SINCE King Canute forded the River Lily in 1016, many travellers have sought solace in beautiful Knutsford, says STEVE NICHOLLS. FOR a town with a rich heritage, it probably grates Knutsford to think that it is widely known these days as one of the preferred areas of residence for Liverpool and Manchester Premier League footballers. However, that isn’t the reason people visit. What Knutsford does offer is a picturesque, unspoilt, upmarket market town with charm and character. It’s certainly a place for the well-heeled, as the roads populated by des-res properties underline. It also has a welcoming nature, seemingly carved out of the tight, hilly, shopping streets. King Street, known locally as “Bottom Road” as it runs parallel to the the higher Princess Street — the “Top Road”— is an assortment box of boutiques, salons, jewellers, bridalwear shops and gift shops. You’ll also find a handful of high-class restaurants in the town centre. Belle Epoque Brasserie is one of them. A hotel and restaurant, our taxi driver took great delight in telling us it was a favourite of Lord and Lady Beckham before they moved to Madrid. It certainly has an ornate setting, glamorous but not too ostentatious and, yes, probably the place to be seen eating out in this part of Cheshire. Its a la carte menu has picked up an armful of awards and accolades over three decades. Knutsford does have other big-name claims to fame, established quite a few years before the millionaire footballers moved in. King Knut, or Canute, for starters. The Danish king is believed to have forded the Lily Stream, hence the name Knutsford/Cunetesford, as it appeared in the Domesday Book. One of the most renowned female novelists of early Victorian times, Elizabeth Gaskell, was a local lass, growing up in the town after being born in London. Her novel Cranford, a dramatisation of which has just been screened to great acclaim on BBC2, immortalised her adopted home town. General George Patton and the American Third Army were based in and around the town in 1944, the man himself staying at the striking Ruskin Rooms. The Old Town Hall was used as a location during the shooting of the 1969 film Patton: Lust For Glory. Knutsford Heritage Centre on King Street is a treasure trove of information and souvenirs for visitors. It is home to the Knutsford Millennium Tapestry and you’ll also find great ideas for local walks, including the Museum on the Street, a trail of information plaques throughout the town. There are several quality hotels in Knutsford and it’s worth making any visit a two-day stay, because there are so many more attractions nearby. The Cottons Hotel and Spa is a sumptuous four-star venue just a minute’s drive out of the town centre. It has more than 100 quality rooms and a health spa for all residents. The hotel’s Magnolia Restaurant is a pretty special place to eat too. Jodrell Bank is an eight-mile drive out and worth investigating for its spectacular radio telescope. There are a number of stately homes in this part of Cheshire but none, perhaps, as stunning as Tatton Hall and its grounds. You could stumble upon one of the entrances to Tatton Park quite by accident, as you wander along Knutsford’s King Street towards the Ruskin Rooms. Entrance to the parkland is free if you’re walking, but taking the car in costs £4.20 and entry to the house, garden and other attractions is extra. A stroll up to the main hall can take an hour, but it is worth it as you take in the lakes, wildlife and fresh air. Autumn is perhaps the best time of year to go. There is a stunning explosion of seasonal colours among the thousands of trees as they prepare for the cold months ahead. But then a winter sprinkling of frost or snow would also grace the park with a picturebook beauty, as would the flowering spring or fresh summer sunshine. One of the best days out in Cheshire, still, is a trip to Chester Zoo. A zoo of global importance in conservationism, Chester always attracts great numbers during the holidays, as well as proving a popular Sunday stroll. Among the usual favourites of elephants, chimpanzees and penguins, are some fairly new attractions. The Realm of the Red Ape is a spectacular tropical centre for the orang-utans, along with gibbons, reptiles and birds. One of the best locations is the Bat House. Not one for the nervous, though, as you head into darkness. Small lights allow you to just make out the path and the shadows of flying bats as they swoop inches from your head. It’s a great day or half-day out, but make sure you schedule in time to get through the congested roads into Chester. Fact File
STEVE NICHOLLS stayed at Cottons Hotel and Spa. Rates from £69 per person. For details, visit www.cottonshotel.com.
BELLE EPOQUE BRASSERIE in Knutsford has a special Christmas menu. For details, visit thebelleepoque.com.
TATTON PARK and Chester Zoo both have several special events lined up throughout Christmas and winter. For details, visit www.tattonpark.org.uk and www.chesterzoo.org
FOR more information about Knutsford and its history, see www.knutsfordheritage.com And for details of more days out and activities in Cheshire, visit the website www.visitcheshire.com
5 things to do 1: VISIT the Anderton Boat Lift, where the operations centre houses a fascinating exhibition explaining the history of the lift and its unique place in waterways history. 2: VISIT the massive telescope at Jodrell Bank. Admission £1.50. 3: FOR a gentle introduction to boating, take the trip from Bunbury to Chester along the Shropshire Union Canal. 4: VISIT Ellesmere Port and Neston for beautiful parks and countryside and commercial heritage and fine shopping. 5: THE Cheshire Oaks designer outlet is a shop-a-holics’ heaven, with 140 discount shops. | 
