The Ordnance Survey Northern England map is excellent for trip planning and real-time use while traveling this portion of the country. If you elect to use it while driving I recommend folding it carefully first to the panels you need, as it is a very large and potentially cumbersome map.
I used to frequent Manchester, and the Manchester area is very well detailed, as are other comparably sized cities. The Liverpool area is also well detailed, and conveniently depicts the ferry schedule adjacent to Bootle and Wallasey. It's detail like that that makes this (and other Ordnance Survey maps) such a pleasure to use. The legends are well defined, and the index contains an abundance of data on the area including tourist information. The map stretches all the way up to Newcastle-Upon-Tyne in the north, and once again thoughtfully includes the ferry schedule to Amsterdam, Gothenberg, and other ports adjacent to the St. Mary's lighthouse legend.
My only critique of the map is the color used in detailing urban areas: it is a fairly dark taupe and tends to occasionally obscure some of the superlative detail. With that one minor exception, this is a nearly ideal map of northern England, and I recommend it without reservation.