What's on in Lancashire

Lancashire is a county that seems to offer something for every mood. From the exciting metropolis of Manchester on its border, where you can wine, dine, dance or watch every kind of sport, to the cheeky seaside nonsense of Blackpool, every kind of night out is covered. Similarly there is gorgeous scenery in every corner of the county, from windswept coastline to high rugged hills, moving from the Ribble Valley to the Lake District on its border.

Lastly, history is everywhere in Lancashire, having been founded in the 12th century and recognized in the Doomsday Book. From Lancaster Castle and St Mary’s Priory to Gawthorpe Hall there are historic sites all over. Most famously Lancashire became a major industrial and commercial region during the industrial revolution with hundreds of colleries and mill towns and 85% of all cotton manufactured across the world being processed in Lancashire (check out Blackburn Museum for more a full history).

Manchester, Liverpool and parts of the Lake District used to be part of the county but the boundary changes of 1974 made the county much smaller. Nowadays it is bordered by North and West Yorkshire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester and Cumbria.

Just because the bigger and more famous parts of Lancashire were removed, doesn’t mean it isn’t worth a visit. The scenery of this small county is quite spectacular, with sandy coastline to the west (and some of the most popular seaside resorts in the UK) and rugged open moorland and fells to the east. Highlights include the Ribble and Lune Valleys and the Forest of Bowland as well as numerous nature reserves and country parks with endless walking trails. The north border spills over into the Lake District whilst the Ribble, the Wyre , the Lune and the Mersey pass through the county.

The coastline is broken up by estuaries and Morecambe bay separates Furness from the remainder of the county. Morecambe Bay itself is well worth a visit, not just for the resort, but also because it is a haven for marine life and birdlife. For a different type of coastline however, head to Blackpool for the Illuminations and an altogether less tranquil experience. From the Pleasure beach to the famous tower to the Winter Gardens, Blackpool has been one of the UK’s most popular spots for over a hundred years. Whatever you fancy, you’ll find it in Lancashire.

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