landmark
Chester Zoo
The UK's most-visited zoo housing over 35,000 animals across 128 acres with award-winning conservation programs.
18 km · about 20 min drive
EuropeUnited KingdomEngland
Widnes
England, United Kingdom · Europe
About Widnes
Widnes is worth a stop: 10 minutes from Hale, 49km from A54 Congleton to Buxton.
Widnes 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.
Widnes ( WID-nəss) is an industrial town in the Borough of Halton, Cheshire, England, which at the 2021 census had a population of 62,400.
Historically in Lancashire, it is on the northern bank of the River Mersey where the estuary narrows to form the Runcorn Gap. Directly to the south across the Mersey is the town ofRead more
Runcorn. Upstream 8 miles (13 km) to the east is Warrington, and 4 miles downstream to the west is Speke, a suburb of Liverpool.
Before the Industrial Revolution, Widnes was a small settlement on marsh and moorland. In 1847, the chemist and industrialist John Hutchinson established a chemical factory at Spike Island. The town grew in population and rapidly became a major centre of the chemical industry. The demand for labour was met by large-scale immigration from Ireland, Poland, Lithuania and Wales. The town continues to be a major manufacturer of chemicals, although many of the chemical factories have closed and the economy is predominantly based upon service industries.
Widnes and Hough Green railway stations are on the Liverpool–Manchester line. The main roads through the town are the A557 in a north–south direction and the A562 east–west. The disused Sankey Canal terminates at Spike Island. The Silver Jubilee Bridge crosses the River Mersey west of Warrington. In 2017, the Mersey Gateway Bridge opened to relieve congestion at the older bridge. The Catalyst Science Discovery Centre is the United Kingdom's only museum dedicated solely to the Chemical Industry and is inside Hutchinson's former administrative building. The town's sport stadium hosts Widnes Vikings rugby league club.
The motto of Widnes is the Latin phrase Industria Ditat ("Industry Enriches").
Where to Stay in Widnes
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Widnes?
Within an hour or so of Widnes: Chester Zoo (18 km), Aintree Motor Racing Circuit (19 km), Oulton Park (22 km), Bentley Factory Tour (33 km).
Are there any good drives near Widnes?
The nearest famous roads are A54 Congleton to Buxton, Horseshoe Pass and A537 Cat and Fiddle Summit.
Where is Widnes?
Widnes is in England, United Kingdom, about 5 km from Hale.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 61,464
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- England
- Timezone
- Europe/London
- Coordinates
- 53.3618, -2.7341
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 Widnes
8 notable places within an hour's 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.
19 km · about 20 min drive
racetrack
Oulton Park
A picturesque Cheshire circuit winding through parkland with dramatic elevation changes, a favourite of British club and national racing.
22 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.
33 km · about 40 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.
49 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.
49 km · about 55 min drive
Driving roads near Widnes
- 49 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.
- 50 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.
- 50 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.
- 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.
- 51 kmCat and Fiddle ViewpointA high-altitude viewpoint on the A537 between Macclesfield and Buxton, one of England's highest roads with expansive moorland vistas.
- 51 kmCat and Fiddle Road (A537)The moorland road between Macclesfield and Buxton, a Peak District favourite with sweeping bends and long sightlines. Average-speed cameras now cover it.
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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