I had a refurbished 11-car Pendolino train, which had been given new seating throughout First, Standard Premium and Standard Class:

avanti refurbished first class

 

The seats were comfortable (though the same as you’d get in Standard Premium) and had a reasonable recline. The tables had an ample choice of power sockets to choose from, too:

avanti refurbished first class power sockets

 

My only complaint about the table is the massive wedge where it curves up. This can make working at a laptop a bit tricky if you have a larger device as it takes up a fair bit of room. Thankfully my work laptop wasn’t too big, so I had no problems.

Okay, so we’ve covered the seat experience (which you’d get in either class), so let’s get onto the First Class exclusives.

Food and drinks service

The big differentiator for Avanti Standard Premium vs First Class is the on-board service. As you can imagine, I was thrilled when a friendly crew member came through straight away taking breakfast orders. We hadn’t even left the station yet! The selection on offer was great (menu here) and I went for the Great British Breakfast. You also had the choice of white or brown toast to go with it.

Five minutes after leaving Carlisle, a drinks trolley came around offering hot and cold drinks (alcohol is available later in the day, though not at 9am) and I had myself an orange juice. It came in a proper glass, too.

The brekkie verdict

It took around 25 to 30 minutes for my food to arrive. I didn’t see that as a bad thing, as it meant that it hadn’t just been chucked in the microwave. Equally, it does mean that you can’t jump on for a 15-minute journey and hope to fill your boots. The portion size of the food was pretty decent:

avanti first class breakfast, showing toast, sausage, scrambled egg, bacon, mushroom and black pudding

 

The dish came with two rashers of bacon, one sausage, scrambled egg, a giant mushroom, a slice of black pudding and two slices of toast with butter. You also had the option of a roasted tomato, but I skipped out on that as I’m not a fan. It wasn’t a gut-busting mega-brekkie that you’d get down at your local greasy spoon, but it didn’t seem too skimpy. You get a choice of sauces too, and my brown sauce came in a nice ceramic dipping pot.

The sausage was delicious, as well the bacon. They were both ‘meaty’ and were of an excellent quality. The black pudding was great too, and it’s not something I usually opt for. The mushroom was tasty but a nightmare to cut into, and it let out a fair amount of liquid on the plate. The least impressive item was the scrambled egg. The texture was off, though the flavour was fine.

You can’t go wrong with toast and butter. Even the butter was delicious and easy to spread. Overall, it was a solid 8/10. As of the 19th of June, a new menu is coming in which replaces the scrambled egg with a fresh fried egg, too. A massive improvement, I reckon.

Final thoughts

After leaving Preston, I had another orange juice. That was it for the service, though. It was friendly, professional and well-focused. Quality over quantity, shall we say. Everyone around me was pleased with the food on offer, too. I heard a couple of ‘delicious’ comments about the smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, so that seemed to be a hit. The only person not impressed was the overly-loud bloke in a suit who aggressively batted away any offers of food and drink. He could have saved his money and gone for Standard Premium!

Standard Premium looked to be fairly busy when I popped my head in. The advent of Standard Premium Advance tickets has definitely bumped up occupancy levels, as it used to be pretty normal to get a carriage to yourself when it was a case of being ‘in the know’ and upgrading on the day.

I stepped off at Crewe into glorious sunshine, and was pretty impressed by the service I’d received:

avanti class 390 with standard premium and first class options

 

Of course, that isn’t all. First Class entitles you to visit lounges that are located at most major stations on the Avanti network. So, that was my next stop.

Lounge Access

The lounge at Crewe is up on the footbridge towards the exit, just above Platform 5. You press the intercom, show your ticket to the camera, and you’re in.

You’ll find lounges at Crewe, Manchester Piccadilly, Liverpool Lime Street, Birmingham New Street, Birmingham International and London Euston. There is also one at Glasgow Central, but information on the Avanti website suggests that this one is closed at the time of writing.

As for Crewe’s lounge, it was pretty pleasant. It had a nice atmosphere and plenty of different kinds of seating areas to use:

avanti first class lounge at crewe

 

As for food and drink, the drinks selection was everything you’d expect. You had teas, a coffee machine and a fridge with water, fizzy drinks and even kombucha.

The food offering was decent, too. I could see muesli bars, banana bread, porridge pots (and honey), muffins, fresh fruit and pouches of olives:

avanti first class lounge refreshments, showing cakes, olives, porridge, fruit and baked goods

 

There is a dedicated menu for the lounges which you can view online. The lounge at London Euston has a different menu with more substantial items available, as well as a paid-for bar! I went for a piece of banana bread in the end, and it was delicious.

I was once again, impressed. There was a clear differentiation appearing in the Standard Premium vs First Class experience, rather than just ‘you get food’.

Taking a shorter trip: Standard Premium vs First Class

Finally, I wanted to see how Avanti Standard Premium vs First Class faired on a short journey. After all, it isn’t uncommon to completely miss out on any service if your journey is too short. That might be because the staff are packing away, or they just haven’t seen you.

