landmark
Chester Zoo
The UK's most-visited zoo housing over 35,000 animals across 128 acres with award-winning conservation programs.
16 km · about 20 min drive
EuropeUnited KingdomEngland
Runcorn
England, United Kingdom · Europe
About Runcorn
Runcorn is worth a stop: 10 minutes from Hale, 48km from A54 Congleton to Buxton.
Runcorn is in England, United Kingdom, with about 61,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Hale, about 5 km away.
Runcorn is an industrial town and cargo port within the Borough of Halton in Cheshire, England meaning the town is a part of Liverpool City Region. It lies on the south bank of the River Mersey, where the estuary narrows to form the Runcorn Gap, and is located approximately 15 miles (24 km) southeast of Liverpool andRead more
29 miles (47 km) southwest of Manchester. The Runcorn built-up area had a population of 61,145 at the 2021 census.
Runcorn was founded by Æthelflæd of Mercia in 915 AD as a fortification against the Viking invasion at a narrowing of the River Mersey. Under Norman rule, Runcorn fell under the Barony of Halton and an Augustinian abbey was established there in 1115. It remained a small and isolated settlement until the Industrial Revolution, when the 1776 extension of the Bridgewater Canal to Runcorn established it as a port linking coastal Liverpool with inland Manchester and Staffordshire. The docks enabled the growth of industry, initially shipwrights and sandstone quarries; in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, it was a spa and health resort, but this ended with the growth of polluting industries, especially soap and chemical works. In 1964, Runcorn was designated a new town and expanded eastward, absorbing neighbouring settlements and more than doubling its population.
The Silver Jubilee Bridge, Mersey Gateway, and Runcorn Railway Bridge span the River Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal in Runcorn. Its location between Liverpool and Manchester and its links to the rail, motorway, and canal networks have made it a major centre for the manufacturing, logistics, and wholesale and retail industries.
Where to Stay in Runcorn
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Runcorn?
Within an hour or so of Runcorn: Chester Zoo (16 km), Oulton Park (20 km), Aintree Motor Racing Circuit (20 km), Bentley Factory Tour (31 km).
Are there any good drives near Runcorn?
The nearest famous roads are A54 Congleton to Buxton, Horseshoe Pass and A537 Cat and Fiddle Summit.
Where is Runcorn?
Runcorn is in England, United Kingdom, about 5 km from Hale.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 61,145
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- England
- Timezone
- Europe/London
- Coordinates
- 53.3417, -2.7312
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United Kingdom
112 also works. NHS non-emergency medical advice: 111. National Highways breakdown assistance on motorways: 0300 123 5000.
Full driving guide for United KingdomTags
Worth the detour from Runcorn
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
racetrack
Oulton Park
A picturesque Cheshire circuit winding through parkland with dramatic elevation changes, a favourite of British club and national racing.
20 km · about 25 min drive
racetrack
Aintree Motor Racing Circuit
Historic circuit inside Aintree Racecourse that hosted five British Grands Prix in the 1950s-60s, where Stirling Moss took his first home GP win. Club sprints still run on the old track.
20 km · about 25 min drive
landmark
Bentley Factory Tour
Exclusive guided tours of Bentley's Crewe factory where master craftspeople build the world's finest luxury cars.
31 km · about 35 min drive
cafe
Rapha Clubhouse Manchester
Manchester's cycling culture hub offering specialty coffee, kit, and a community space for riding enthusiasts.
36 km · about 40 min drive
film location
Lyme Park (Pemberley, 1995 Pride and Prejudice)
The lake at Lyme Park is where Colin Firth's Mr Darcy emerges from the water in the BBC serial.
45 km · about 50 min drive
cafe
Ponderosa Cafe
A legendary biker stop high on the Horseshoe Pass above Llangollen with panoramic views across the Welsh valleys.
47 km · about 55 min drive
famous road
A54 Congleton to Buxton
A fast moorland alternative to the Cat and Fiddle, rolling over the Peak District's western edge past Danebridge and the Cheshire border.
48 km · about 55 min drive
Driving roads near Runcorn
- 48 kmA54 Congleton to BuxtonA fast moorland alternative to the Cat and Fiddle, rolling over the Peak District's western edge past Danebridge and the Cheshire border.
- 49 kmHorseshoe PassSweeping A542 mountain pass curling above Llangollen in a giant horseshoe, climbing to 417m past the Ponderosa Cafe with wide views over the Dee Valley. A classic North Wales driving and biking road.
- 49 kmHorseshoe Pass (Bwlch yr Oernant)A sweeping 417m moorland pass on the A542 above Llangollen, with the Ponderosa cafe at the top and views to the Berwyns.
- 50 kmCat and Fiddle ViewpointA high-altitude viewpoint on the A537 between Macclesfield and Buxton, one of England's highest roads with expansive moorland vistas.
- 50 kmA537 Cat and Fiddle SummitThe 515 m high point of the A537 between Buxton and Macclesfield, long one of Britain's most notorious motorcycling roads.
- 51 kmCat and Fiddle RoadA thrilling moorland road between Macclesfield and Buxton in the Peak District, one of the UK's most famous driving roads.
Driving in United Kingdom
- Drives on
- the left
- Petrol
- ~€1.73/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
April to October
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