North to North-west (and back)
Head north of London where driving along country roads is a breeze and there are charming villages and pubs to pique your interest.
“I HAVEN’T BEEN EVERYWHERE, BUT it’s on my list,” said the late American writer-philosopher Susan Sontag. It’s a pithy quote that seems strangely appropriate now because borders around the world have reopened, and everyone is (literally) going everywhere.
So, you’re raring to hit the road again. What better way to mark a return to life in the (mostly) post-pandemic world than to head somewhere slightly off the beaten track?
In keeping with the not unreasonable theory that leisure travel helps to lift the spirits, even a short road trip can be a wonderful tonic. Consider then, a few days traversing the country roads of North-west England. It’s a destination that doesn’t immediately spring to mind, but that’s part of the appeal.
Anyone who’s been there knows that driving in Central London is the opposite of fun. The average speed around town is 30 km per hour, traffic inches along on busy streets and finding a decent parking space is nothing short of a miracle.
Jane Austen countryside
Venture north to England’s North-west, beyond the traffic-clogged capital and the soul-crushing experience that is the M25 motorway (the ring road encircling Greater London). There, in the promised land (for drivers), 60 mph (100 kph) speed limits and the single carriageway network await.
In Cheshire County, a region three times the size of Singapore some 250 kilometres north of London, you will encounter long stretches of narrow country roads, storybook villages and distinctive Northern accents. This is England’s green and pleasant land, a place known for its expansive countryside, Roman-era ruins and period manor houses straight out of a Jane Austen novel.
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For centuries, the county has been a centre for traditional industries such as cheese, salt and silk. You’ll drive through villages with quaint names like Audlem, Cholmondeley and Holmes Chapel. In Warmingham (population: 244), a mere blip on the map, pull over at The Bear’s Paw, a pub-with-rooms about three-and-a-half hours up the road from London. The Paw is pet-friendly (the canine menu features Bark Burgers) and the regular clientele features a combination of nature lovers, fishing enthusiasts and visitors en route to Crewe, a rail town five kilometres away.
Cheshire’s third largest town after Warrington and Chester, Crewe has for decades been home to the town’s single largest employer: Bentley Motors, a luxury car brand that enjoys brisk business in Singapore. Fortunately, you don’t have to own one to visit the factory, a vast campus with impressive facilities and artisanal workshops where over 15,000 cars were built last year. A modern reception building houses a slew of interesting cars while inside the factory gates, dozens of historic models and racing cars from Bentley’s storied past are displayed in refurbished heritage buildings, legacies from the original factory.
Beatles, football mania
Seventy-seven kilometres north of Crewe in neighbouring Merseyside County, the port city of Liverpool attracts significant visitor numbers each year, thanks to two extraordinary homegrown products with huge international fan bases: The Beatles and Liverpool Football Club.
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The music of the beloved 1960s supergroup lives on in our collective consciousness, but it’s football that courses through the veins of all Liverpudlians (the city is also home to a second Premier League club, Everton). The dual influence is present in one form or another in every corner of the city, from a permanent Beatles exhibition and statues of the Fab Four to clubs where tribute bands perform and buildings decorated with larger-than-life murals of beloved Liverpool players and managers.
On match day, park your car and hail a taxi to Anfield. Chances are the driver will be a fervent Reds supporter. The stadium has been home to the team since 1892 and watching a match from the stands (even if, like me, you’re not a Liverpool fan) is an exhilarating experience. Thanks to its passionate fans – famous for their football knowledge, creative chants and ‘scouser’ wit, the atmosphere at Anfield is second to none.
If the stadium is an iconic sporting venue, the Liverpool Waterfront, revitalised and transformed into a major tourist attraction, is a cultural and historical symbol that shows off the city’s best side. Riverside heritage runs deep and true here as Liverpool’s rise, decline and resurgence are irrevocably linked to its maritime fortunes. The most impressive landmark is Royal Albert Dock, a former warehouse complex given a new lease on life as a cultural and commercial centre.
Back in Cheshire, on the road leading into the market town of Nantwich, book into Rookery Hall, an elegant 19th-century country house hotel set in 38 acres of garden and wooded parkland near the banks of a river. Yes, you’ll feel like you’re back in Jane Austen territory – except there’s a health club and spa in place of the stables.
On the drive back to London, and somewhat in keeping with the Austen/spa theme, The Pig near Bath – one in a series of country inn escapes – certainly warrants a detour. This boutique hotel in South-west England is immersed in Somerset County woodland and close to the World Heritage Site of Bath, named for its Roman-built spring-fed baths. Food from The Pig’s restaurant comes either from its own garden or is locally sourced. After sampling breakfast – and a spa treatment or two – you’re suitably recharged for the drive back to The Big Smoke.
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