Darlington to Manchester drive: Best stops, distance & time
The distance from Darlington to Manchester is 111 miles, with a 2h10m driving time. The best road trip stops on the Darlington to Manchester drive are Mother Shipton’s Cave, Leeds and Marsden Moor.
Finding the best things to do between Darlington and Manchester
The drive from Darlington to Manchester takes you from County Durham to the unofficial capital of northern England.
The best ways of exploring Manchester are on a story-packed Rock and Goal walking tour, which pays particular attention to Manchester’s music scene and football heritage, or a river cruise.
Top Manchester experiences include the Manchester City stadium tour, treasure hunts, craft beer tours, Northern Quarter street art walks and cheese crawls.
Darlington to Manchester distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Darlington to Manchester is 111 miles. You can expect a driving time of around two hours and ten minutes. The quickest route is usually along the A1(M), M1 and M62.
The best stops to add to a Darlington to Manchester road trip are Mother Shipton’s Cave, Leeds and Marsden Moor.
Darlington to Manchester drive: Mother Shipton’s Cave
Mother Shipton’s Cave in Knaresborough claims to be Britain’s oldest tourist attraction. You can take that with a pinch of salt, of course.
The walk through the forest up to the cave is arguably more appealing than the cave itself, but Mother Shipton’s Cave is all about the stories. The tale goes that a prophetess was born in this cave in 1488. She supposedly went on to predict the Great Fire of London and Spanish Armada. Again, take all of this with a pinch of salt, but enjoy the hokum.
Best stops between Darlington and Manchester: Leeds
Yorkshire’s biggest city has several attractions worth a look. The Royal Armouries is the big hitter, with several floors of armour, weapons and warcraft. The Leeds City Museum is a thoughtfully presented all-rounder, and the expansive Roundhay Park offers a series of gorgeous gardens.
The best Leeds activities include food tours that visit top local restaurants and Emmerdale filming locations bus tours.
Darlington to Manchester road trip attractions: Marsden Moor
The M62 crosses Marsden Moor, and there are several moody moorland walks available. The ten mile Standedge Circuit is the one for those want a vigorous workout, but the National Trust lists several alternatives.
If you just want a quick photo, however, pull over at the Buckstones car park on the A640. Sometimes known as Marsden View, you can see down to the Deanhead Reservoir from here.
More Darlington road trips
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