its strange but there are not a lot of sites within very easy reach of manchester.
Theres loads round preston area which is about 40 mins away and quite a few round the buxton / ashbourne area.
Really Andrew it depends a lot on what you want from the site, i could recomend loads some very quiet some very commerciall but what we like may be different from your preferances.
Hi icemaker we have got childen but non of us like rowdy site so a quite site but child friendly would be best,i would prefer Preston way rather than south of Manchester due to roads+traffic like A6 etc,any suggestions around preston/garstang area?
If Burrs Country Park (north of Bury) is fine for you area wise I would certainly recommend it. I wrote a review when we came back a few weeks ago (do a search) I don't know about seasonal pitches, but we found it lovely peaceful site with the added fun during the day of steam trains trundeling by at regular intervals. Good childrens play area at the pub on the entrance to the site. Worth an enquiry I would have thought.
I know where burrs is and it looks a nice site,but i am a mobile engineer and most of my work is in the Bury area and it may feel like a bus mans holiday to go there.Any more?
Sorry Andrew i have been busy this week getting the van sorted for our hols, the best thing to do is go on to;
http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk
do a local area search for preston and read the reviews as like i said we are a bit easy going and what we like may or may not appeal to you. You will find loads and loads of sites that do seasonal on this website.