When you think ‘wonders of the world’, let’s be real, you think of the likes of the pyramids in Egypt, the Grand Canyon, the Taj Mahal – you don’t tend to think of anything, well, British. Aside from perhaps Stonehenge, there’s nothing that seems to compare to the rest of the world in terms of stunning feats of nature or mysticism, but that could all be about to change.
The ever-reputable Conde Nast Traveller has named its very own ‘7 Wonders of the UK‘, and it just so happens that three of those come within two hours of Manchester – and that is most definitely something to boast about.
The 7 Wonders of the UK within two hours of Manchester
Menai Bridge, Wales
Approximately two hours from Manchester is the Menai Bridge, suspended between Anglesey and mainland Wales. The 200-year-old structure serves as a landmark, and a welcome to the island of Anglesey, and at the time of building, Thomas Telford‘s cast-iron suspension bridge was the longest of its kind in the world. As CN Traveller puts it, it’s “not just a feat of 19th-century engineering but a piece of functional poetry“.
Viewed from the shoreline, the bridge hangs suspended over the swirling Menai currents, framed by woods and mountains. Crossing on foot offers a view of boats winding through a strait steeped in ancient history—the site of Roman and Druid battles—with the elegant peaks of Snowdonia rising beyond. It is a masterpiece of early industrial engineering, yet the atmosphere around it remains entirely removed from the grit of modern commerce – a serene haven as you pass into or out of Anglesey.
Forest of Bowland, Lancashire
It’s no wonder the Forest of Bowland is an official Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Spanning a huge distance from around Longridge near Preston, past Lancaster and almost up to Cumbria, this lovingly retained gem is often overlooked by eager travellers heading for the fells of the Lake District, but it really is worth stopping for.
Bowland is a mix of wild heather moors, hidden valleys, and villages with names like Slaidburn that sound much more intense than they actually are. Don’t let the “Forest” tag fool you, either—it’s an old-school hunting ground rather than a woodland, with a dark history tied to the famous witch trials at Pendle Hill.
These days, it’s a lot more chilled out. You’ll find harriers drifting over the hills and the Ribble River snaking through the limestone. The main hub is Clitheroe, a cool little town with cobbled lanes that LS Lowry reportedly used to love. It’s packed with great independent shops, including D. Byrne, a massive award-winning wine shop that’s been a local staple for 150 years – catch us there.
Having been granted official status as a Dark Sky Discovery Site, meaning it’s recognised to have some of the darkest skies in England, the Forest of Bowland also hosts its very own annual Dark Skies Festival. It highlights the fantastic starscapes above Bowland, plus some of the area’s nocturnal inhabitants, alongside appearances from local astronomers and usually family-friendly creative activities.
Haworth, West Yorkshire
As the home of the Brontë sisters – lovingly nicknamed ‘Brontë country‘ – West Yorkshire beauty spot Haworth has also been named one of the ‘7 Wonders of the UK’. While Haworth’s Brontë Parsonage is the big draw, the real magic is out on the wild, windswept moors that inspired Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights – soon to be reimagined on screen through the beauty of Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie.
If you head out on the two-hour trek to Top Withens, you’ll find the ruined farmhouse that served as the blueprint for the story’s moody setting. It’s a landscape that feels exactly as it did when Catherine Earnshaw first looked out over it, comparing her doomed love for Heathcliff to “the eternal rocks beneath: a source of little visible delight”.
By the time you loop back to the village at sunset, the glowing windows and cobbled streets feel incredibly inviting—and you’ll definitely have earned a pint of Timothy Taylor’s Boltmaker at the pub. Trust us when we say, there’s plenty to admire about the gorgeous Wonder of the UK.
Full list of the ‘7 Wonders of the UK’
The full list according to Conde Nast Traveller is as follows:
- The Flow Country, Scotland
- Menai Bridge, Wales
- Forest of Bowland, Lancashire
- Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter
- Haworth, West Yorkshire
- Rame Peninsula, Cornwall
- Lavenham, Suffolk