Sometimes our perceived ideas can be wildly wrong. On a trip to Cheshire and Lancashire, travelling on the motorway from Manchester Airport to the heartland of England's north-west, I had expected to see abandoned mills and factories. Instead I was visually indulged by quaint villages surrounded by farmland, which in some ways resembled more the Dutch countryside than that of industrial Northern England.
As we moved on into Lancashire, the redbrick gave way to stone cottages, stone walls and country house estates, and the guide to our small contingent of Irish journalists told us how Queen Elizabeth likes to amble down through this countryside when she is in the area. Collecting tithes may seem anachronistic in these democratic times, but tied estates are not a thing of the past in this part of the world, and neither is wholehearted respect for one's superiors - royalty and aristocracy alike. Hmmm, not sure I'll fit in here. Back in Chester.
Yes, the black and white Tudor-style facades on the commercial buildings in the city centre are pretty, and yes, it is a nice diversion to be able to walk along covered walkways at first floor level (unique to Chester, these shops, taverns and galleries on two levels are known as The Rows). And, certainly, the walk along the Roman walls of Chester is an absolute must - taking between 60 to 90 minutes, depending on your pace. But, really, that's about it for Chester. No alternative culture (head back to Manchester for that), no zany stores (the fact that almost all of the British multiples are now in Dublin means their Chester stocks hold no interest to this writer), no buskers playing on the pedestrianised streets (I concede that they are perhaps out of season at this time of the year).
To put it mildly, Chester is pretty but sedate. It's an ideal place to bring your mother, assuming of course that your mother likes to drink tea in quaint tea shops (check out Katy's tearooms for this), buy knickknacks and antiques (with up to 10 dealers selling their wares, Chester has a reputation for antiques) clothes or whatever else takes her fancy. This can be done without the hustle and bustle of a bigger city, and whilst enjoying the echoing lilts of the costumed town crier, one of the few left in Britain, as he wanders merrily through the streets. The recently restored Norman Cathedral and the Roman Gardens (complete with a costumed Roman centurion as your guide) may also be worth a visit. And it has to be admitted that Cheshire Oaks, the designer outlet village near Chester is also attracting visitors from this side of the Irish sea. For those interested in historic detail, take note that Chester first came into being when the Roman army built its fortress, called Deva. Later, it became the most important port in the North of England - with active trade routes to Dublin - until the river Dee silted up, and the traffic moved to Liverpool in the 16th and 17th centuries (boat trips along the river are part of the summer attractions). Chester was also badly damaged in the English Civil War in the 1640s. This resulted in many of the Tudor buildings being replaced by Victorian reproductions. The Industrial Revolution brought the Shropshire Union Canal, railway lines and large scale manufacturing to the area.
Now, if you have an exploring nature, Lancashire is more likely to leave you with more to talk about. Gaining greater exposure in recent times through the British Tourism Authority regional promotions, it has the advantage of being uncrowded, unspoilt by and unweary of tourists. Therefore, you are more likely to be charmed by its provincialism than be given the cold shoulder by a tourist saturated local.
The small villages of the Ribble Valley are well worth visiting. Such places as Slaidbourn, Downham (do have lunch at the Assheton Arms, it's genuine good country fare), Chipping and Clitheroe (The Platform Gallery in the railway station is a good source for gifts, and there are lots of independent stores of interest) are charming. Some of the surrounding countryside used to form part of Yorkshire, so similarities to James Herriot territory are starkly obvious. Also, Hetty Wainthropp fans will recognise much of the scenery. An extensive programme of cycling, fell walking, horse-riding and bird-watching holidays have recently been developed in an area known as the Forest of Bowland (With little woodland in sight, we are promptly informed that technically, the official definition of a forest is a Royal Hunting Ground). Pendle Hill is one of the local challenges for walkers who are avoiding the now crowded routes in the Lake and Peak districts. Finally, if you are staying in the Cheshire/ Lancashire area for a few days, places worthy of a visit include Tatton Hall which, aside from the rich interior of the mansion itself, has beautifully restored stableyards, craft and home produce shops and 1,000 acres of parkland open to visitors. Tatton also hosts a very popular outdoor classical concert every summer - this year on August 1st - and Little Moreton Hall (one of the oldest surviving timber framed Elizabethan houses left). And Northcote Manor (Langho, Blackburn) provided the tastiest, most elegantly presented dinners I had on my entire trip. Meanwhile, those keen to see how the unpasteurised hard cheeses of Cheshire, Leicester and Derby are made and matured should call by at the Cheshire Cheese Experience where all will be revealed. EU directives, the locals believe, may soon threaten the very existence of many of these cheeses.