Greater Manchester: Ramsbottom and BuryBillows of smoke rush from the steam engine, as the train's whistle announces its arrival on platform 3 in Bury, England. Passengers line
up to take photos of the steam train that resembles the Harry Potter Hogwarts Express. The red and black East Lancashire Railway train will take them on a
15-minute journey through lush countryside to the fabled town of Ramsbottom.
RamsbottomRamsbottom, historically located in Lancashire, lies within the Borough of Bury in Greater Manchester. This enchanting small town, surrounded by rolling English countryside and the River Irwell, is the quintessential image of an English village. Victorian Stone churches and buildings line the streets with old-fashioned sweet shops, teahouses and quaint second-hand shops. However, Ramsbottom is also modern and features gourmet restaurants, several name-brand shops and one of the best chocolate shops and cafes in England, the Chocolate Café. Located on Carr Street, the Chocolate Café offers traditional, as well as unusual bars of creamy confection from their own creations, to top European imports. The shop's most popular item is the scrumptious Chocolate Pizza that is shipped throughout the UK. This amazing pie proffers various chocolate colors and flavors to achieve a sweet replica of its savory counterpart. After perusing the main chocolate floor, head upstairs for a chocolate-accented cafe where chili con carne is cooked with cocoa, and steak and vegetables cooked in chocolate beer, start the menu. The cafe also features non-chocolate fare as well. Ramsbottom is a charming town to explore and the sojourn on the East Lancashire Railway a delightful adventure. BuryStop in the town of Bury to explore before you head to Ramsbottom. The town offers a heritage trail and the fantastic Bury Transport Museum with antique trains, buses and numerous hands-on exhibits; good fun for families.Read more of Patrice Raplee's articles
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Patrice Raplee is an experienced travel photojournalist and editor of Travel Excursion and Seattle Spotlight for Positively Entertainment
magazine. In addition, she writes a monthly travel column for the award-wining site Offbeat Travel. She is a member of North American Travel Journalists
Association (NATJA), International Travel Writers Alliance (ITWA) and the Recording Academy. Her photographs and articles have appeared in numerous
international publications, as well as NW newspapers such as the Seattle Times, the Stranger, Seattle Weekly and the Oregonian. As a freelance
photojournalist, she has also worked with acclaimed musical entertainers, such as Santana, Billy Joel and Steven Tyler. Patrice travels the globe to
cover destinations that feature fascinating culture, art, culinary, history and soft adventure.
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