Ah, the Atkinson. Again, just another Southport landmark full of childhood memories for myself…read more Yep, my father used to bring me here regularly to ensure I had a lovely cultural upbringing, and it's a marvellous gallery housed in a terrific building right in the centre of the seaside town itself, opposite Lord Street and the band stand. Admission is free but donations are encouraged as every gift helps, no matter how small. And once you've walked around this spectacular yet strangely humble gallery you'd have to have a heart of ice not to want to give a little something. It has a varied and rather extensive collection, ranging from LS Lowry to John Piper, John Collier to Ernest Normand and many more. The Friends of the Atkinson Gallery are an organisation which helps to drum up even more interest for the gallery. It's currently closed for refurbishments but plans to reopen bigger and better than ever as part of a Southport cultural overhaul, so get involved as it's bound to increase in popularity after its makeover. Southport might not quite rival Brighton yet in the seaside artsy stakes, but it's getting there, and with the help of the Atkinson it'll get there a lot faster!

This is now an entertainment/cultural centre, with the art gallery, an auditorium, civic hall and…read morebotanic museum all within the grade 2 listed building. The entrance/foyer is welcoming and strikingly clean - statuary and paintings being the first things I saw. The bookings and information desks are unobtrusive, yet easy to find as the signage throughout is very clear. There are interesting display cases throughout. Up the impressive staircase are the toilets, the superb but expensive bar and the entrances to the auditorium. As I was there for a music concert, this is the area I saw best. A superb setting for Fairport Convention as they attract a fair number of fans, yet like to connect with their audience as intimately as possible. The seating was comfortable and gave us all a good view of the band. The sound was just superb.

On my to do list of must sees in liverpool was the Three Graces - The fundamental international…read moresymbol for Liverpool, is the Royal Liver Building, as well as The Cunard and the Port of Liverpool buildings. They are all side by side located on The Pier head in Liverpool. Stunning architecture, all majestic in their own right.

This is the first building you see when your ship arrives at the cruise port. One of the famous…read moreThree Graces it stands out more than the other two. On top of the two towers of the building are statues of Liver Birds which are said to be good luck to sailors and the city. probably one of the most iconic buildings in Liverpool. It is a must see when you visit.

I do enjoy visiting national properties, I guess that's why I have got membership with them. But, I…read morehave suddenly become aware that the properties aren't actually open very early in the morning and when it gets to the winter months, the houses get shut up and you won't get chance to go back in until around March time the next year. Hmm I am not moaning, just a bit surprised and disappointed, I want to be able to make more of my membership. Anyhow, as I was making my way around them all, I came across Rufford Old Hall, and I am glad that I did. It is a tudor building and where William Shakespeare performed once in his younger days - check out the Great Hall there. The house and gardens are stunning and the collection of furniture, ornaments etc are truely spectular.

I visited Rufford on the recomendation of a friend and was not dissapointed…read more At £6.20 per adult to view the house and gardens it may not appeal to all, but if you like to see a bit of living history I'd say it is was well worth it. The hall houses some stunning examples of 17th centry architecuture and artifacts and there was much more to see in the house than I had expected looking at it from the outside. The National Trust staff and volunteers were friendly, helpful and infectiously enthusiastic. The entry price included the option to attend a few different short talks about the history of the house which were pitched just right, not too long and covering the main points of interest. The gardens are compact but make for some enjoyable meandering and afternoon tea in the tea shop was a lovely way to end the visit. Despite being very busy the service was friendly and fast. I would definitly recommend this as a day out.

15 miles north of Liverpool, 2 miles west of Formby is the sandy coastline set between the sea and…read moreFormby town offers miles of walks through the pine woods, asparagus fields, large areas of beaches and dunes. It takes about 20 to 30 minutes to walk through the trees over the dunes and onto a massive beach if the tide is out. Make sure you remember where you came onto the beach or you might struggle to find where you left your car. We had not planned on such a long walk! It was just awesome, the day was sunny and there were pools of water along the beach where the sea had once been. The beach just goes on and on. I was trying to get closer to the ship that was in the horizon, but I never did catch up with it.

