Visit Lancashire

Welcome to Lancashire, Where Life Feels Good!

Come and enjoy our rich culture and heritage, take to our coast and hills for fresh-air fun and some of the best outdoor activities around, or to learn why we’re referred to as the ‘food and drink county’ thanks to authentic local produce that’s second to none.

Jump on a Virgin train from London and be in the centre of Lancashire in just two hours, then it’s just a short hop to the bright lights and entertainment of Blackpool- the UK’s favourite seaside resort or to the wide open spaces of the Forest of Bowland, the geographic centre of the United Kingdom and the latest star-gazers paradise.

This county of contrasts has something for everyone, here is just a taste of what to expect this spring!

#LoveTheNorth #WhereLifeFeelsGood

To find out more about the huge choice of events, festivals, activities and experiences go to our What's On Guide

The Parkers Arms

I’m always a little late to the proverbial party when it comes to food trends: street food, kale, cocktails in jars... And so it is that I am the last food blogger in the north of England to visit The Parkers Arms in Lancashire. I’ve spent the last two years, seeing pics and reading reviews but never making it out there. But now I have and it was well worth the wait!

We went up late on a Saturday afternoon. About an hour from our house, it’s a great drive up to Newton-in-Bowland past Clitheroe, through Waddington and then past the sheep in the hills. The Parkers Arms isn’t a trendy gastropub with a soulless interior and identikit menu. This is a ‘proper’ pub with proper ale, proper fire and properly lovely people working there. We were tucked in next to the fire which was lit even though it was a lovely warm day outside, but we didn’t mind as it just added to the general ambience of the place.

The Wellbeing Farm Sausage Experience

This certainly wasn’t your average Saturday night.  It was a winter's evening and I was at Wellbeing Farm in Edgworth (between Darwen and Bolton), right on the tops (in thick fog I hasten to add) about to take part in The Wellbeing Sausage Experience. My cohorts were two girls in their late teens, that had been bought the course as a Christmas gift, a pig farmer, his partner and their son who was training to be a chef.  We were all equally intrigued about the evening ahead.

Biking in Breathtaking Bleasdale

Inglewhite to Chipping via Scorton
Miles 32 – Terrain, undulating

With a definite nip in the air, my cycling friends and I donned gloves and helmet in the glorious sunshine as we cycled out of the pretty village of Inglewhite. We climbed through the Forest of Bowland towards Beacon Fell Country Park taking us onto Bleasdale Moor, up towards Lancaster and eventually bringing you to the village of Scorton. As is usual, we stopped for a well-deserved rest at the Priory Inn Café for homemade soup, sandwiches and a warm fire fuelling us up for the route back to Chipping.

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.

15 Years of Culinary Magic

It’s here! Our 15th ‘Obsession’ and a landmark thirty years in business for both Craig and myself. 2014 ticked by and ‘Obsession 15’ approached I felt the need to plan something very special, so why not go global? My team and I set about planning an event with the objective of taking your breath away!

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.

 

Marchpane, sugar mice and mince pies

Christmas through the ages at Rufford Old Hall

As you sit down to tuck into a traditional turkey lunch on Christmas Day, have you ever thought how our ancestors marked the festive season? At Rufford Old Hall near Ormskirk they’ve delved into the past to find out. 

Rufford is one of Lancashire’s finest Tudor buildings – it’s magnificent Great Hall the scene of many feasts and festivities. It also has a beautiful Victorian interior and it was when she was planning Rufford’s Christmas programme this year that Catherine Hazley, Rufford’s Visitor Services Officer decided to link these two historical periods with the theme of festive food through the ages.


Christmas with the Tudors

“Christmas was the greatest festival celebrated by the Tudors” says Catherine. Advent was a time of fasting with no meat, cheese, eggs or dairy products being eaten – although you could get around this by drinking milk made from almonds.

Cool Colne

I’ve been intrigued by the chatter and the ‘buzz’ on social media
about the retailers and cafes in Colne so, not being one to miss a chance to shop, I headed off one sunny day to explore Lancashire’s newest capital of cool with fellow PR and stylista, Laura.

It must be said that Albert Road, the main street, is very attractive, especially at the moment with almost every building festooned in flowers - the hanging baskets and window boxes filled to bursting.  What a treat too to find that the first, well-signed car park is actually FREE; a great way to encourage trade and welcome new visitors!