So, I was going to go from Crewe up to Liverpool Lime Street, which was just short of 40 minutes. The bizarre thing about this journey is that a one-way Standard Class fare is £16.60 if you’re travelling before 9am on weekdays, but just 30p more at £16.90 if you travel in First! The Off-Peak fare is still £13.80, but the difference isn’t huge. If it’s a return trip though, it’s a much bigger difference, as the return fare is £33.90 in First Class. In fact, two First Class singles are 10p cheaper than the return.

The Standard Premium upgrade price is £10 on this journey. Put simply, that isn’t worth it on top of the Standard Class fare!

So, what did I get? First of all, this was a nine-car train that hadn’t been refurbished yet, so it was a little different inside:

unrefurbished avanti first class carriage

 

The lamps on the tables were a bit irritating and each window seat had just one three-pin socket (that I couldn’t get to work).

As for the service, a friendly host (also called Richard) popped down straight away and asked if I wanted anything to drink. I took him up on the offer of a coffee, which was really well-presented:

coffee served in avanti first class

 

The crew, to their credit, stayed present in the carriages right up until arriving into Liverpool. My overall impression of Avanti’s staff was that they were passionate about what they did – and I did drop their social media team a message of thanks.

Avanti Standard Premium vs First Class – weekdays vs weekends

This is where things get a bit more complicated. You see, on weekdays, here’s how the formation of the train works:

  • Nine-car train: Coach H is Standard Premium, J and K are First
  • 11-car unrefurbished train: Coaches G and H are Standard Premium, J and K are First
  • 11-car refurbished train: Coach H is Standard Premium, J and K are First.

On the refurbished trains, Coach G is converted to Standard Class to add in some extra capacity, which is where that carriage ‘disappears’ to.

So, what happens on weekends? Only Coach K is First Class. Coach K is part-kitchen, so it has a very limited number of seats. Just 18, in fact. Coach J becomes Standard Premium, alongside Coach H (and G on unrefurbished trains!)

First Class becomes very busy and the menu is different, too. It isn’t as substantial, basically. Meanwhile, you’ve loads of room to try Standard Premium. My advice is that you should choose Standard Premium on a weekend if you want an upgrade. First Class just isn’t big enough.

Standard Premium vs First Class – Is First Class worth it?

This is the million-dollar question. When it comes to Avanti Standard Premium vs First Class, is First Class worth it at all? My answer is: it can be.

If you’re travelling between stations with lounges and need somewhere quiet to work before the train for example, it’s great. You have access to refreshments (or even a bar), and it’s a world away from a busy platform.

Travelling on a weekday? Great. You have a decent number of First Class seats on every train and a substantial menu of food and drink. You’ll get a chef-prepared hot meal if you want one. The staff on board the trains are truly excellent and I can’t fault them. Their service was passionate, but sincere, and it wasn’t over-the-top or tacky.

You even have the weird fare anomalies (like a one-way trip from Crewe to Liverpool in the morning peak) where the fare is essentially the same between Standard and First.

So, when isn’t it worth it? I’d say definitely don’t bother on a weekend. Just plonk yourself in Standard Premium. I’d also say it isn’t worth it if you won’t make full use of what’s available to you. If you’re not bothered about lounge access and food and drink, just stick to Standard Premium. If you want a proper ‘experience’, then by all means try out First if the price is right. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer.

Is there anything else I should know?

Looking to know more about First Class? Take a look at our dedicated page for First Class train travel. We’re here to help with upgrading on board, tips to help you get a cheaper fare and even how to travel in First Class for free. We’ve also compared Avanti West Coast and LNER.

So, are you ready to take a trip? SmartSplit doesn’t believe in adding any fees on. No booking fees, no admin fees and no fees for all of the useful information and insider tips that we have about travelling by train!

Changed your mind? No problem. If your ticket is refundable and you haven’t used it, you get the entire value of your ticket back. If it isn’t refundable, you can change it without any extra charges. Just buy another one, send us the details of both bookings and we’ll refund the cheaper ticket. No questions, no quibbles.

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Green Spaces near Stations: Our Top 5 https://SmartSplit.co.uk/destinations/top-5-green-spaces-north-england-scotland/ https://SmartSplit.co.uk/destinations/top-5-green-spaces-north-england-scotland/#respond Mon, 20 Feb 2023 15:36:29 +0000 https://SmartSplit.co.uk/?p=1907 Whether you’re visiting somewhere for the day or just passing through, you can’t beat somewhere peaceful to sit and take it all in. Maybe the kids are dying to let off some steam, or you’d just like some fresh air. Here at SmartSplit, as we’ve travelled across the North of England and Scotland, we’ve found… Continue reading Green Spaces near Stations: Our Top 5

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Whether you’re visiting somewhere for the day or just passing through, you can’t beat somewhere peaceful to sit and take it all in. Maybe the kids are dying to let off some steam, or you’d just like some fresh air. Here at SmartSplit, as we’ve travelled across the North of England and Scotland, we’ve found some of our favourite green spaces. The best part is that they’re all within 15 minutes walk of a station!

