Visit Lancashire

Preston Passion

On Good Friday, 6 April 2012, I joined the crowds in Preston city centre to spectate and be a part of the Preston Passion - unique collaboration between the BBC and the Preston Guild, which was to be live on BBC1 that day.

The Preston Passion was a contemporary and dramatic re-telling of the Passion story hosted by Fern Britton.

It resulted to be a moving piece of theatre with a live choir and dancers, interpersed with three short films, each with a drama that brought the passion story to life. 

Brand New Slides at the Sandcastle Waterpark

We have been fans of the Sandcastle for many years. Our visits are always enjoyable and the kids think it’s the best thing ever! We were therefore very pleased to go and try out the brand new Aztec slides which opened to the public on February 4th  – we had seen the slides taking shape from the outside over the past few months outside the attraction.

These are 2 new slides which snake their way from the roof of the building (you’re still indoors – don’t worry!) down to 2 new splash zones back in the main area.

First we tried the Aztec Falls tube ride – took a double ring, entered through the smoke and up the stairs to the top for launch. The atmosphere built with Aztec music playing and themed paintings and footage on the monitors. As we sat there awaiting the green light we were both scared and excited at the same time as the ride set off into the pitch black.

Celebrate Lancashire Day at the Museum of Lancashire

What connects the man who invented the term ‘dinosaur’, a 16 metre long First World War trench, an archaeological dig and Les Dawson?

Believe it or not, all of them feature in the brand spanking newly re-opened Museum of Lancashire in Preston which celebrates all things great in Lancashire. And what better time to visit than on Sunday 27^th November – Lancashire Day!

Of course we know Lancashire’s great, but I didn’t really appreciate the breadth of scientific discovery, heritage and culture in Lancashire until I’d visited the Museum of Lancashire this week.

Finding out about Lancashire through the discovery of ancient artefacts was a personal favourite, and Lancashire’s history of law and order had me muttering in disbelief at the
sentences served to what seem to be very young offenders. The sights, sounds and smells of the First World War trench are thought provoking and chilling to experience, but on a lighter note, the fun of seaside holidays and music hall entertainers brought a smile
to my face.

I enjoyed listening to authentic ‘lanky’ dialect in the Lancashire’s people gallery and the ‘What I love about Lancashire’ exhibition was fascinating (apparently Lancashire’s countryside is a firm favourite with most people).

As a bonus the whole museum is completely free, so you can dip in and out at your whim. And with a new trendy cafe (I just love the chairs) and gift shop I can see it being a popular for all ages.

Sally

 

Monster Machines Powered by Jet Engines

The recent Bank Holiday weekend saw Wyre play host to the Tractor Pulling Championships at Great Eccleston.

For anyone who doesn’t know, these are monster machines powered by jet engines – yes, the ones you will find in aircraft!

In a nutshell, they “pull” a weight at the back of the tractor called a sled as far as they can down a track and the one who “pulls” the furthest is the winner.

‘ave an horrible day at Blackpool Tower Dungeon

A preview of the new Blackpool Tower Dungeon before it opened to the public was not a decision taken lightly (I usually require someone to hold my hand when faced with the average fairground ghost train) but there I was in the brilliant Blackpool sunshine standing outside the entrance, waiting for the scariness to start.  

The Blackpool Tower Circus

My husband and I and our two grand children aged 11, visited the Blackpool Tower Circus this month. We were not too enthusiastic and were half expecting the same old drawn out acts and slap stick clowns we had experienced with our own children many years ago. We were also concerned that the children, more used to modern forms of entertainment may have found the performance tame. How wrong we were. The show was vibrant, exciting, breathtaking and continually full of surprises. There was never a dull moment with Mr Boo and Mooky, their antics had us all laughing. It is so refreshing to see a class act which is good family entertainment.

Merlin & The Legend of King Arthur - walkabout theatre from The Dukes

A few of visit Lancashire team saw Merlin last night.... this is what we all thought.

"After a busy day in the office you don’t always fancy going out – or is that just me?  But last night I was so glad I headed (with some friends) to Lancaster for the Duke’s walkabout production of Merlin  in Williamson Park. The threat of rain having passed and with clear, stunning views over Morecambe Bay we embarked on a mini adventure around this enchanting park.

Leyland Festival Fever

Only days to go to the Leyland Festival 2011 and the preparations are in full swing. I’m running round helping my Regeneration Team colleagues and our partners on the Festival Committee to put the last minute arrangements in place to make sure that everything will run smoothly on 9th & 10th July.

One of my main tasks has been to spread the word and make sure that as many people as possible know about the Festival through flyers, posters, papers and websites etc - not forgetting Twitter and Facebook.

This week, I’ve been getting information out to help people book places on the Leyland Trucks factory tours, enter their dogs in one of our Paws in the Park dog show classes and take part in the Lancashire Bushtucker Trials, eating pig’s trotters and other interesting things. Yuck!

Visiting Lancashire's fantastic new Floating Visitor Centre: Brockholes

I have travelled up and down the M6 motorway passed Junction 31 for months and months and months along with 27 million other users of the M6, always casting an eye towards the old gravel pits on the left hand side of the motorway when travelling southbound to see if I could view the unique floating venue which I knew was being created on the site known as Brockholes.

I had been to a meeting on the site after it had been purchased by the Wildlife Trust back in 2007 and met with the project managers at the gravel pit when Adam Khan’s ‘Floating World’ design was announced as the winning design of a new competition launched by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) for new visitor facilities.

Countdown to the Garstang Walking Festival!

It’s the week before the Garstang Walking Festival opens on the 6th May and I’m full of nervous excitement about it all. As a volunteer ranger leading and backing up some of the walks and activities you just want to help all those who will come to take part to enjoy what the Wyre area has to offer. May is the queen of months and anyone wanting to experience flora and fauna, fells and fields, rivers and coast at its best, couldn’t do better than take part in the festival. It’s very special to be in the woods – the trees which have been home to herons for hundreds of years. As this heronry is on a private estate, the festival offers this one-off chance.