The best farm stays in Delamere Forest

Gradually reclaiming former industrial land in a woodsy green between Marbury and Northwich are the Northwich Community Woodlands, at the heart of which is the former country estate of Marbury Country Park. Just 10 miles northeast of Delamere, Marbury walking and cycling trails retain a genteel feel—two long-distance footpaths, the Cheshire Ring Canal Walk and the North Cheshire Way, pass through. Head out for boating at Budworth Mere, and pitch a tent at family-run campsites around the region.

A series of six connecting canals (all navigable by narrowboat), the Cheshire Ring shows that this portion of Northwest England retains some simple charm. Circling within six miles of Delamere Forest near Little Leigh and skirting the southern edge of Warrington, Manchester, and Macclesfield, the Cheshire Ring features lots of lovely countryside plus the opportunity to take a week to boat the 97-mile route or walk along the towpath.

Eight miles south of Delamere Forest at Tiverton, water lovers can hook up with the Shropshire Union Canal, one of Britain’s most beloved man-made waterways. This connects Merseyside with the Midlands through some bucolic parts of Cheshire, Shropshire, and Staffordshire, as well as several cities like Chester. You can try narrowboating, or cycle or walk along the towpath, then seep out at spots near Tiverton offering tent sites, glamping pods, and vintage caravans.