Activities in Stockport

When the dashing Mr Darcy met Miss Bennet in the BBC’s Pride and Prejudice, he was stood in the picturesque lake of Lyme Park, one of Stockport’s – and Cheshire’s – greatest sightseeing spots. The grand hall and park in Disley is open to the public, and is one of the best Regency-era attractions there is to see. Visit this 14-acre estate, around six miles from our Stockport South hotel, to see stunning preserved interiors, elegant gardens and scenic walking trails where red deer roam freely.  

Discover Stockport’s hat making heritage at Hat Works, an award-winning museum housed in a renovated Victorian mill on Wellington Road South. Opened in 2000, it is home to 20 restored machines and has a fantastic collection of hats, as well as information about the designers and machine workers who helped to make Stockport a beacon of the hat making industry.

If your historical interest resides more in military history, then Stockport has plenty to offer you. First up is Avro Heritage Museum, a former airfield turned aviation museum in Woodford. Here you can discover some legendary planes that spearheaded Britain’s war efforts from the sky, such as Vulcans, Canberra's and a Lancaster Bomber.

If you would prefer to learn about how the citizens of Stockport lived through wartime, then Stockport Air Raid Shelters will be right up your street. Running for a mile beneath Stockport town centre, these underground shelters give you a true insight into life in the town during wartime ‘blackout’.

Sightseeing is thirsty work. Luckily, you can combine heritage and culture with a beer at Robinsons Brewery on Lower Hillgate. A tour around Robinsons’ facilities will teach you all about one of the biggest names in British brewing, and show you how their products are made – you may even get a cheeky sample! If that’s not enough, then maybe the opportunity to meet the three shire horses that live at the brewery, and the onsite pub, will tempt you.

If you fancy taking in some of the finest Cheshire countryside, then there a couple of places in Stockport that you won’t want to miss. The first of which is Reddish Vale Country Park. Here you will find 161 hectares of unspoilt scenery featuring walking trails, rare flowers and wildlife, plus, waterfalls of the river Tame.

Alternatively, you can explore the 16 canal locks at Marple Locks. With a delightful walking trail along the canal, complete with pubs, picnic spots and passing boats, this is a great place to spend a few peaceful hours.