Read on to discover some of the attractions you can explore and enjoy while staying at one of our Lancashire cottages.
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Cottages in Lancashire provide the perfect base for discovering the wide range of attractions this county has to offer. Perhaps best known for the seaside resort of Blackpool, the historic county of Lancashire once also comprised the great metropolitan cities of Manchester and Liverpool which in recent years have shed their dark, satanic images and undergone a renaissance. These former industrial powerhouses are reinventing themselves as centres of sport, shopping and culture, grounded in their respective histories. With its maritime past, the focus for renewal in Liverpool has been the redevelopment of Albert Dock, home to several museums including the Tate and The Beatles Story. Manchester has revitalised an area of former dockland on the Manchester Ship Canal, just a stone's throw from the city centre. Here, Salford Quays is home to The Lowry, an arts complex housing the largest collection of paintings by LS Lowry, plus the Imperial War Museum North. Blackpool, of course, has always been and remains synonymous with English seaside holidays. Although you can still enjoy a nostalgic visit, complete with donkey ride, fish and chips and a stroll along the promenade, the resort has moved on to meet the requirements of the 21st-century holidaymaker.
In complete contrast, from our cottages Lancashire and its rural attractions can also be discovered. Follow the River Ribble upstream, for example, to discover a pastoral, rolling landscape populated by cosy market towns like Clitheroe. Not far from here, the Forest of Bowland is excellent walking country. Though only vestiges of the ancient royal hunting forest remain, this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty offers a magical mix of moor and valley setting. Walking is now a popular activity for those staying at our holiday cottages in Lancashire. Visitors are beginning to discover this attractive, but less well-known, part of the western Pennines where a network of footpaths cross ancient moorland and waterfalls cascade through the wild Bowland Fells. Slaidburn, at the heart of the Forest, is a picturesque Bowland village featuring attractive grey-stone Lancashire cottages. By selecting one of our holiday cottages Lancashire and its many attractions can be discovered.
Places to visit in Lancashire
Forest of Bowland
The Forest of Bowland is a beautiful and unspoilt part of rural Lancashire adjacent to the Yorkshire Dales and, quite rightly, classed as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Until quite recently visitors have been unable to access many of its rugged fells as private landowners reserved them for grouse-shooting. Walkers are now beginning to be drawn to this stunning location where a network of paths cross ancient moorland and the Bowland Fells where dramatic scenery and waterfalls are discovered. A good starting point for many exploring the area is the picturesque village of Slaidburn which lies on the River Hodder and is at the heart of the Forest of Bowland.
One of our Lancashire cottages in the Forest of Bowland.
Pendle Hill
This majestic and brooding whale-back shaped hill is situated between the Bronte Country, Ribble Valley and the Forest of Bowland. Rising to almost 2000 feet, to scale the fell can be a challenging walk (although there is also a relatively easy route from a road which passes over the shoulder of the hill). The top offers breathtaking views across the Forest of Bowland, the Yorkshire Dales and on clear days, the Lake District. However, it is the sensational events that took place during the 17th-century for which it is best known. Discover the Pendle Witches Trail, a fascinating walking tour which takes you around some of the places that are synonymous with the infamous Pendle Witches who were hanged. It starts in the quaint hamlet of Barley and takes in the villages of Newchurch and Roughlee, with their picturesque Lancashire cottages, both recent winners of Lancashire Village of the Year awards. The story is perpetuated by a hilltop gathering each Halloween.
One of our Lancashire cottages near Pendle Hill.
The Ribble Valley
The Ribble Valley is a rural haven where you will find green vales, commanding fells and heather-strewn moorland, most of which is set within the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Ribble Valley conjures up images of quaint villages and stunning countryside, but it is also home to some of Lancashire's best food and drink. An array of wonderful foods - meat from traditional Lancashire breeds, organic milk and cheese, yogurt and ice-cream, handmade chocolate, pies and pastries, and a feast of fruit and vegetables packed with natural flavour - can be found at shops and restaurants along leafy lanes and in its historic towns and villages.
One of our Lancashire cottages in the Ribble Valley.
Clitheroe
This ancient market town in the Ribble Valley is dominated by a massive rock, crowned with the keep of Clitheroe Castle. It lies between the fells of the Forest of Bowland and the majestic and brooding whale-back shaped Pendle Hill and is well known for its specialist shops including tempting food and drink outlets such as fine wines, award-winning sausages and a renowned coffee shop.
One of our Lancashire cottages near Clitheroe.
Arnside
This small, sleepy Victorian seaside resort sits on the estuary of the River Kent where it meets Morecambe Bay and enjoys panoramic views of the Lakeland fells. It is uncrowded, yet really accessible. It is surrounded by deciduous woodlands, limestone grasslands and coastal salt marshes enclosed by low limestone hills creating a perfect environment for rare butterflies and marshland birds. The wooded hill of Arnside Knott , a high flat rock modest by Lakeland standards and largely owned by the National Trust, is a good vantage point for views of Morecambe Bay and the Lake District mountains.
One of our Lancashire cottages near Arnside.
Carnforth
Carnforth is surrounded by picturesque countryside and is close to the sweeping sands of Morecambe Bay. The Lancaster Canal runs through Carnforth and was once an essential waterway for local industries, but is now a wildlife haven and a paradise for walkers and cyclists. Carnforth Station is now a popular visitor attraction as it was the location for the 1945 romantic classic Brief Encounter starring Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard. The Refreshment Room on the platform has been faithfully restored to its 1940's period glory and you can enjoy a drink, or a bite to eat, there.
One of our Lancashire cottages in Carnforth.
Morecambe Bay
If you enjoy walking, a real 'must-do' is the exhilarating 8-mile Cross Bay Walk to Grange-over-Sands, led by Cedric Robinson the official Queen's Guide to the Sands since 1963. For almost half a century, he has guided countless groups of people over a safe path across the potentially treacherous Morecambe Bay - and he has done it for a 'salary' of just £15 a year. Morecambe Bay is incredibly dangerous and this walk should not be undertaken alone. The way the sea twists and turns into the Bay changes each year and so do the dangers. Not only could you find yourself in deep water but there is quicksand. Reassuringly Cedric says: 'I can read the sands like others can read a newspaper'. The guided walks take place between May and September each year and the times vary depending on the tides.
One of our Lancashire cottages near Morecambe Bay.
Martin Mere
Martin Mere lies just inland from Southport and is one of Britain's most important wetland habitats. Managed by the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust it has featured regularly on the BBC. The reserve covers over 350 acres and is visited by thousands of migratory wildfowl throughout the year, as well as being home to over 1,000 tame birds, many of which are on the endangered list.
One of our Lancashire cottages near Martin Mere.
Lancaster
The historic city of Lancaster sits on the River Lune just a few miles inland from Morecambe Bay. The compact, historic heart with its cobbled streets is overlooked by a magnificent Norman castle, whose sturdy walls are still in use today as a prison and courthouse. Guided tours are available around the castle which has been the location for many famous trials down the centuries.
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