On the side of the road just off the A59 in the tiny hamlet of Sawley is the remains of an ancient…read morecistercian abbey which was founded in 1147. Today very little of the original structure still stands however it is a place of tranquility and stands on the banks of the river ribble on the edge of the forest of Bowland. This is an area of outstanding beauty in my opinion and not as busy with tourists as the nearby lake district.It is an English Heritage site and entry in free.

I went to Sawley on Sunday on my way home from holiday, as a personal pilgrimage. I was touched by…read morethe story of Sawley in the Tudors and the fact that it was a simple, but important small abbey at the heart of a spiritual, close, country community and I was also moved to see that it still is. The site is lovely and majestic. It was also personally moving as it was the site of trauma and drama during the Pilgrimage of Grace, with the abbey being disolved, then restored and then forced into surrender by a royal army, with its abbot hung, drawn and quartered in Lancaster in 1537. I was struck by the extent of the damage caused by both the destruction in the reformation and also the years since, but I was also struck by the beauty of the remains. The abbey is in a lovely setting and it is quiet, not a lot of people there, but at the same time, there were a few children playing in the grounds from the local houses, giving the abbey an air of life, after it had been taken from it all those centuries ago. I was also shocked that the ruins were so full of mourning for the loss of the prayers and songs of days gone by, but I was equally moved by the calm and simple harmony of the sense of place that remained. Lovely, serene, beautiful, and well worth a visit.

Chorley Borouh council is one of the best councils in te whole of lancashire i find. The outside of…read morethe buiding is very modern with pretty flowers and just a nice feeling to the place. The inside of the building is very clean and tidy. The receptionist's are very friendly. The costomer service advisors are great and wel train within thier job. They will help you with anything. I have found that the waiting time is no longer than fifteen minutes max. Not like other councils that i have been at and had to wait over two hours! If you ever ring up choley council they are very friendly and will answer almost straight away and will help you with your enquiry to the best standards. They also ring you back about a week later to ask you how you found the service last time you rang them up. Excellent service and is the best council around lancashire.

What an amazing and historic landmark! I would recommend anyone tour through the Library. The…read morearchitecture is beautiful and the rare manuscripts and artifacts they house are incredible. They are having a special display of one of Shakespeare's plays, one of the oldest New Testaments, even artifacts from King Nebuchadnezzar's palace. They will all be on display which will be quite amazing to see. This is a must see in Manchester! Truly amazing how it has stood the test of time.

Love spending time in libraries while on holiday (vacation) Stunning late-Victorian neo-Gothic…read morelibrary , John Rylands Library opened at the turn of the 20th century and is a gorgeous remnant of Manchester. Potter-heads would appreciate the look and feel inside the library is inspired the design for Hogwarts. I'm not sure if the Factory Records exhibit is still on display, but I'm a huge fan of Factory Records bands (ie. New Order, Joy Division, Happy Mondays etc.) and bands that came out of Manchester, the Smiths, James, Buzzcocks, The Fall to name few. It was an experience seeing original handwritten lyrics, instruments played, old punk zines, photos and badges on display.

Excellent post office with friendly staff very helpful,and love the added bonus of the miners mug…read morecafe also friendly staff and lovely atmosphere, the cake is amazing as is the coffee they serve delicious snacks and breakfast sandwiches. Just what westerhope needed

It's beautiful in every way. A piece of engineering, a piece of Art and a piece of history. The…read morepaint job is immaculate, no disrepair here at all. I first tied to climb in 1974, made it to the second level and had to be brought down by a school dinner lady. Tried again yesterday 2025, made it to the second level again and was brought down by a kindly Scottish fella. Pablo climbed the spiral all the way to the top. Make sure someone is on the ground to get a picture of you because its one of the best photo ops in IOM. Gifts available at the ticket office. Walk on after to the Mine Exhibit, put on your helmet for a 30 yard walk into the mine, It was very wet inside so be prepared. This is a tourist attraction at its best.

The Great Laxey Wheel is one of the most quirky attractions you can find on the Isle of Man. On the…read moreone hand you are right - it is just a big (very big) water wheel - but honestly, even if you have seen it on pictures before you visit, you are still awed by the sheer sitze of this engineering feat of the Victorian Era. In a time when industrialization shifted from water power to steam power, a small band of engineers in the hills of Laxey resisted the changing times and started to build one of the biggest water wheels that the world had seen - and which is now the highest functioning water wheel in the world. But for what did they build it? The 22m high structure was built to pump water from the mines deep under the Snaefell Mountain and it did it for quite some time until it finally had to succumb to the bigger power - steam, and eventually the end of mining in this place. But the wheel was never dismanteled, and over the last years it was restored to old glory. So what can you see here beside of a f. big water wheel? The whole place is a Manx Heritage Sight and there is a lot information about the Wheel, the History and especially about the life of the Miners in that time. Everything is explained in great detail and especially the part about the miners is very interesting as you get deep insight into the life of miners, how dangerous the work was and what it meant to live without social security. Beside of this you can walk up to the top of the wheel and have splendid views over the surrounding area or you can explore a small mine shaft to get a better feeling what working conditions were like in this place. Yes, it is true that you can see the Wheel also from town without paying a penny for it - but the closer you get, the more impressive it is and with all the additional information and the view from the top it is well worth the money. So if you happen to be on the Isle of Man, you should make Laxey part of your itinary. The Wheel, the Snaefell Mountain Railway, the Electric Railway and an awesome tea shop give Laxey enough attractions to keep you occupied for a whole day!