Where historic canals, ancient Roman forts and acres of unspoilt countryside share postcodes with vintage shopping boutiques, buzzing nightlife and Michelin-star restaurants you've got Oldham, a town as majestic as it is modern. Having risen from the textile industry of the 19th century, Oldham now enjoys a rich tapestry of culture, art, history and nature, all beautifully tucked away at the gateway to the Pennines, and something of a gem.
The award-winning Gallery Oldham, just ten minutes from Oldham station in the Cultural Quarter, is the perfect place to start an adventure around this remarkable town. Through artefacts, artworks and exhibits, it charts the town's long journey to becoming a manufacturing powerhouse. For those still looking to scratch a cultural itch, the Oldham Coliseum Theatre on Fairbottom Street is home to comedy, drama and music, with a packed events calendar all year round.
If you care more for retail than RADA, then Oldham has got you covered here, too. Its compact town centre is a shopper's paradise, with stores and stalls both big and small. The Spindles Town Square Shopping Centre at the heart of the town has all the high-street favourites, from H&M to Next and Topshop. For the more traditional shopper, Tommyfield Market offers up over three-hundred stalls hawking everything from fruit and veg to flowers and fashion.
When you're all shopped out, escape the town centre for a trip to the idyllic Daisy Nook Country Park in the south of the town; a far cry from Oldham's busy streets, Daisy Nook is offers up sprawling green space, fishing lakes, stunning woodland and picturesque riverbanks.