Visit Lancashire

This is your Captain Speaking

Have you heard of Stacksteads International Airport?  Not many people have, but I recently packed my bag and headed to Stacksteads, just outside Bacup, to embark on a bit of a journey with Flightdeck Experience that’s sure to put this Lancashire town on the jet-setters map.

Vicky and Steve Everson have worked tirelessly to turn their hobby into a business; one that offers visitors the chance to take full control of a Boeing 737-800 flight simulator. Steve scoured the country, collecting aircraft parts to build his own simulator from scratch – and It’s very impressive.

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.

The World’s Largest Indoor Illuminations Experience

I was really happy to be invited to one of the very first viewings of Blackpool’s newest attraction for Illuminasia, before it opened to the general public on Good Friday 2014. As we know, Blackpool is famous the world over for its autumn display of lights along six miles of Promenade, but this is something very different indeed. Located within the historical Winter Gardens complex in the town centre, the Olympia room has been dedicated to an indoor light experience designed to thrill audiences of all ages and, as I found, it is a truly impressive addition to Blackpool’s grand line up of attractions.

Illuminasia is the resort’s first new indoor family attraction in over 20 years and cost £3m to develop, covering 4,000 sq mtrs and comprising 6 interactive worlds.  It was created by over fifty Chinese artisans and consists of hundreds of silk models attached to metal frames lit from inside by 35,000 LED lights.

Fun at Farmer Parrs Animal World

With thanks to Helen Davies, visitlancashire.com new regular guest blogger.

The sun was shining as we drove towards Farmer Parrs Animal World in Fleetwood Lancashire. Accompanied by my sister-in-law, friend and my 18-month-old niece, Arya, I was excited for a day on the farm.

We arrived at 11.30am and headed straight for the Pottery Studio where Arya chose a little ceramic dog to paint and we got to work. I'm not sure who had more fun, us or her! Whilst we painted, we had the opportunity to learn the story behind the project. The Pottery Studio is owned and run by the charity, Autism Initiatives, who give employment opportunities to people with autism. They make all of the pottery in house and it allows them to develop skills, both social and practical in a safe and friendly environment. Such a fantastic initiative!

After all that painting, we were hungry so headed off to the cafe for lunch! They had a great menu with everything from breakfasts and burgers to salads, sandwiches and my favourite, jacket potato with cheese and beans! They also had a children’s menu too, so there was plenty of choice for Arya.

‘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.

Sally goes cycling in Blackpool

Collecting bikes from the South Pier cycle hire station in Blackpool was very easy once we’d registered and with a firm tug we released our trusty bikes from the automated racks and headed off along the promenade. The new wide open spaces created along the promenade are great for cyclists creating plenty of room for everyone (including the donkeys when the tide was in) and we were soon zipping along with the wind in our hair. 

A day at Farmer Parrs Animal Farm

After a slow Sunday morning, I decided to load the car with the younger members of my family for a trip to Fleetwood to visit Farmer Parrs Animal Farm.

The journey from Preston started off well; however there was a slight ‘diversion’ through Singleton village and some narrow but quaint country lanes. After half an hour sheep spotting from the loaded car we eventually arrived at a very well sign posted Farmer Parrs.

Eat me, drink me!

Fighting our way through the hoards towards the Rose & Crown for the launch of the first Clitheroe food market, I can only say that this is yet another success for Clitheroe. The market town that put the Ribble Valley on the foodie map with the launch of the Ribble Valley Food Trail has hit the mark again with the launch of its’ fine foods street market. Voted official food town of Lancashire the crowds certainly turned up, maybe it was the free samples of sausage, black pudding and cake that enticed people to the stalls, whatever it was the traders were doing a roaring trade. At the mad hatters tea party themed launch in the courtyard of the Rose and Crown, The Mayor of Ribble Valley presented Nigel Haworth with honorary membership of the chamber of trade. Huge cups and saucers, stilt walkers and even the mad hatter himself, added to the festival atmosphere, the instructions to ‘eat me’ and ‘drink me’ on the varied refreshments were certainly followed to the letter... believe it or not -there are only so many cup cakes one can eat!!

Nikki

For more photos of the day, see Clitheroe Advertiser