Visit Lancashire

Five must do things when you visit the seaside this year

Holidays and days out at the seaside are the stuff of childhood memories. But it doesn’t have to be complicated. Think donkey rides, building sandcastles, fish & chips and you’re already there. Throw in a summer show and you’ve got the makings of a great day out beside the sea.

1. Build a sandcastle, complete with flags and shell decorations
Try the beaches at St Annes, Blackpool, Cleveleys, Fleetwood and Morecambe. Buy an ice cream and encourage the kids to have a donkey ride – what could be simpler? Get more info on beaches in Lancashire

Get Active in Lancashire

Forget the gym, let our beautiful (and sometimes challenging) Lancashire landscape inspire you to get active.

Walking
Its free, doesn’t require specialist equipment (except for comfy shoes) and you can do it anywhere. This vastly underrated form of exercise is proven to help reduce the risk of developing chronic illnesses, is suitable for all ages AND we’ve got loads of free walking routes to download from visitlancashire.com.

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.

Cycle Adventures - Way of the Roses

Last summer, my friend James decided he wanted to celebrate his 40^th birthday in style by tackling the Way of the Roses cycle ride.  How could we as his friends turn down such an adventure!

So after endless planning and with panniers packed, we embarked on this four day trek starting on the Morecambe Bay coast after a quick obligatory group photo on the promenade.

Spring into Lancashire during English Tourism Week

This year the English Tourism Week (14-22 March) coincides with the first day of Spring – so what better way to celebrate Lancashire’s fantastic choice of visitor experiences than with our 
Top Five Things to do in Lancashire this Spring.

1. Celebrate the natural world with a visit to a nature reserve. 
See Avocets at WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre, Burscough which is celebrating its 40^th year with events throughout 2015. The new hide at Brockholes Nature Reserve near Preston (just off J31) with floor to ceiling glass gives visitors a brand new way to view the birdlife on No 1 Pit Lake and the new Sand Martin Wall.  See more nature reserves in Lancashire

Cocktails, Cabaret and Culinary Delights

The Beach House on Blackpool Promenade has long been a favorite hangout of mine and I always make a point of calling in whenever I’m in town. With laid back beats, amazing cocktails and stunning sunsets it reminds me a little of Cafe Mambo in Ibiza and it certainly looks and feels the part. The modern, minimalist decor, excellent service and a relaxed atmosphere put this bar at the top of my list for a pre-show Bellini before heading across to the Tower.

2015 Highlights

2015 promises to be another action packed year in Lancashire including a fantastic range of events and things to do across the county.

Whether you want to fly like the Red Arrows, celebrate 40 years of wildlife conservation at WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre, spend a week in Lytham for the new Proms Festival or indulge in a gourmet break at Northcote in the Ribble Valley, you'll find it all in Lancashire during 2015.

 

Join the Circus!

Got kids of multiple ages to entertain? The weather’s not so great? Then I heartily recommend a trip to The Blackpool Tower Circus for 2+ hours of dare devil feats, family fun and general amazement, not forgetting oodles of popcorn, flashy lights and Mooky the clown.

Discovering seaside fun with St Annes Beach Huts

It wouldn’t be summer without a trip to the seaside and what could be more quintessentially British than a beach hut overlooking the expansive sandy beach at St Annes.

We arrived just after 10am (after a welcoming text from Stuart, the owner) to find our lovely beach hut ready and waiting for us.  We put the kettle on, opened the doors and made ourselves at home in what became our home for the day.

A comfy seating area, moveable table and plenty of deck chairs made our base very cosy – with the added convenience of the fridge, microwave, DAB radio, plates, glasses and cutlery – we were short of nothing. We’d brought a picnic for our lunch with plenty of yummy cream cakes (picked up at Barton Grange Garden Centre on route) and a bottle of bubbly so the fridge was well stocked for the day.

All Aboard!

Atlas Sailing in Fleetwood joined as Members of Marketing Lancashire last September and since then Director and owner Andy Dobson has been keen to show us exactly what their customers experience on one of their Half Day Packages,  so that we could help promote their business more effectively to potential customers and visitors.

He suggested we waited for the spring and the calmer weather and at the beginning of May, when the team was offered the opportunity to sail with Atlas Sailing it was something that I jumped at! As a child growing up in Jersey, living so close to the sea and boats, sailing was something that I used to do regularly with my Dad but I hadn’t been for quite some time. I had certainly never sailed on the waters off Lancashire before, but having lived here now for 9 years it was high time I did.