Towering 160m above both what was once the old-money village of Alderly Edge (now a mecca for…read morePremiership footballers and Wags) and the Cheshire Plain in general, the edge has some of the best views of anywhere in the area thanks to the dramatic edge - a steep cliff-like drop. The edge has historic associations with, somewhat incongruously, mining and wizardry, but these days it's a great place to go for a walk with either the kids, the dog, visitors or even a solitary stroll. There are car parks at both the foot of the edge and the top (the latter is the main one) giving the option of a quick trip to the edge itself and back or a longer, more demanding up-and-down walk.

Review 500! Wowzers…read more I'm chuffed that it's this local landmark, as we walked up to Peel Monument on what was probably the loveliest, sunniest first day of Spring that I can remember. Occupying a prominent position on Holcome Hill, you can see the monument from miles around and it serves as a beacon for walkers or those of us that just enjoying getting up to it "because it's there". It's a memorial to Sir Robert Peel, born in Bury, who twice served as Prime Minister and is regarded as the father of the modern British police. On a clear day, which we were lucky coincided with our visit, you can look out across the Greater Manchester landscape to the towns, villages and moorlands beyond. Sit down on the grass and take it all in. There are public footpaths leading up to it from Ramsbottom; we didn't need a map as you could see it above you most of the time. Alternatively, there are lanes you can park on further up the hill as it's a bit of a climb, but definitely worth visiting.

Capernwray Hall, stately home and residence of the Founder…read moreof Toarch Bearer Community, Major Ian Thomas. After World War II where he served as an army officer in Germany with the British Army of The Rhine, he dedicated his life and his fortune, mainly his residence and whole property, the Lord Lieutenant of the county of Lancaster home Capernwray Hall, to serve as the central unit to all his enormous religious activities, founding lots of bible school places and establishing regional and local sections of his Toarch Bearer Fellowship all over the world. Here it all began, in 1946, when he set out to buy the castle and to converte it into what it is now, the heart of his sacred movement.

Old school pier with all the Shove a Penny machines your heart could desire. a short walk out…read morealong the pier outside and you can see the vastness of the sands and the occasional family making the pilgrimage to the find the sea, its sooo far out. St Annes is old school and we like it.

The pier is old fashioned and could do with an update. Compared to the piers in Blackpool, this is…read morea small pier with not much entertainment. Most of the machines have been there for years. However, there are rides for toddlers, slot machines, arcade machines, bumper style cars and a small bowling alley at the back of the pier. From my experience, the staff are not very friendly but would be worth a visit if you have small children as there are plently of cheap toddler rides. The surfside entertainment centre is 5 minutes walk away which would be a better place to visit.

Strangely, William McKenzies Tomb can represent everything you wish to find about Liverpool. It is…read morean eccentric and flamboyantly designed tomb going against the grain of convention that holds a macabre presence on Rodney Street with many great stories surrounding it. Now surrounded by weeds and construction sights it does not have the dignified surroundings that it deserves but through local interest and the love of a good yarn it has begun to once again attract interest largely due to the larger than life character that inhabits it. Shabby and rough around the edges, you can't help but stop and look when walking past and find yourself being drawn in by its odd charm.

This is a great little spot to visit if you're passing through Liverpool as a tourist or traveller…read more The story behind this pyramid type tomb is that of William McKenzie. Over a hundred years ago, McKenzie was a wealthy business man who resided in Liverpool and was well known for treating his staff terribly and gambling compulsively. Legend has it that McKenzie played poker down to his last penny with a hooded character one night, deciding at that point, to gamble his soul. He then turned cards and had lost his soul to his mysterious opponent. Due to this he requested that upon his death, he be entombed above ground, his corpse sitting at a card table, a winning hand of poker in his hand! He believed that being buried this way would save his soul from being stolen for eternity. That's how he sits within the pyramid tomb on Rodney Street, and his ghost is said to stalk the streets late at night!