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Friday, 25th July 2003

Lancashire: the coast and the hills

Blackpool sands

The west coast of Lancashire lacks cliffs and cosy fishing hamlets but it compensates with miles of sandy beaches, often backed by sand dunes, whilst three major rivers divide the county of Lancashire: the Mersey, the Ribble, and the Lune. There are some major holiday resorts, in particular Southport and Blackpool.

Southport

Southport has the wrought iron clad, tree-lined boulevard of Lord Street, brash Pleasureland, the Botanic Gardens, the Lawnmower Museum (very sexy) and the lovely Florilegia (May) and Flower Show (August). Inland from Southport is Rufford Old Hall, one of the best Tudor houses in Lancashire, set in 14 acres. Not far away is Martin Mere Wildfowl Trust where there are thousands of resident ducks, geese, swans, flamingos and rare breeds, as well as migrants.

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Blackpool

From Southport beach, looking north, you can see Blackpool Tower rising above the heat haze on the other side of the Ribble Estuary. Blackpool is unashamedly vulgar, with its Golden Mile of sand, promenade, trams, hotels, zoo, wonderful tower and ballroom, three piers, amusement arcades, cabaret bars and theatres. It extends the holiday season each year with its annual illuminations switched on by some north west celebrity. Blackpool is a snob's nightmare, but for any overseas visitor who wants to make a fun study of an essential part of the British psyche, it is irresistible. Blackpool Pleasure Beach, the Sea Life Centre and the World of Coronation Street all provide glitz and thrills. Along with the highest rollercoaster in the world you can do donkey rides. A few miles south of Blackpool lies the self-consciously handsome resort of Lytham St Anne's.

Lancaster

Further north is Lancaster and its lovely Georgian Quay and Maritime Museum on the tidal River Lune. This, the historical capital of Lancashire, is a delightful old city with a fiercely impressive castle which partly houses one of HM Government Prisons. You can visit part of the building. The castle shares a splendid site, on the crest of a hill, with the handsome Priory Church, with its fine mediaeval woodwork. The Ashton Memorial in Williamson Park is the largest folly built in the Kingdom. There is a Butterfly House on site too. The park has magnificent views over Morecambe Bay, the Pennines and the Lake District. Lancaster is an excellent town to visit and worth a diversion from the motorway on your way to the north. The fabulous John O'Gaunt pub and Atkinsons, the utterly unchanged C19 purveyor of teas and coffees - blended on the premises - provide an extra excuse to stop.

The Trough of Bowland

East and south is The Trough of Bowland, a relatively unvisited area of splendid hill-country. Dunsop Bridge here, claims to be the exact geographic centre of the UK.

Clitheroe

South again is Clitheroe with its tiny castle and not far away amazing Stoneyhurst College, associated with Arthur Conon Doyle and Gerard Manley Hopkins. Close by again is Pendle Hill and its occult associations.

Preston

The real capital of Lancashire today is Preston with its superb Harris Art Gallery and Museum and the National Museum of Football at the Deepdale stadium of Preston North End.

Burnley

Burnley, close to Pendle Hill, has the excellent Towneley and Gawthorpe Halls in its boundaries.

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