Natural selection
TWO flames burned brightly either side of an unassuming wooden archway. It put me in mind of Lord of the Rings, when Frodo reaches the walled town of Bree in the middle of the night to meet up with Gandalf.
We were not in Middle Earth but Mid-Cheshire – Blakemere Village, Sandiway to be precise. Nor were we planning to rendezvous with a wizard, although we were in for an enchanting evening.
With acres of forest, the autumnal colours in this part of the world are breathtaking by day. By night, Magical Woodland sees the trees transformed into a shimmering display of light.
Leaves of all colours of the rainbow fluttered around us as we followed a forest trail at this annual event, strolling through tunnels of lights, watching lasers pick out branches and joining in with interactive, illuminated works of art and experiments.
There was something new to discover along every path – some lined with beautiful white light lanterns, others lit from above by colourful lampshades which seemed to dangle from the trees.
Music added to the experience and we had great fun playing with sound boxes, sending our own music ringing through the trees. We turned one corner to see disco lights, the faint sound of dance music drifting through the trees. Imagining squirrel Nutkin with his glow sticks, we hurried down the hill to find an interactive dancefloor which allowed you to control the lights with your feet.
On our way to find food we came across a musical fountain, the brightly lit jets of which are directed by a Wii game controller.
The food stalls surrounded two big fire pits around which people gathered to toast sticks of giant marshmallows. A walk through the amber forest (or was it Rivendell?) led us to a laser show finalé and an encounter with owls under the stars.
The cosmos was in full focus the following day too, as we made our way to Jodrell Bank to marvel at the huge Lovell telescope. The giant white structure, along with several smaller radio telescopes, dominates the skyline.
Through a corridor of stars, we found ourselves in the clockwork orrery where we watched tiny planets circle above our heads as we turned the handle.
Outside in the beautiful gardens, we came face to face with the Lovell Telescope. One of he biggest and most powerful radio telescopes in the world, it has been probing the depths of space since 1957. It is fully steerable and, when it snows, the gigantic dish is tilted downwards to allow the snow to slide out.
There are plenty of facts and figures to take on board in the Discovery Centre plus hands-on science experiments – try the amazing whisper dishes.
One small step for man away from Jodrell Bank is De Vere Cranage Estate Hotel in Holmes Chapel, a beautiful red brick and yellow sandstone building in pristine green grounds. It has everything you would expect from a country bolthole – comfortable, smart and roomy accommodation; spa and fitness facilities galore; a pool; a bar; a restaurant and a roaring log fire.
We chose to eat in the bar as the menu had more vegan and vegetarian options. The kitchen made a few mistakes with our order – a meat feast pizza arrived rather than a margherita, for example, which meant our hangry child had to wait for another to be cooked. It was a shame, as the food was great when it arrived.
After a hearty breakfast – veggie sausages, tomatoes, mushrooms, hash browns and fresh kale smoothie (chewy, lurid green and strangely moreish) – we headed off to Chester Zoo, a national treasure, with 125 acres of gardens to explore housing an incredible 21,000 animals. Staff are committed to preventing extinction and the proceeds from ticket sales help to fund conservation work around the world.
There is so much to see that we could have spent a whole week exploring the many houses and meeting their inhabitants – everything from free-flying butterflies and bats to sloths on an aerial ropeway, majestic big cats, pretty pink flamingos and blind cave fish.
Cheshire is beautiful, with rolling fields, forests and towns steeped in history. But dig a little deeper and you’ll find that its scientific influences can be felt around the world, proving that there is more to this county than cheese, glamorous housewives and a certain grinning cat.
stayed at De Vere Cranage Estate, Holmes Chapel. Prices in winter start from £39.50pp when sharing a double/twin room, which includes full English breakfast, full use of the hotel and leisure facilities with complimentary parking. Go to devere.co. uk/cranage-estate/
DAISY FOX
Daisy visited Jodrell Bank (jodrellbank.net); Magical Woodland (magicalwoodland.com) and Chester Zoo (chesterzoo.org).
See visitcheshire.com/ science-meets-nature for more about the area.