If you want to feel grounded, look to the sky. There’s nothing quite like contemplating the aeons-old movements of the planets and stars to put your tiny little existence into perspective.
With that in mind, here’s ten of the region’s best places to watch our favourite star, the sun, sinking into the horizon. These are places with clear views and big skies and easy access when daylight is in short supply. (You don’t want to be on top of a mountain at sunset unless you’re prepared to hike back down in the dark).
Whether you’re having an evening picnic with friends on the summer solstice, or catching a winter afternoon sunset from a cocktail bar with a view, we have options for you below.
Choose one of these magical places to watch the sunset and head there in good time to see the cosmic show unfold. The low angle evening sunlight isn’t just beautiful – it helps your body clock know that the day is ending, and finger’s crossed, that leads to better sleep.
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Spinningfields20 Stories
More detailsManchester’s highest restaurant, bar and terrace 20 Stories was the opening of 2018 and still maintains its status as one of the city’s most popular place to eat, drink, be snapped and be seen.
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CrosbyAnother Place
More detailsAnother Place, Crosby, by sculptor Antony Gormley consists of 100 cast-iron figures gazing wordlessly out to sea from the beach.
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BamfordBamford Edge
More detailsHead to Bamford Edge for awe-inspiring views of the Dark Peak. This vantage point looks out over the Hope Valley and Ladybower Reservoir and is a stunning spot for watching the sunset. It gets busier than Blackpool on a sunny day so go on a weekday, or in the evening, or in rain, to soak up the beauty without the crowds.
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Manchester City CentreCloud 23
More detailsCloud 23 is one of Manchester’s highest dining and drinking experiences. Located 23 stories up in the Hilton Manchester Deansgate at Beetham Tower, it offers exceptional views of the whole of the city and beyond.
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BrunswickChung Ku
More detailsChung Ku is very different from Liverpool’s other Chinese restaurants. It’s a modernist icon on the waterfront just south of Brunswick that looks like a marooned sampan or a strange fish with architectural fins. Its floor-to-ceiling windows flood the place with light and the views across the water to the Wirral are stunning.
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Peak DistrictCoombes Edge and Cown Edge
More detailsSitting back-to-back on the boundary of the Peak District National Park, Coombes Edge and Cown Edge provide stunning views of Greater Manchester and Kinder Scout.
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Business District (Liverpool)Panoramic 34
More detailsPanoramic 34 was the UK’s highest restaurant when it opened in 2008, and although others have since taken that title, it still offers an impressive vantage point with a 360-degree view of Liverpool, the Mersey, and beyond to Wales.
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RoytonTandle Hill Country Park
More detailsWith its sweeping panoramas of seasonal golds, reds and browns, Tandle Hill Country Park is one of the best places to catch autumn colour in Greater Manchester.
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CarnforthWarton Crag
More detailsFor expansive views of Morecambe Bay and up-close sightings of wildflowers and rare butterflies, head to Warton Crag Nature Reserve, near Carnforth in Lancashire.
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HydeWerneth Low Country Park
More detailsWerneth Low Country Park is known for its stunning views across Tameside and Manchester. On a clear day you can even see the familiar shape of the telescope at Jodrell Bank and across to the Welsh Hills. It’s a spectacular location to catch a sunset too.