Calton Hill, Edinburgh

If you’re not quite up for the slightly brutal hike up Arthur’s Seat, but still want some breathtaking views of Edinburgh and beyond, then Calton Hill is probably for you. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to a number of different historical monuments.

We’ll be honest, there’s still some legwork involved! After all, it does still have ‘hill’ in the name. But, if you exit Edinburgh Waverley onto Princes Street and turn left, a short five-minute walk will bring you to the bottom of the steps. A short workout up some steps and a bank later, and this will be your reward:

green space - edinburgh calton hill

You can see right across the city and towards the Forth River, with a plethora of green spaces to kick back and relax in. If you’re looking for something more exciting, it also hosts the Beltane Fire Festival every April!

Linlithgow Park & Peel (Palace), Linlithgow

This is one of those green spaces where you truly feel like you’ve got away from it all. Despite backing onto the town of Linlithgow itself, there’s quite a ‘wild’ and isolated atmosphere. Perfect for some peace and quiet!

You have several options here. If you just want to sit back and take it in, there’s plenty of places to sit near the palace:

green spaces - linlithgow park

For the more adventurous, you can walk around the whole of Linlithgow Loch (pictured above). That said, it’s a pretty level and short walk (around an hour), so it’s perfect on a nice day with the kids or to walk the dog.

Of course, we can’t ignore the imposing and rather beautiful Linlithgow Palace:

This palace once served as a royal nursery for James V, Mary Queen of Scots and Princess Elizabeth (later Elizabeth I). As of June 10th 2023, it’s open to the public again, too.

The current building was planned and built starting in 1424, but was largely abandoned when James VI became James I of England and moved the royal court to London in 1603. Despite efforts to rebuild the collapsed Northern Quarter of the palace in 1620, a fire in 1746 spelled the end of Linlithgow Palace as a royal residence.

As green spaces go, the area around Linlithgow Palace certainly has it all. If you’re coming from Edinburgh, you can get there by train in as little as 17 minutes.

Museum Gardens, York

Situated near the banks of the River Ouse, the Museum Gardens are just a short walk from the station. The main attraction (as the name suggests!) is the Yorkshire Museum, which tells the story of York and beyond from as far back as the Roman era.

If you want somewhere to wander or just relax though, then you’re still spoilt for choice. It can be quite the oasis of calm compared to the bustling nature of York itself. It’s the ideal place to start or finish a riverside walk, too.

As well as the green spaces, you’ll find a number of historical buildings to explore. One of these is the ruins of St Mary’s Abbey, which date from between 1271 and 1294:

green spaces - york museum gardens

The park is open between 9am and 6pm all year. You can find out more about its history on the Yorkshire Museums Trust website.

Valley Gardens, Harrogate

This is one of the green spaces that forms part of Harrogate’s rich history as a spa town. Valley Gardens have more mineral springs in them than any other known place, with there being 36 wells alone in an area of the gardens known as ‘Bogs Field’. The gardens are English Heritage Grade II listed, too.

green spaces - harrogate valley gardens

In the winter months, you can expect plenty of places to walk and explore. The gardens also give way to the Pinewood Woodlands, so you can extend your adventure even further.

The gardens truly come to life in the warmer months, though. There’s a number of cafes selling light refreshments, as well as outdoor activities to keep everyone of all ages amused. You can choose from mini golf, a paddling pool, tennis courts and more.

If you’re looking for somewhere a little more sheltered, why not relax in the pavillions?

On Summer Sundays, you’ll even find outdoor concerts taking place.

Vimto Park & Sackville Gardens, Manchester

Finally, how about two green spaces for the price of one? The first one, Vimto Park, may be one that you’ve seen from the train. Who could miss the giant Vimto bottle looking up at us from the street below? The drink was born in Manchester in 1908, so this seems like a pretty fitting way to pay homage to it:

green spaces - manchester vimto park

It’s located on the Science Campus of the University of Manchester, around a five-minute walk from Piccadilly Station. To get to it, you’re best using the Fairfield Street exit (follow signs for the Metrolink and the taxi rank). While it’s only a small space, it’s a little oasis of calm in the city centre. It’s perfect for watching the trains go by, as well!

A short walk away down Sackville Street, you’ll also find Sackville Gardens. The land was originally purchased by the Manchester Corporation in 1882 so there’d be an interrupted view of the Manchester School of Technology (now the Sackville Street Building).

Nowadays, it’s a great place to relax and reflect, as it’s home to various LGBT+ memorials. One of these is the Alan Turing memorial:

Sackville Gardens is also around five minutes from Piccadilly Station and it backs onto the popular Canal Street.

No matter which of these green spaces you might choose to visit, you can book your rail tickets with SmartSplit. We don’t charge any fees if you want to change your plans, either.

The post Green Spaces near Stations: Our Top 5 appeared first on SmartSplit.co.uk.

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