North West England

United_Kingdom

Heartland of the Industrial Revolution and home to some of the country's most beautiful landscapes, North West England is a diverse region to the north of the West Midlands and west of Yorkshire and North East England. It also shares smaller boundaries with North Wales, the East Midlands and South West Scotland. The south of the region is largely urban and home to the dynamic cities of Liverpool and Manchester. To the north is some of England's best countryside in the Lake District and Lancashire Pennines.

North West England has many major towns and cities. For others, see county listing.

  • Blackpool. - The gold standard for the Great British seaside resort is famous for its iconic Tower and Ballroom, promenade tramway and the Pleasure Beach theme park. On cold winter evenings, there's the added bonus of the Blackpool Illuminations.
  • Carlisle. - A true frontier town, Carlisle's castle once guarded the Scottish border. Today, the city is an excellent base for exploring both the English and Scottish countrysides.
  • Chester. - England's border with Wales is a much prettier affair, with medieval timber-framed townhouses on a scale rarely seen. Outside the city proper, Chester's zoo is reportedly one of the best in Europe.
  • Lancaster. - Lancashire's county town is small but perfectly formed, boasting a wonderfully preserved castle, an impressive town hall and far-reaching views across Morecambe Bay to the Lake District
  • Liverpool. - One of the world's great seaports is now a fast-changing twenty-first century city, with a gorgeous UNESCO-approved historic waterfront and dynamic architecture. Come for The Beatles, stay for Liverpool's impressive cultural offerings and warmly welcoming inhabitants.
  • Manchester. - If "Cottonopolis" was a grim place of dark satanic mills, modern Manchester is a match of science and the arts made in heaven. World-leading universities, the best museums, galleries and nightlife outside of London, a network of canals and wharfs to get lost in and an exciting hub of alternative lifestyles.
  • Preston. - A city that retains a traditional Lancastrian vibe, and hosts a collection of unusual museums, including the Grade 1-listed Harris Museum.
  • Salford. - Barely outside central Manchester, Salford is nonetheless an independent city in its own right. While a pilgrimage to Old Trafford is a must for footie fans, you should also head to The Quays for imposing modern architecture, the Imperial War Museum North and a fine collection of L.S. Lowry's "matchstick men" paintings.

Blackpool. - The gold standard for the Great British seaside resort is famous for its iconic Tower and Ballroom, promenade tramway and the Pleasure Beach theme park. On cold winter evenings, there's the added bonus of the Blackpool Illuminations.

Carlisle. - A true frontier town, Carlisle's castle once guarded the Scottish border. Today, the city is an excellent base for exploring both the English and Scottish countrysides.

Chester. - England's border with Wales is a much prettier affair, with medieval timber-framed townhouses on a scale rarely seen. Outside the city proper, Chester's zoo is reportedly one of the best in Europe.

Lancaster. - Lancashire's county town is small but perfectly formed, boasting a wonderfully preserved castle, an impressive town hall and far-reaching views across Morecambe Bay to the Lake District

Liverpool. - One of the world's great seaports is now a fast-changing twenty-first century city, with a gorgeous UNESCO-approved historic waterfront and dynamic architecture. Come for The Beatles, stay for Liverpool's impressive cultural offerings and warmly welcoming inhabitants.

Manchester. - If "Cottonopolis" was a grim place of dark satanic mills, modern Manchester is a match of science and the arts made in heaven. World-leading universities, the best museums, galleries and nightlife outside of London, a network of canals and wharfs to get lost in and an exciting hub of alternative lifestyles.

Preston. - A city that retains a traditional Lancastrian vibe, and hosts a collection of unusual museums, including the Grade 1-listed Harris Museum.

Salford. - Barely outside central Manchester, Salford is nonetheless an independent city in its own right. While a pilgrimage to Old Trafford is a must for footie fans, you should also head to [[Manchester/The Quays|The Quays]] for imposing modern architecture, the Imperial War Museum North and a fine collection of L.S. Lowry's "matchstick men" paintings.

Lake District National Park. - a remote and beautiful mountainous area situated in the heart of [[Cumbria]].

Arnside and Silverdale. - Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

The North West is an area of varied landscapes ranging from beaches to lakes and forests to cities. It consists of the counties of Lancashire, Cumbria and Cheshire as well as the conurbations of Greater Manchester and Merseyside. The area consisting of Manchester, Liverpool and Warrington is primarily urban. Lancashire and Cumbria are primarily rural with a few large town and cities, and Cheshire is mainly flat agricultural land.

The North West shows a wide diversity in people and language: the most common accents and dialects in the region are Scouse (from Liverpool), Lancastrian, Mancunian (also known as Manc) and the Cumberland dialect (Cumbria). There is also North West English, which is a combination of the above mainly spoken outside the accent areas. Most visitors will be hard-pressed to notice significant differences between the dialects but there are many to the trained ear. The people are generally friendly and do welcome tourists.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, the main industry in the North West was textiles, and there is still evidence of this (especially in South Lancashire), but today the textile industry has all but disappeared from the region, giving way for the chemical industry (especially in Cheshire and Merseyside), and defence (especially around Barrow-in-Furness). Many big national and international retailers are headquartered in the region.

The region's weather is mild and wet, with frequent heavy outbreaks of rain. Nearer the west coast, the wind is stronger and can be very bitter. Temperatures on some summer days can reach the mid 20s in degrees Celsius. The best advice is to wear layers (it's very rare to see a North Westerner without a jacket on).

The North West is home to wide varied range of foods. If in or near the Lake District try Cumberland Sausage, Cumberland being a former county which is now part of Cumbria. These peppery sausages are very long and are usually presented in a coil shape. Herdwick lamb from the Cumbrian fells is also particularly tasty. When in Lancashire, try the eponymous Hot Pot, which is a dish of meat, often lamb or pork served with sliced onions and potatoes and other vegetables similar to Scouse from Liverpool.

The North West is also home to Lancashire and Cheshire Cheese, both have a crumbly feel and mild flavour both of which can hold their own against so-called 'superior' cheeses.

The coastal regions are a source of great fish and cockles and mussels which can be easily bought from a local chippy or at source in the fishing ports of Morecambe and Heysham. If however you prefer something more filling then there is always the classic fish and chips available in all towns in the North West, which can be eaten with curry sauce, mushy peas or gravy.

Dessert and confectionery includes Blackpool rock, Kendal mint cake, Eccles cakes from Manchester, or Chorley cakes. Of particular note is the Cartmel brand of sticky toffee pudding which can be purchased in the Lake District - this is an absolutely delicious must for pudding lovers!

Douglas, Isle of Man.

Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Dublin, Ireland.