Good Morning Cheshire! 👋 

This week’s got some great reasons to leave the house, even if it’s freezing! Gigs, a charity dash, wildlife sessions, and our Eddisbury Hillfort loop – a short, satisfying hike with a well-earned pub stop at the end.

Let’s dive in!

🎉 What’s On In Cheshire

🎸 The Music of U2 by Candlelight
23 Jan, 7:30pm, Chester Cathedral, Chester
Big U2 anthems in a candlelit cathedral setting – properly atmospheric, zero effort required besides turning up.
👉 Details

🦒 Tiny Tots Zoo Adventure
Fri 23 Jan, 10:30-11:30am, Walton Hall & Gardens, Warrington
A guided, hands-on zoo session for ages 2-5 – meet the animals, learn a few fun facts, and let the little ones do the “touch and explore” bit in a safe setting.
👉 Details

🎭 Blood Brothers
23 Jan, 7:30pm, Lyceum Theatre, Crewe
Willy Russell’s classic musical – big emotions, big songs, and one of those shows that sticks with you.
👉 Details

🎤 Stephen Lockhart (Live Music at Chester Market)
23 Jan, 7:30pm, Chester Market, Chester
Local live music with proper Friday-night energy – grab some food, grab a drink, and stay for the set.
👉 Details

🏮 Macclesfield Lantern Festival
Sat 24 Jan 2026, assemble 4:30pm (parade 5pm), Silk Museum → Town Centre, Macclesfield
A free lantern parade through town with a proper feel-good vibe – bring your lantern, join the procession, and stick around for the town-centre festivities after.
👉 Details

🌍 Climate Activism Day
24 Jan, 10:30am-2:30pm, Warrington Museum & Art Gallery, Warrington
Meet local groups, ask questions, and get stuck into family-friendly activities – a genuinely useful (and free) day out.
👉 Details

🥾 Healing Through Hiking – FREE HIKE (Women’s only)
Sat 24 Jan, 10am (set off), Macclesfield Forest, Cheshire
A supportive, women-only group walk designed as a gentle reset – fresh air, steady pace, and a safe space to chat (or not). Exact meet info comes after booking.
👉 Details

🕯️ Country by Candlelight
Sat 24 Jan 2026, 7:30-9:30pm, Chester Cathedral, Chester
Country favourites performed live by candlelight in the cathedral – proper atmosphere, big singalong energy, and a genuinely lovely winter night out.
👉 Details

🕺 Saturday Salsa Fever – Back with a Bang!
Sat 24 Jan, 7:30pm-12:00am, Mottram St Andrew Village Hall, Macclesfield
A friendly social dance night with Salsa, Bachata and Kizomba – no pressure, just good music, good vibes, and a packed dancefloor.
👉 Details

🌳 Wassail Congleton Beartown! A Wild Spirited Welcome
Sat 24 Jan, 4pm-8:30pm, Wild Spirit Woods, Congleton
A proper old-school winter wassail – costumes encouraged, bell-ringing/drumming to “wake the trees”, fire, food, and a warm community vibe. Ticket required.
👉 Details

🏛️ Gladiators of Britain (Last Day)
25 Jan, museum hours, Grosvenor Museum, Chester
Final day for the gladiators exhibition – great for families, history lovers, and anyone who likes a “wow, that’s real?” museum moment.
👉 Details

🎸 Fantastic Negrito
25 Jan, doors 7pm, The Live Rooms, Chester
Grammy-winning blues/soul powerhouse – a proper “go on then, that’s a Sunday night” gig.
👉 Details

💃 Carlos Acosta’s Nutcracker in Havana (Final Day)
25 Jan, show times vary, Storyhouse, Chester
Last chance this weekend – if you’ve been meaning to do something a bit different, this is it.
👉 Details

💼 Crewe Jobs Fair
Tue 27 Jan, 10am-12pm, The Mornflake Stadium, Crewe
Meet local employers with live vacancies across sectors – free entry, but you’ll need to register for a ticket first.
👉 Details

🦉 Wings and Things (Animal Experience)
Wed 28 Jan, 2pm, Belong Crewe, Brookhouse Drive, Crewe
A hands-on wildlife session hosted by Wings and Things – a great family-friendly afternoon with animals up close. Tickets £3pp; book early.
👉 Details

🎻 Cathedral Classical: The Music of Simon & Garfunkel
Thu 29 Jan 2026, 7:30pm, Chester Cathedral, Chester
A big, polished night of Simon & Garfunkel classics in an incredible setting – more “goosebumps” than background music.
👉 Details

🎷 Jazz: Will Barnes Quartet
Thu 29 Jan, 7:30pm, Davenham Theatre, Davenham, Northwich
Live jazz night in a small, friendly venue – ideal for a midweek “let’s do something grown-up” plan.
👉 Details

• Macclesfield Treacle Market – Sun 25 Jan | 👉 Details

• Chris McCausland: Yonks! – Fri 30 Jan | 👉 Details

• The Bohemians (Queen Tribute) – Fri 30 Jan | 👉 Details

• Astro Night: Kids (Jodrell Bank) – Sat 31 Jan | 👉 Details

• Justin Fletcher Live – Sat 31 Jan | 👉 Details

• Mind Body Spirit Event – 7th/8th Feb | 👉 Details

• Crewe Heritage Centre: Kids Go Free (2026 Season) – From Wed 1 Apr |
  👉 Details

💎 Hidden Gem: Eddisbury Hillfort Loop (via Old Pale) + post-walk pub stop

If you fancy a walk that feels properly “out there” without driving miles, do the Old Pale + Eddisbury Hillfort circular from Oakmere/Delamere. It’s got that ideal January mix: woodland edges, open slopes, and a couple of proper high points that make you feel like you’ve earned your lunch.

The highlight is Old Pale – there’s a viewpoint with a topograph and stones showing the counties you can see on a clear day, which is a surprisingly satisfying little moment of “oh wow, that’s far.” From there you carry on to Eddisbury Hillfort, where the earthworks are still obvious and you can wander the ramparts imagining what this place must’ve been like when it was actually in use.

It’s not a “perfectly flat family saunter” (there are climbs and it can get sloppy underfoot), but it’s a cracking, bite-sized hike with big payoffs. Just note: there’s some road walking on the standard pub-start route – but there’s also a simple hack to avoid most of it (see Practical Bits).

For the reward stop, you’ve got two strong options. If you start/finish at the Vale Royal Abbey Arms, you can end with proper pub food straight away. Their own reviews don’t mess about: “Great customer service… Steak & Ale pie – wow!” If you’d rather keep it more “forest pub” vibes, the Fishpool Inn is a brilliant alternative nearby.

Practical bits

• Distance: ~4 miles / ~6.5km (circular)

• Time: allow 2 hours (plus pub time)

• Difficulty/terrain: moderate; some climbing; can be muddy/slippery

• Start/parking: Vale Royal Abbey Arms, Oakmere (CW8 2HB)

• Road-walking hack: you can avoid most of the main-road section by parking near Stoney Lane / Delamere School as noted on the route leaflet

• Dogs: fine, but keep close control around livestock

❤️ Why we love it: Feels like a mini hike without needing a full day. Finish in Bollington – loads of good pub choices and cafés.

🔗 OS Maps route
🔗 PDF route directions (longer option)

That’s it for this week.

Thanks for reading The Cheshire Buzz! See you next Thursday – same time, same inbox.