A premier place for weekenders

Dec 7 2007 Travel

For a town with a rich heritage, it probably grates Knutsford to think that it is widely known these days as one of the preferred areas of residence for Liverpool and Manchester Premier League footballers.

However, that isn't the reason why people visit. What Knutsford does offer is a picturesque, unspoilt (up)market town, with charm and character.

It's certainly a place for the well-heeled – as the roads populated by des res properties underline. It also has a welcoming nature, seemingly carved out of the tight, hilly, shopping streets.

King Street, known locally as "Bottom Road" as it runs parallel to the the higher Princess Street (or "Top Road"), is an assortment box of boutiques, salons, jewellers, bridalwear shops and gift shops. The pavements so quaint and narrow, shoppers patiently step aside to allow others through, to avoid stepping into the road.

You'll also find a handful of high class restaurants in the town centre. Belle Epoque Brasserie is one of them. A hotel and restaurant, our taxi driver took great delight in telling us it was a favourite of Lord and Lady Beckham before they moved to Madrid.

It's certainly an ornate setting, glamorous but not too ostentatious and, yes, probably the place to be seen eating out in this part of Cheshire. Its a la carte menu has picked up an armful of awards and accolades over three decades.

Knutsford does have other big name claims to fame, established quite a few years before millionaire footballers. King Knut, for starters. The Danish king is believed to have forded the Lily Stream, hence Knutsford/Cunetesford as it appeared in the Domesday Book.

One of the most renowned female novelists of early Victorian times, Elizabeth Gaskell, was a local lass, growing up in the town after being born in London. Her novel Cranford, a dramatisation of which is gracing our TV screens now, immortalised her adopted home town.

General George Patton and the American Third Army were based in and around the town in 1944, the man himself staying at the striking Ruskin Rooms. The Old Town Hall was used as a location during the shooting of the 1969 film Patton: Lust For Glory.

Knutsford Heritage Centre on King Street is a treasure trove of information – and souvenirs – for visitors. It is home to the Knutsford Millennium Tapestry, and you'll also find great ideas for local walks, including the Museum on the Street, a trail of information plaques throughout the town.

There are several quality hotels in Knutsford and it's worth making any visit a two-day stay, because there are so many more attractions within a few minutes drive. The Cottons Hotel and Spa is a sumptuous four-star venue just a minute's drive out of the town centre. More than 100 quality rooms and a health spa for all residents. The hotel's Magnolia Restaurant is a pretty special place to eat, too.

Jodrell Bank is an eight-mile drive out and worth investigating. A spectacular radio telescope, one of the largest in the world and the visitors’ centre included the fantastic theatre of stars planetarium.

There are a number of stately homes in this part of Britain but none, perhaps, as stunning as Tatton Hall and its grounds.

You could stumble upon one of the entrances to Tatton Park quite by accident, as you wander along Knutsford’s King Street towards the Ruskin Rooms. Entrance is free if you're walking, but taking the car in can cost you £5.

It's a long walk from there, so taking the car might be appealing, but to do so would be to miss out on a glorious walk through the expansive grounds. A stroll up to the main hall can take an hour, but it is worth it as you take in take in the lakes, wildlife and fresh air.

Autumn is perhaps the best time of year to go. A visually stunning explosion of seasonal colours among the thousands of trees as they prepare for the cold months ahead. But a winter sprinkling of frost or snow would also grace the park with a picturebook beauty, as would the flowering spring or fresh summer sunshine.

One of the best days out in Cheshire, still, is a trip to Chester Zoo.

A zoo of global importance in conservationism, Chester always attracts great numbers during the holidays, as well as proving a popular Sunday stroll.

It's easy to lose yourself for two or three hours among the spacious enclosures and specialist attractions. Among the usual favourites of elephants, chimpanzees and penguins, are some fairly new attractions. The Realm of the Red Ape is a spectacular tropical centre for the orang utans, along with gibbons, reptiles and birds.

One of the best locations is the Bat House. Not one for the nervous, though, as you head into darkness. Small lights allow you to just make out the path . . . and the shadows of flying bats as they swoop inches from your head.

It's a great day or half-day out, but be prepared to sit in traffic on the way into Chester as the roads into the city are always congested on Saturdays and Sunday lunchtimes.

•  Steve Nicholls stayed at Cottons Hotel and Spa. Rates from £69 per person (www.cottonshotel.com).  Belle Epoque Brasserie in Knutsford has unveiled a special Christmas menu (www.thebelleepoque.com).

* Tatton Park and Chester Zoo both have several special events lined up throughout Christmas and winter. For details, visit www.tattonpark.org.uk and www.chesterzoo.org.

*  For more information about Knutsford and its history, visit www.knutsfordheritage.com. For details of more days out and activities in Cheshire, go to www.visitcheshire.com.