Visit Lancashire

Royal Lancashire

With the arrival of the new Princess (Congratulations William & Kate!) we’re feeling particularly patriotic in Lancashire. If you're also feeling royally inspired check out our list of suitably regal things to do in Lancashire.

Top of the list is Lancaster Castle which is still owned by the Queen (or the Duke of Lancaster as she’s known to Lancastrians) and is her only castle in the north of England. The Shire Hall, within the Castle has the country’s largest display of coat of arms shields bearing the arms of every English monarch from Richard the Loinheart onwards.

A Tale of Martyrs, Museums and Monasteries

Intriguingly there is, what appears to be, a very unassuming pedlar’s trunk at the heart of a new exhibition that opened last week at Samlesbury Hall near Preston. But appearances can be deceptive and the story behind this battered suitcase reveals it to be a fascinating time capsule.

The pedlar’s trunk had been walled up in Samlesbury Hall at some point during the C16th, until it was discovered in the mid-19^th Century (some 200 years later.)  The trunk was then bought at auction by a private individual and later sold to Stonyhurst College, who still own it to this day. But why all the fuss over a trunk?

Truly Amazing Creations at Lightworks

As a child I loved to make things, tapping into a part of me that’s creative, practical and pretty much essential to my well-being; the sad thing is it now only finds an occasional outlet in bursts of household DIY! It has certainly been a long time since I rushed home clutching a ‘work of art’ in the hope of winning ‘pride of place’ on the mantelpiece, or prime position on the fridge door. That was until, very recently, when an extremely pleasurable day spent at Lightworks Stained Glass in Clitheroe helped me create my latest ‘masterpiece’.

If you’ve wandered around many a cathedral or church and marvelled at the colourful shadows cast on the stone floors, felt uplifted by multi-coloured lights dancing around the walls, then you’re probably fascinated, as I am, in the skilful art of stained glass creation. Imagine my delight when I discovered a one-day beginner’s course practically on my doorstep.

10 things you might not know about Blackpool’s Grand Theatre

Blackpool’s beautiful Grade II* listed Grand Theatre attracts the best in award-winning touring companies, including The National Theatre, English Touring Theatre, UK Productions, Opera and Ballet International and the Russian State Ballet. But here's 10 things you might not know about 'Blackpool's hidden gem'.

1. Listed Grade II*, the Grand is in the top 8 per cent of all listed buildings in England, one of only nine large theatres listed Grade II* or above, north of London.

Wild about Lancashire

 

With 354 recorded bird species, native mammals such as red deer and otters, and millions of creepy crawlies that include tiger moths and common lizards, Lancashire’s wilder side offers up some great days out.

This year we’ve got a few new attractions to help you enjoy Lancashire’s wildlife even more

 

Cat Crazy in Lancashire

With the announcement this week that Jane McDonald will be taking the lead in CATS at the Blackpool Winter Gardens over the summer we’ve all gone a bit cat crazy on visitlancashire.com

If you can’t wait until the summer to get your feline fix here’s a few ideas for a purrfect day out.

1. The big cats at Blackpool Zoo.

See the ‘Pride of Blackpool’, three African Lions that can be viewed at very close quarters , and two Amur Tigers with their cubs, born in June last year. If you love big cats then book on the zoo’s Big Cat experience.  You’ll get to help clean out the cat’s enclosures, an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the big cat house, and the pretty amazing opportunity to fence feed Zambar, one of the Amur tigers.

Don’t leave your dog at home – dogs need a holiday too!

Don’t leave your doggie friend at home when you go on holiday. We’ve got three great reasons to include your dog in your holiday plans when you visit Lancashire.

1. You’re guaranteed to explore new countryside

Come rain or shine you’ll be out walking your furry friend in completely new surroundings. Not only will your dog love exploring new smells and sites but you’ll see wildlife, experience great views and explore new routes.  Lancashire’s Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is a mere 803 sq km (that’s the same size as New York City) so there’s no shortage of routes and trails to suit all abilities of walkers and dogs. You can download over 50 free walking routes from visitlancashire.com

Places to add to the 2015 Bucket List

We were very pleased to hear that five of our wonderful Lancashire businesses have been shortlisted (from 345 entrants no less) for this year’s national tourism awards for excellence organised by VisitEngland. So if you haven’t checked out any or all of the following, now’s the time to do it.

Will it be a sprint finish for local rider Richard Handley in the Chorley Grand Prix?

The Chorley Grand Prix field of cyclists will include local rider Richard Handley who rides for JLT Condor and will be wearing race number 21 on the day.  Richard has been seen practicing up at Rivington in Chorley where the Chorley Group King of the Mountains competition will take place. We caught up with Richard to get his thoughts on this new circuit.

What do you think of the Chorley Grand Prix circuit?

I think the circuit is great, it has a bit of everything, the climb will suit our team especially. However, with it being placed early in the circuit, it's still a long way to the line in what will likely be mainly headwind that will always favour a chase group over a lone leader trying to hold the chase off as the slipstream you get from sitting on the wheels makes it easier in a group rather than solo.  That means you could well find a couple of climbers going for it on the last climb but a chase group with some sprinters (who can’t climb as well from their heavier stature) and it's anyone’s guess whether they will make it back for the sprint finish.

How to get involved in the Chorley Grand Prix

There’s not long left until the Chorley Grand Prix comes to town on Saturday 4 April but there are still plenty of ways you and your family can get involved in the occasion.  Here are our top ten tips!