Exploring Greater Manchester with MegaBus

Last month I published my first post all about sites to visit this autumn in and around Greater Manchester with hotels.com and I promised a second post with more recommendations so if you're looking for places to visit in Greater Manchester on a budget, I hope today's post helps. If you are looking for more recommendations then do check out that post and also head over to my women's gift guide if you want to be in with a chance of winning a £60 gift card!

MOSI, Manchester Museum, Police Museum, Pankhurst Centre & Art Gallery

First up, I wanted to mention all of the fantastic free museums and art galleries I've visited in Manchester that I recommend visiting. They're all free but it would be great if you made a donation when you visit. My favourite museum in Manchester used to be the Museum of Science and Industry which is a museum I've been visiting on and off since I was a child and I visited most recently this summer; however it isn't nearly as a good as I remember from my childhood or even from five or so years ago sadly. Although if you have children, it would be a great rainy day museum to visit.

The Manchester Museum is much more up my street and it's owned by the University of Manchester so it's free, filled with so many interesting artefacts and it's the UK's largest university museum so there's lots to see. If you're looking for an insight into local history then you can't go wrong with either the Pankhurst Centre (it's very small and a quick look around) or the Police Museum, although annoyingly the latter is only open one day each week but if it is open then definitely check it out.

Manchester Cathedral

Another free site to visit is Manchester Cathedral which is where a few of my ancestor were married! There is debate about the origins of the original church but the construction of the church on the site it is today began in 1421 in the Neo-gothic style. Although the cathedral was extensively damaged during the Manchester blitz of 1940 which destroyed all of the stained glass, organ, the roof and medieval chapels. However, it is still an utterly beautiful building with archives dating back to the 1400's and 16th century workmanship. The cathedral is situated in the city centre and is close by other sites such as Chethams Library and the main shopping areas so it's within easy walking distance  and worth a visit.

Dunham Massey & Lyme Park

If you have already visited the city centre and it's sights then why not head out of the centre to the beautiful Dunham Massey or Lyme Park, both of which are National Trust sites so if you have a National Trust membership then you're entry and parking are free. They are both located less than an hours drive from Manchester so they are perfect for a day trip outside of the city, particularly at this time of the year when the leaves are turning and there are seasonal events starting.

I recommend all of the National Trust sites I've visited in the North West such as Dunham Massey, Lyme Park, Gawthorpe Hall, Tatton Park, Quarry Bank Mill and Chatsworth, the latter is a little further to travel but it's well worth it. Of the sites that are closer to Manchester, I think Dunham Massey is my favourite as not only is there a historic mansion to explore but the gardens are beautiful and the deer even more so. If you follow me on Instagram (@ofbeautyand), you'll have seen me exploring Manchester recently and I visit Dunham Massey fairly regularly too.

Dovestones & Hollingworth Lake 

If you want to go for an autumnal walk around Greater Manchester this month then I highly recommend visiting either Hollingworth lake (which would be great for children) or Dovestones (which is a little more challenging, busy and can be more than a bit muddy). Hollingworth Lake is about an hour from the city centre but it's perfect for a break from the city with beautiful views over the lake and areas of children to play.

Dovestones is my favourite of the two as I love the views all around Dovestones and as you can see from the photo above, it's even more stunning during the autumn months. Both are free to visit, although you do have to pay for parking and the car park at Dovestones is tiny so visit during the week, if you can, to avoid queues and crowds.

MegaBus

Today's post is in collaboration with MegaBus which have just launched six new coaches on their London to Aberdeen route with stops including Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Dundee. The coaches all have wireless charging and tables (available on seats at the front of the coach), a new interior design and 24 reservable seats.

I haven't tried MegaBus before but I've always been tempted, especially this summer as the prices are significantly cheaper than trains which are becoming even more expensive or the cost of driving, petrol and parking. I would love to visit Oxford, York, Stirling and Aberdeen, all of which are available on Megabus routes at fantastic prices!

Have you travelled via MegaBus? Have you visited any of the sites in Greater Manchester that I've recommended? 

*Gifted