Let’s face it, we get our fair share of rain in this part of the world. And lately it seems the dry days are few and far between. And whilst staying home and taking shelter might be more appealing to you, the kids might have other ideas! After a very wet half term and no sign of spring popping just yet, here’s a reminder of what we are lucky enough to have on our doorstep to help keep boredom at bay.
Staircase House
30-31 Market Place SK1 1ES
Travel through the history of Stockport’s oldest town house. The house is famous for its rare Jacobean cage-newel staircase, one of only 3 remining in the country. Staircase House has an array of rooms to explore and you can discover how our ancestors lived from the 15th to the 20th centuries. This is a real hands on historical journey!
Monday: Closed
Tuesday to Friday: 1pm to 5pm
Saturday: 10am to 5pm
Sunday: 11am to 5pm
Bank holidays: 11am to 5pm
Last admission 1 hour 15 minutes before closing.
Adults – Concessions (60+ and students) £3.75,Children under 16 with paying adult – Free
Stockport Museum
30-31 Market Place. SK1 1ES
Why not combine a visit to Staircase House with a trip to Stockport Museum. Time-travel from Palaeolithic to present day Stockport to experience the town’s entire history under one roof.
Explore fantastic finds;
The doors are now open to our brand new family gallery. It has been designed to help imaginations run wild, it is a space where anything is possible and interaction is a must!
In partnership with illustrator Becca Hall, the museum has been reimagined for younger visitors.
Anew layout makes the museum easier to navigate with improved signage and a good introduction to the history of Stockport, Including Strawberry Studios and sport in Stockport.
Entry to Stockport Museum is FREE
Monday: Closed
Tuesday to Saturday: 10am to 5pm
Sunday: 11am to 5pm
Bank holidays: 11am to 5pm
The Trouble Trail – Is a new trail around Stockport Museum Galleries, running until mid April 2020. Suitable for all ages. Just drop in during normal opening hours. On every Day Except Mondays. Why not take part when you visit!
Stockport Air Raid Shelters
Great Underbank, SK1 1NE
A system of almost one mile of underground Air raid Shelters dug into the famous Stockport sandstone rocks in World War ll. A visit to the shelters provides a real insight into life in wartime Britain in the 1940’s. You can learn about the experiences of local people from displays within the tunnels and the audio guide. Just being in the shelter is an experience in itself.
Monday: Closed
Tuesday to Friday: 1pm to 5pm
Saturday: 10am to 5pm
Sunday: 11am to 5pm
Bank holidays: 11am to 5pm
Adults – £5, Concessions (60+ and students) £3.75, Children under 16 with paying adult – Free
Bramall Hall
Hall Road, Bramhall. SK7 3NX
Dating back to the Middle Ages, Bramall Hall is a magical Tudor Manor House, open to the public and offering unique insights into the families and servants who lived and worked there. It also stands in 7p acres of parkland -so if the weather does dry up you can get outside and explore the woodland walks, brooks and lakes.
Winter opening hours (1 October 2019 to 31 March 2020)
Monday: Closed
Tuesday to Friday: 1pm to 4pm
Saturday to Sunday: 12pm to 5pm
Please note: The Hall is occasionally closed for weddings and private functions, so do check before you travel.
Adults – £5,Concessions (60+ and students) £3.75, Children under 16 with paying adult – Free
Swimming
Swimming is a great rainy day activity.
Life Leisure manage five swimming pools across Stockport – Avondale, Cheadle, Grand Central, Hazel Grove and Romiley, with plenty of provision for public swimming seven days a week. Swimming is available to the general public and members at Life Leisure during publicised Public Swimming sessions.
A number of the swimming pools cater for younger children with small swimming pools located at Life Leisure Cheadle, Grand Central (Splash Pool), Hazel Grove and Romiley.
To see the latest swimming pool timetables click here.
Go to the Cinema
Grab the popcorn, get out of the rain and cosy up at one of our fabulous local cinemas.
The Light at Redrock, Unit 10 Bridgefield Street SK1 1SA –Easily accessible from all over Stockport, The Light host Autism Friendly screenings, family specials and baby screenings. Car parkingis avilable at Red Rock and is free if you validate your cinema ticket. There are even reclining seats and boosters available for the little ones.
Check film showings and times here
The Savoy, 105 Heaton Moor Road. SK4 4HY The stunning Savoy in Heaton Moor offers a unique cinema experience. Lovingly restored to its former glory in 2015 and showing all the latest blockbusters. And you can even enjoy a hot brew in a proper mug as you settle down to watch the film.
Find out what’s on here
The Regent Cinema, Stockport Road, Marple SK6 6BJ 0161 427 5951
Small neighbourhood picturehouse showing mainly new blockbusters plus some live theatre screenings.
Find out what’s on here.
Visit the Library
Reading is a great rainy day activity for all ages. If you haven’t already, join the library so you can borrow books to read at home and switch up the bedtime stories without having to spend money. The kids can even have their own library card and can borrow up to 10 books. They will love picking out some new stories to read with you. Stockport Libraries also have story time sessions running for younger children at a number of venues.
Find more information on Stockport Libraries here.
Soft Play/Trampolining and Indoor Climbing
Sometimes the kids just need to burn off a bit of energy – for everyone’s sanity . But if a walk in the rain isn’t your thing, there are loads of venues where the kids can run, jump, slide, bounce and climb to their hearts content. Join in too and get that heart rate up! You;ll find them listed on the Days Out pages along with more inspiration.
Note: The Hatworks Museum is currently closed to visitors until mid/late 2020 for refurbishment. The shop is still open Wednesday to Friday