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.
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.
We recently visited the Ribble Steam Railway, Preston to view the ‘Mail by Rail’ exhibition that has been launched. Put together by the Association of British Philatelic Societies The 'Mail by Rail' Exhibition which was previously on show in Crewe features stamps, first day covers, letters and postcards with railway themes.
The displays also features how the railways carried letters overnight to many parts of the country and how people used this service. One such letter featured is addressed to Harold MacMillan before he became Prime Minister.
On Friday morning Sally and I went to visit WWT Martin Mere for the launch of their brand new attraction, Canoe Safari.
First of all we learnt about all of the new exciting developments that have and will be taking place over the next 12 months at WWT Martin Mere. As well as the Canoe Safari, their new Mereside Cafe has recently opened offering hot and cold food.
A brand new woodland play area, a den building area, kiosk and England's first composting toilets will also be opening within the next month. Then by next Easter they will also have an adventure area with climbing walls.
I was lucky enough to spend one of last week’s spectacularly sunny days in the Ribble Valley with Lancashire Food Hero Tours, who offer organised and bespoke visits to all manner of food producers, with demos and, of course, tastings.
Our first stop was Gazegill Organic Farm where their belief that their animals should be given the most natural, comfortable and longest life possible even extends to them naming every single one of their 100 cows!
Friday night’s guest evening at Lancaster Duke’s Theatre saw Rebecca Hutchinson as LV in the Rise and Fall of Little Voice steal the show, ably supported by Eithne Browne as Mari Hoff and Keiran Flynn as Ray Say.
As a resident Scarborian I was eager to see how the on stage drama compared with the original Sam Mendes film shot in Yorkshire’s premier seaside resort in 1992. With Jane Horrocks playing the lead, Michael Caine as Ray Say; Brenda Blethyn as Mari Hoff and Ewan McGregor as Billy, the film had left some lasting memories with me.
The second of this year’s Lancashire Hotshot evenings took place at the wonderful MJ’s Restaurant in Darwen.
What an absolute treat chef Dominic Taylor cooked up. Not wanting to miss out on any of the tempting delights on offer my guest and I agreed to choose differently and neither of us was disappointed.
The new Hotshots programme kicked off last night (Tues 22 Feb) at the Freemasons in Wisell.
Sous Chef Matthew Horsfall, took over the kitchen of this newly awarded Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant, to deliver a menu that was simply sensational.
Our table selected courses across the menu and therefore had the benefit of seeing every dish; each plate a beautifully presented feast for the eyes before it was even tasted.For those who couldn’t make it this time, here’s the menu:
So now that the Obsession Food Festival at Northcote has ended for another year, why not visit one of the traditional Lancashire farmers markets where you can pick up fresh ingredients and have a go at your own Obsession dinner party!
Monday night’s mouth-watering menu at Northcote’s Obsession Food Festival was brought to us by Sat Bains, chef-owner of Nottinghamshire’s only Michelin starred restaurant.
Sat said that of all the festivals he takes part in Obsession is the best and he loves coming to Lancashire and staying at Northcote.
