Spend the day in Macclesfield..
Have you ever visited Macclesfield? It’s barely an hour from Manchester by car, or you can get a direct train, and it’s packed with things to do for families or couples, from visiting the Forest Gin Distillery to magnificent country walks to fascinating museums and great food.
Macclesfield is located right on the edge of the Peak District, with parts of its eastern area and the surrounding Macclesfield Forest actually falling within the Peak District National Park.
And here’s a fact you’re probably unaware of – small and unassuming Macclesfield was also considered the Western end of the ancient Silk Road from China to Europe. Known as the silk capital of England it has a rich silk-making heritage that has run from 1743 right until the present day, with Adamley Textiles still printing silk that is washed in the limestone water that gives it its famous lustre and was the reason for the establishment of the first silk mills in the 18th century.
How to spend a very enjoyable day in Macclesfield
Morning
Macclesfield Forest lies to the east of Macclesfield, and a good entry point is the Trentabank Visitor Centre, where you can find parking and toilets, all right on the edge of the Trentabank Reservoir. From here you can spot nesting herons, birds of prey and maybe even some of the red deer who reside in Macclesfield Forest.
Depending on how energetic you feel and the age of any children, there are several options for a proper, clean-air lung-filling walk.
Easy walk: From the Trentabank car park, there’s a short circular walk, about a quarter mile, so 20-30 minutes, along level paths, giving gorgeous views over the reservoir and forest.
Moderate hike: If you want more challenge, the route from Trentabank to Shutlingsloe is just short of five miles, walking through forest and moorland, ending at Shutlingsloe, which is nicknamed the Cheshire Matterhorn for its striking, pointy profile. You would need to arrange a lift back to the car park, of course, make it a full day round trip, or circle back to the carpark when you have set your time limit.
Lunchtime!
After exploring Macclesfield Forest you must head into town to enjoy lunch at one of the several excellent dining spots.
The town has plenty of cafes, pubs, and restaurants, but we love the Picturedrome, on Chestergate. Macclesfield’s first cinema, it was taken on by the same people behind the magnificent Altrincham Market, and totally reimagined into a food hall with multiple foodie hot spots to try out, depending on your tastes and your mood. Also on Chestergate you will find Nomas Gastrobar, a family-owned health food restaurant with delicious menu options, and BeefnBerry Bistro, for wraps, pasta dishes and salads.
Afternoon
Knowing Macclesfield’s Silk Road history, you can’t visit this small town on the edge of Cheshire without a visit to the Silk Museum and Paradise Mill.
The Silk Museum has saved not only original machinery from the old mills, but a fabulous archive of pattern books (almost 1,000 books), textiles, artifacts and the stories of many of the people who made Macclesfield the silk capital of England.
While there, visit Paradise Mill. Built in 1862, it is the sole survivor of the 71 silk weaving mills in Macclesfield in its heyday. You can take a guided tour of the ‘factory floor’ and see the silk jacquard handlooms in their original setting. Paradise Mill remained in action right up until 1981 and looks pretty much the same today as back in the day. See a loom in action and hear stories of real people and how the politics of the day changed lives and fortunes (some things never change…).
Macclesfield is a fabulous little town with an incredible history, and we can’t leave before advising that if you don’t fancy a walk, or museums aren’t your thing, the Treacle Market, which takes place on the final Sunday of the month, every month bar December, when it falls on the Sunday before Christmas. It’s the biggest monthly event in the North West, with over 160 stalls selling everything from artisanal food and drink to crafts, furnishings, gifts and locally made treats.
Once visited, never forgotten.
Eddie – Friday 12th September 2025.
