Lancashire is a mostly rural county in north west England, although most people know it for being home the two major cities of Blackpool and Manchester. With a strong heritage from the Industrial Revolution, it also has peaceful hills, lively market towns and wild coastlines.
Always follow the Countryside Code, to keep all creatures safe.
If at the coast, read our post on keeping dogs safe by the seaside.
Roam the Forest of Bowland
The Forest of Bowland, a designated National Landscape (the new name for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty) covers moors and woodland, and you’ll find quiet lanes hiding tucked-away villages. In spring and autumn, look for rare birds over the heather.
Wander the Streets of Lancaster
Lancaster is an attractive city, with a stone castle that overlooks busy streets filled with cafés, indie shops and markets. Walk along St George’s Quay to see classic Georgian buildings.
Soak Up the Coast at Lytham and St Annes
Just a few miles from Blackpool, Lytham and St Annes are far quieter resorts. Lytham has a large green park and boutique shops.
While up the road, St Annes offers the chance to paddle in the sea, or stroll along the old pier.
The Changing Seascape of Morecambe Bay
Morecambe Bay is a stunning ecosystem for birds and wildlife (oystercatchers, curlews, and redshanks live here). This book takes us on a deeply personal journey around the 60 miles of ‘nature’s ampitheatre’.
Morecambe Bay is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in Lancashire and Cumbria, a series of salt marsh and intertidal flats, that provide ‘nature’s larder’ to 250,000 wading birds, ducks and geese.
Morecambe Bay can be treacherous (this is where the Chinese cockle pickers drowned a few years back). Learn how to avoid sinking mud.
The nearby town of Morecambe contains a Victorian music hall. It has fine architecture (and a statue of local comedian Eric Morecambe).
But critics say that like other formerly popular seaside towns (Skegness, Clacton-on-Sea), it has become run-down with boarded up shops and lots of litter. It’s a shame, as the bay has glorious views over the water.
Manchester: The Beating Heart of Industry and Culture
Manchester is the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, and canals still remain, when goods were shipped to London by boat. The cotton mills produced wealth, with many terraced houses standing today.
Like a scene from Coronation Street, which is set in Manchester. David Neilson (who plays Roy Cropper) actually owns the shopping bag that is as famous as he is – his late mother took the bag to Loughborough market for years. He now uses it carry scripts around!
Noted for its music, this city birthed The Smiths and folk singer Ewan MacColl (who wrote Dirty Old Town and was father to Kirsty MacColl).
Two Manchester United players who died in the 1958 Munich air disaster were from here (one surviving passenger was Bobby Charlton).
Another local was Letter from America’s Alistair Cooke, who presented on BBC Radio 4 for decades. A tragedy after his death is that illegal gangs sold his bones to the medical industry (he died from bone cancer, so the tissue was not even healthy).
And all this happened in a country, that Alistair spent his life endearing us to.
Why Parks Beat Blackpool Blackpool Illuminations
One of England’s most popular seaside resorts is Blackpool. Known for its ballroom tower (inspired by the Eiffel Tower), it is also known for trams, ‘Blackpool landladies’ and the Blackpool illuminations, which are a major tourist attraction.
Although people are aware that the Blackpool illuminations bring in tourism income, there are issues. As turning off lights near glass buildings, is one of the best ways to prevent birds flying into windows.
Astronomers say that plans to create an artificial ‘aurora borealis’ by way of a 1KW laser would blight the night sky. And ruin views across the county (and also for Merseyside, Cumbria, North Wales and even Isle of Man).
Where the first Blackpool lights consisted of just 8 arc lamps, today there are over one million bulbs that stretch six miles on the promenade. One seagull even lost a foot when caught on the new halogen energy-efficient lights, causing upset to spectators, including children.
The lights don’t even get very good reviews these days. It’s seems that mostly they are strings of energy-efficient lights, so uninspiring, they are not even worth putting up. Far better to invest the £2 million spent on them each year, surely to create something better!
Carnforth (home to Brief Encounter)
If you’re an old romantic, you likely love the 1945 film Brief Encounter, about two middle-aged people in love, who had to separate due to being married to other people.
Most scenes were shot in London. But the station scenes were filmed at Carnforth railway station, which now has a heritage site. The town itself could do with a bit of a makeover, but it makes for an interesting stop-off.
Vegan Lancashire Hotpot: Perfect Comfort Food
This vegan Lancashire hotpot (The Veg Space) is made with tinned lentils, mushrooms, Maris Piper spuds and ready-made vegan sausages. So good, people from Yorkshire may even try it!
Keep this recipe away from pets due to unsafe ingredients (garlic, onion, mushrooms). Read more on food safety for people and pets.
Just bin alliums (onion family) scraps (along with citrus and rhubarbs) as acids could harm compost bin creatures.
This warming dish used to be a staple, in the days of the thriving cotton industry, when potatoes and lamb were cooked over a low fire.
This recipe uses Maris Piper potatoes for best results, along with tinned lentils for taste and protein. The ‘lamb replacement’ in this case are vegan sausages. We like Moving Mountains as they aren’t owned by a meat company (like Richmond) and very tasty, affordable and easy to find.
If you prefer not to use ‘fake meat’, you can sub with tinned borlotti beans instead. Serve this vegan hotpot with steamed green beans and broccoli or mashed carrot and swede.
