Celebrities'
perfect days |  | "My
favourite place is the Pierhead, Liverpool."
John Mcardle | The
Liver Building, Liverpool |
The Perfect Day...We
asked some of the North West's best known celebrities about their perfect day
out. Their selection of favourite places reveals the great diversity of
what our region has to offer. From exploring Chester's historic city centre
to a trip to the Pier Head in Liverpool, here's their choices for a perfect trip. Favourite
placesWe asked three of the North West's top personalities to nominate
their favourites... John McArdle - Actor "My
favourite place is the Pierhead, Liverpool. "I used to go there with
my grandad. When I was seven, he told me that across the Mersey was New York." Mark
Radcliffe - TV and Radio Presenter "On
a fine Spring day I don't think you can beat a ramble through the alleyways of
Chester really. "It's such an atmospheric place with its old city
walls, cathedral cloisters and buskers. "There are lots of places
to grab a pint before ambling down to the River Dee and it's really easy to waste
a day without it costing an arm and a leg.  | | Mark
Radcliffe loves The Lakes, Chester and The Drunken Duck! |
"I
love walking and so of course I'm drawn back to the Lake District at regular intervals. "Everyone
knows about the big walks like Helvellyn which, though eminently achievable, are
perhaps a little daunting to the novice. "For a nice, easy walk away
from the crowds go for a pint at The Britannia Inn in Elterwater, not far from
Ambleside, then take the path opposite and follow the river down to the little
waterfall and on to Skelwith Bridge. "A beautiful and not too taxing
stroll that'll take you 45 minutes or so. "Similarly Tarn Hows near
Hawkshead will give you a circuit of that pretty lake in around the same time,
and then you can go for a pint at The Drunken Duck. "Talking of going
for a pint, which I seem to do quite a lot, a couple of good foody pubs in Cheshire
to recommend - The Dysaght Arms in Bunbury (ask for a table in the library), and
The Goshawk at Molesworth, which is also very handy for a ramble through Delamere
Forest." Christopher Bisson - Actor ('East is East', 'Coronation Street')"I
love the fact that because we live in the North West, we don't have to travel
very far to experience the most spectacular countryside in Britain. "Of
course the Lakes are really accessible and the Forest of Boland is even closer
to me. "But the one place I love in our region is Dunham Massey. One
of its attractions for me is that it's perhaps not as well known as other National
Trust properties so is not only on the doorstep but also never over crowded, even
on Bank Holidays. "Dunham Massey is on the edge of Altrincham and has
a really interesting history going back over hundreds of years. "There's
a connection to Lady Jane Grey who eventually lost her head to Henry VIII's axeman
and the Booth family played a significant role in the Royalists' struggle against
Cromwell.  | | Christopher
Bisson enjoys the lure of history at Dunham |
"It's said
there's been a deer park on the land since the 14th Century and the fallow deer
which still roam the grounds today are a delight. "It's also known
that the original moat, which is now the ornamental lake, once surrounded the
old manor house which in turn started life as a Norman motte and bailey castle. "You
can take a guided tour round the house and as well as the Elizabethan water mill,
there's a permanent display about the park's natural history. "But
apart from the heritage, Dunham Massey is a great place to hang out in any season.
"My favourite time is Spring. It's really uplifting to see the newly
born fawns, and stroll through the grounds as all the plants and flowers are blooming
with fresh life. "It's an ideal place to get away from the pace and
pressure of everyday life. You'd never know you were within a few hundred yards
of the M56! "And if you're adventurous enough to walk right to the
boundaries of the land, you can follow the cinder path across the brook and enjoy
a bite to eat and a traditional pint in the Swan with Two Necks pub." Liam
Spencer - Artist "I like Slaidburn in Lancashire - fishing
in the river, good walks and sausage butties from the riverside cafe.
"As
beautiful as the Yorkshire Dales, but no crowds."
| 
听听Inside
Out - North West: Friday March 23, 2007