Lancashire and Liverpool including the Manchester Ship Canal

5 days / 4 nights’ duration 
Return Executive Coach Travel from selected pick up points – on request
4 nights bed & breakfast at a minimum 3* hotel  with ensuite rooms
Dinner included at the hotel on 3 nights and 1 dinner at the Olympus Fish ‘n Chip restaurant in Bolton
Included excursions with entrances as per the sample itinerary + 1 x packed lunch

 

Sample Itinerary

Day 1 – Explore the city centre, following in the footsteps of William Shakespeare.

Day 2 – Port Sunlight Museum & Garden Village where a guided tour of the village and a visit to the museum. Here there are exhibits for all types of visitor, including a special exhibition on Lady Lever, a model of the village and a typical Port Sunlight house plus you will find historical items from the village's past. Meet the village's creator 'Soap King' William Hesketh Lever and discover his vision for the village and its residents. Discover the architects who designed the houses, principal buildings and landscapes, and what influenced them. Experience what it was like to live and work here during the Edwardian and Victorian periods. Encounter characters from the village's past, discover Lever's flair for advertising and understand the terrible loss and sacrifice experienced by the village during the First World War.
A ‘ferry across the Mersey’ to Liverpool City Centre, free time to explore the Albert Docks area which will appeal to anyone who has an interest in maritime, music and architectural heritage, as well as discovering a little more about the Beatles. Liverpool’s historic waterfront has numerous shops, cafés and also famous museums, many of which have free entry! These include the Tate Liverpool, The Museum of Liverpool, The Merseyside Maritime Museum, and the International Slavery Museum. You may also choose to visit The Beatles Story.

Day 3 – 6 hour cruise on the legendary Manchester Ship Canal, departing from Liverpool. This is a truly memorable journey along the 35-mile stretch of canal. It includes a lively commentary giving a revealing insight into the facts, the history and the dramas of one of Britain’s major waterways. The cruise takes in spectacular scenery leaving its passengers with an awe-inspiring sense of how its construction shaped the city of Manchester and the North West of England. A packed lunch is included today for you to take with you on board the cruise which will end around 4pm at Salford Quays. Re-joining the coach return to the Bolton area where a 3 course early Fish ‘n’ Chip dinner is included at the Olympus Restaurant.

Day 4 – Salford Quays, for a tour of MediaCityUK. This venue is one of the most ambitious projects in the BBC's history allowing visitors to peek behind the scenes. It is home to a whole host of BBC channels and programmes, including favourites such as Match of the Day, Blue Peter, A Question of Sport, Mastermind, BBC Breakfast, Radio 5 Live, CBBC, BBC Sport and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, to name just a few. The well-informed and friendly tour guides will entertain and surprise you as you walk in the footsteps of your favourite stars. This tour will give you a fascinating insight into how TV and radio work. You may also choose to have a go at making your own news and weather bulletin. The Quays is also home to the Imperial War Museum North (free entry) where you will have time to discover powerful stories that reveal how war shapes lives, from a soldier’s last letter home to the twisted steel of New York City's World Trade Centre. Housed in Daniel Libeskind’s iconic building representing a globe torn apart by conflict, a visit here is definitely worthwhile.
You will also enjoy a leisurely 1 hour river cruise on the Princess Katherine as you explore  Salford Quays and Manchester Ship Canal which gives an insight into the history of the area and a unique view of Manchester including Media City, Old Trafford and the disused dry docks.

Day 5 – Cheshire to the Anderton Boat Lift. This visit comprises of a trip on the boat lift and also a 40 minute river cruise. The Anderton Boat Lift is an incredible edifice, perched on the banks of the River Weaver like some giant three-storey-high iron spider. It was built by Edwin Clark in 1875 to lift cargo boats 50 feet from the River Weaver to the Trent & Mersey Canal. Like all great things, the concept is simple: two huge water tanks, each with watertight sealable doors carry boats up and down. The original counter-balanced system was replaced in 1908 by electric operation, but the lift now works hydraulically again. No description can adequately convey the sheer scale of this engineering feat. Departing here stop at Trentham Shopping Village. This truly unique shopping experience has a collection of carefully selected shops, offering a range of products to suit your lifestyle.

Simply Groups reserve the right to make minor adjustments to this itinerary due to circumstances beyond our control.