Villages near birmingham or manchester

[evedawn]

The husband and I need to go to Birmingham or Manchester to collect something next weekend. As it's a fair old drive for us we'd want to make a bit of a trip of it and so would like to bookin into a hotel for one night. don't really fance spenidng the night in the city itself - what smaller towns and villages can AB'ers suggest close by that might have quaint hotel ?

[Buenchico]

Manchester is close to the Peak District National Park, with the delightful small town of Buxton about 25 miles from the city centre:
http://www.visitbuxton.co.uk/

Chris

[Narolines]

You don't say which direction you'll be coming from, but Meriden, between Birmingham and Coventry, has some nice accommodation. How far out of Birmingham do you want to be? There's a lot of choice in the area between Birmingham, Warwick, Stratford and Redditch.

[VHG]

Birmingham is surrounded by a "circle" of motorways, M5 in the West, M42 in the south and east, M6 in the north, so you wont find a village inside this circle.

South East of Birmingham has some lovely Warwickshire villages like Henley in Arden, and other smaller villages nearby.

Further south is Warwick, a historic market town with an amazing castle.

Then there is Stratford upon avon, another historic town, home of Shakespeare.

Also Kenilworth, with another amazing castle.

North East of Birmingham is Litchfield, a lovely old town with an amazing cathedral.

[echokilo]

Not sure how far out of Birmingham you want to stay, but Lichfield is a lovely, very small, cathedral city, very quaint, Wishaw is nearer Birmingham is nice, and Stratford and Warwick have some nice villages around them too. Staying in the peak distrcit would be the best bet for Manchester ..... the Cat and Fiddle Inn high on the moors about Macclesfield is lovely and remote and scenic - has accomodation.

[VHG]

If you want to stay closer to the Birmingham city centre but not IN it, then consider these areas.

Solihull in the South East is a nice area. It is built up, but has some lovely areas, and a good shopping centre. Nearby are Knowle and Dorridge which are also nice.

You can search for solihull accomodation here

http://www.solihull.gov.uk/arts/tourism/form1. asp

In the North East Sutton Coldfield and Four Oaks are again nice areas.

Fairly near to the city centre but far enough out not to be affected by it.

[Narolines]

VHG, I'm guessing you're a fellow Brummie?

[cazzz1975]

me too :D

[curious81]

With regards to answer number one www.visitpeakdistrict.com is also an excellent site to use for accomodation and information regarding the Peak District National Park.

Castleton, about 7 miles from Buxton is a lovely quaint setting for a nights stay, with plenty to do, a castle, 4 showcaves, village museum, six pubs and lovely village shops. However there are only B&B's in the village and not hotels.