Lymm 2023: A great place to visit!

Lymm is unique

Every area has its own identity and personality, but there’s something extra special about the beautiful Cheshire village of Lymm. It’s one of those places that soothes the soul and makes you feel at home.

Lymm in Cheshire: a picturesque town with a rich history, it’s an ideal place to spend a day.

These are 9 of the best things to do in Lymm in Cheshire, and if it rains, you can always sit in one of the quaint pubs and restaurants and watch the beautiful scenery!

Send us your nomination, and we will add it to the blog across the year.

Just leave your suggestions in the comment section below. We will be adding to it every month.

1. For a taste of local produce, pop into Sexton’s The Bakers

Lymm Radio often plays in the background, with customers singing along to the tunes. But this place has a history.

Phillip Sexton and his wife Sara own and run Sextons of Lymm, established in 1969
and entered its fifth generation in the bakery business.  Many changes have taken place over the years since 1969, the latest being the addition of a deli.

There are some great park benches nearby to eat your sandwiches or walk down to the canal.

2. Take a Tour around Lymm Dam

Visitors describe this place as just beautiful.  The surroundings of the dam are stunning! But, of course, it’s best to go on a sunny day!

Walking around the dam on foot takes about 40 minutes, but you can also go down different paths for longer walks or sit and enjoy the scenery.

Only a five-minute walk away from the dam is a free parking lot by the car park. So it takes 10 minutes to walk to the village from the dam.

Our blog has more information about Lymm Damm.

3. Get on the Cheshire Cat

It’s not the cat in Alice Through the Looking Glass or a real cat. It is a bus!

A visit to Dunham Massey might be in order. Something is relaxing and calm about it.

The Cross in Lymm Village is where the bus will pick you up.  Then you will be pleasantly surprised.

The Garden at Dunham Massey, situated on the house built in the 18th century, is a beautiful plantsman’s garden, including the Orangery, Pump House, Victorian Bark House, and Elizabethan Mount.

In addition to the acid conditions, the varied soils and shade provide an extraordinary variety of shade and moisture-loving plants, including Giant Chinese Lilies and rare late-blooming
Azaleas, all interspersed with manicured lawns, mixed borders, and cool woodlands.

This is the most extensive winter garden in the UK, measuring 7 acres. Over 1600 winter shrubs, trees, and evergreens have been planted in the park with the help of plantsman Roy Lancaster OBE.

4. Visit the Cross

Even if you just come and sit on the park bench and watch the world go by, Lymm Cross is the village’s centrepiece in many ways.

This Grade I listed building, called simply “the Cross”, dates back to the 17th century and was restored in 1897

Originally built between the early and mid-17th centuries, the cross was restored in 1897.

Sandstone is used for construction, and the building is built on an outcrop of red sandstone.  A red sandstone pavilion surrounded by square corner pillars supports the shaft.

The building is topped with a stone roof, pedimented gable fronts, and ball finials. Above the cross, an extension is topped with a stone ball and a weather vane.

5. Head to Spud Wood

In Spud Wood, you will find a thriving mix of woodland and grassland meadow, as well as several species of birds and magnificent views that extend to the Pennines in the east.

The historic Bridgewater Canal borders the woods – a great place to spend time watching boats and perhaps spotting kingfishers.

An old potato field was converted into this relatively new woodland in the late 1990s.

In this shady area, oaks, ash and silver birches have matured into an environment full of squirrels and birds.

Picnics and peaceful strolls can be enjoyed at this picturesque site throughout the year.

Check out the wooded brook and pond.

Some issues have been reported about people leaving dog poop, but it still gets a thumbs up from us.

6. Walk along Canal (And don’t nose into the boats)

The Bridgewater Canal is in some respects the Centre of Lymm village. A little history can be found there.

It was the first man-made canal built on an entirely new course (i.e. rather than an existing river or watercourse).

The Bridgewater Canal was the first man-made canal built in the late 18th century.
This whole venture was financed by the Duke of Bridgewater, who had foreseen the importance of transporting coal from his coal mines in Worsley to Manchester using a transport system.

Lymm has its fair share of hills and inclines in terms of villages. But there is something nice about the streets that descend to the canal that runs through the Centre.

The village welcomes boaters and those with a canal boat by offering temporary moorings and amenities. A trip to Lymm and back is possible with canal boat hire from Middlewich.

The Summer is full of canal boat visitors in the pubs.

Altrincham is an excellent place to walk towards along the canal. Cycling might be faster, but you can still do it.

7  Explore the history of Lymm, including St Mary’s Church.

Lymm village, a conservation area, is dominated by historic and unlisted buildings. Three other historical buildings in Lymm are worth mentioning: St Peter’s Church, Oughtrington Hall and Lodge, which is now Lymm High School; and Lymm Hall, once owned by the
Domville family and is now a private residence.

Before the Booths acquired Foxley Hall, the former home of the Booth cadet branch, it belonged to the Carlisle family.

Church Road and Arley Grove are dotted with Fustian-cutting cottages, but Foxley Hall is no longer standing.

This Gothic Revival church is located in Oughtrington.  Bring a paint and brush and send us your picture. We won’t judge you, honestly!

The Leigh family commissioned noted Newcastle architect John Dobson to rebuild St Mary’s Church above Lymm Dam in the mid-1800s because it was in disrepair by this time.

Although the tower from 1521 was retained and raised, it had to be rebuilt in 1887 due to additional stonework.

8. Browse through Lymm High Street

For antiques, arts and crafts and beautiful handmade items.  Plus, get extra points to see if local residents know what Lymm means.

On a day trip to Lymm – which means ‘a place by running water’ – you will find plenty to entertain and occupy visitors.

The Centre explores the scenic surroundings around Lymm Dam on a circular route after walking up the dingle as visitors have done for centuries.

In the village, you can stroll the towpath of the Bridgewater Canal to continue the watery theme.

The village’s unique atmosphere is enhanced by the numerous boats moored up.

There is also a steep track leading down into Slitten Gorge and a streamside path that will lead you to Lymm’s mill site from the 18th century.

9. Catch a bit of history at the Heritage Centre

Located in the Centre of Lymm, the Heritage Centre is located on Legh Street.

The building opened in June 2017. Local history exhibitions are available to the public and schools.

Dedicated to telling Lynn’s story, the charity is run by volunteers. In addition, the Heritage Centre, has online archive and website.

The team offer educational sessions, speakers and welcomes groups to the Centre.

The Centre is open to the public four afternoons a week – Thursday to Sunday.

They also aim to share Lymm’s story through their main website www.lymmhic.co.uk.

We will see you in Lymm 2023.

Hopefully, this has helped you plan your trip to Lymm and its surrounding area.

With so much to see and do, you are sure to have a great time while visiting this lovely town.

Now it’s your turn to have fun!  But come back to the blog as more residents add their ideas for Lymm Cheshire 2022!