We have plenty of pretty villages in Greater Manchester, but there are many others to be found if you're willing to travel a little further afield.
One that regularly tops the list of best places to visit is just two hours away in North Yorkshire.
On the edge of the North York Moors National Park, Thornton-le-Dale is a chocolate box village which has in fact won awards for being Britain’s prettiest village.
And on a little trip there with my family this Easter, it wasn't hard to see why.
A couple of miles east of Pickering, it's known for its picture-postcard beauty with charming thatched cottages and a bubbling beck running through it. On Easter Monday, 1,000 rubber ducks will be released into the water for the village's annual duck race to raise money for its Christmas lights.
The 17th Century Beck Isle Cottage, (main image), set back from the main street and just beside the beck, is one of Yorkshire's most photographed landmarks, often appearing in postcards, posters and calendars.
After parking at the main village centre car park in Maltongate, the short stroll to the main street, past the leafy duck pond, is a treat in itself. There's even a nature trail around the pond if you have time.
Walking or cycling routes can be picked up straight from the village - with Dalby Forest only a couple of miles away - but we were there to have a wander round the shops and grab a bite to eat.
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It's mostly home to independent traders, rather than chains, which gives it that unique feel and even has its own Chocolate Factory on the village square where you can pick up some handmade treats.
After a walk to the nearby Selbys Antiques and Fine Art showroom and a stroll down the beck, where the dog loved having a paddle, we found the most perfect place for a spot of lunch.
Baldersons is a bakery, tearoom and gift shop all rolled into one and tucked away at the back is lovely tea garden, where thankfully dogs are allowed too.
This family-run business started life as a bakery in Ampleforth back in 1895 and has passed down the generations with traditional family recipes for its cakes, breads and pastries still going strong.
The menu's pretty varied so we had no problem choosing what to have - picking a range of paninis, chicken and salad, as well as fresh milkshakes and refreshing Fentiman's Victorian Lemonade.
We skipped the desserts in favour of the Baldersons Ice Cream Parlour just next to the cafe, which sells an abundance of flavours, from coconut and lemon cheesecake to bubblegum and Turkish delight.
The place isn't packed with shops and we didn't want it to be, but there's enough to keep the whole family busy for a good few hours, especially if you have the weather to splash about in the stream.
We were staying in the area, rather than a day trip, and it's around two hours from Manchester. But it's one of those places that's so beautiful, we really didn't want to leave.
Thornton-le-Dale is on the A170 two miles east of Pickering. The large visitor car park is off Maltongate at YO18 7SD.
