10 Great Things To Do In Lancashire

If you’re planning a trip to Royal Umpire Holiday Park in Lancashire, you might want to explore this beautiful North West county and discover all it has to offer before you spend your evening in one of our premium glamping pods or on our pristine touring or camping site.

Royal Umpire can be found close to the gorgeous village of Croston in rural South Lancashire, close to Chorley and Preston, and you’ll find yourself not far from the coastal towns of Southport and Blackpool. But head away from the coast and you’ll find Lancashire has far more to discover.

Let’s have a look at 10 great places to visit in the Red Rose county!

 

1. Lancaster

The historic city of Lancaster is rich in history and easy to explore on foot. The city has ties to the British throne, with Queen Elizabeth II being the Duke of Lancaster, and there’s plenty to see, from the proud Georgian houses dating back to the 1700s to Lancaster Castle, filled with a thousand years of tales and intrigue.

Go for a tour of the castle to unlock the history of the former court and prison, which includes takes of its most famous residents, the Pendle Witches! There are daily tours of the 12th-century building and grounds, where you can visit the judges’ lodgings, and read the stories of the people who were tried, convicted, acquitted or executed at Lancaster Castle.

 

2. The Lancashire Cheese Trail, Garstang

Lancashire is well-known for its cheese, and you can find the eponymous cheese made in three different varieties, creamy, crumbly, and tasty, and there are three walking trails dedicated to these cheeses which allow you to sample their delicious flavour while learning all about the history of Lancashire cheesemaking amid the picturesque countryside.

Don’t forget to visit the multi-award-winning Dewlay cheese shop for delicious snacks, before having lunch or a picnic by the Lancaster Canal and watch the narrowboats drift by. While you’re there, why not visit Guys Thatched Hamlet or Th’owd Tithebarn?

 

3. Relax with a Llama at Wellbeing Farm, Bolton

Looking for something different to do with the kids? Why not try Llama Trekking across the outstanding West Pennine Moors for a chance to get away from it all.

The Wellbeing Farm, set in the beautiful countryside of the West Pennine Moors has five llamas who will take you along country lanes and around local reservoirs, affording you breathtaking views of the countryside.

Back at the farm, relax with a drink and a slice of cake from their coffee shop.

 

4. Walk in the footsteps of Alfred Wainwright, Blackburn

The published walks of Alfred Wainwright are usually more associated with the Lake District, but you can discover the Blackburn-born author through the hills, valleys and farmland of Blackburn.

Start at Witton Country Park and follow the Beamers Trial onto the yellow hills above the east Lancs former mill town, and you’ll discover a memorial troposcope to Wainwright while taking in the same magnificent views that inspired him.

Why not finish off in one of the many local pubs with a pint of Blackburn brewery Thwaites’ Wainwright ale?

 

5. Darwen

South of Blackburn, you’ll find the town of Darwen, which is ideal for outdoor holiday activities, with bike trails, footpaths, and bridleways that will take you up onto the West Pennine Moors.

The windswept and barren scenery has an untamed appeal, and a visit to Jubilee Tower, known to locals as Darwen Tower is a must. Sat atop the 372-metre Darwen Hill, the landmark was built for Queen Victoria’s jubilee in 1897, and climb to the top to be rewarded with panoramic vistas of Lancashire, as far out as Blackpool, Morecambe Bay, and even the Isle of Man.

Back in the town of Darwen, you’ll find a thriving social scene with restaurants, bars, live music, and a Victorian Market Hall filled with local produce.

 

6. Chorley

Like many of Lancashire’s cotton towns, Chorley’s skyline was crowded with chimneys until the end of the 20th century, and nearby collieries closed for good in the 1980s.

The town benefitted from the Industrial Revolution and made it an important town in the region, although it had been a prominent market town since the 15th century, and you can still visit the market on Tuesdays for freshly baked Chorley cake!

Take time to explore Astley Hall, owned by the town, with its amazing 17th-century country house and walled gardens, or visit nearby Rivington Pike, a sandstone peak that climbs to 363-metres and provides an incredible vantage point of the moorland and Rivington Reservoir.

 

7. Garstang

Mentioned in the Domesday Book in the 11th century, Garstang is an adorable market town, and has a weekly market that has been running since 1310. Close by is the Forest of Bowland, which is perfect for walkers.

Head for the ruins of Greenhaigh Castle on elevated ground above the town, and while there is little left of the sandstone building, the fragile beauty of the ruins also provides beautiful vistas of the town and countryside.

Lancaster Canal runs through the town, running all the way up to Kendall in Cumbria, and you can walk the towpath or hire a narrowboat to discover the wild moorland and fells at a slightly less intensive gradient.

 

8. The Tolkien Trail

Many places across the UK claim to have influenced the author J.R.R. Tolkien, but it is well known that he spent considerable time at Stonyhurst College, close to Clitheroe and Whalley, while he worked on The Lord of the Rings during WWII.

There are connections between the landscape and the famous author’s work, and the five-and-a-half-mile Tolkien Trail explores the Ribble Valley that is said to have inspired him.

Tolkien was known for his love of the wooded landscaped and abundant nature of the countryside around Stonyhurst College, and it is thought that ‘The Shire’ was certainly influenced by the area. Why not explore the trail with your little hobbits and find out for yourself?

 

9. Pendle Hill

Pendle Hill rises above ancient hunting grounds that once were home to wild boar and wolves, and history and legend have cast a spell over Pendle, which today is dotted with farms and tiny hamlets.

Pendle Hill is best known for the legend of the Pendle Witches in the 17th century, a dark tale of imprisonment and execution, where twelve people were accused of witchcraft, ten of whom were executed at Lancaster Castle.

However, away from the grisly and notorious tales of witchcraft, Pendle Hill, rising 557-metres high, is one of the most recognisable natural landmarks in Lancashire, lying in the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Beauty.

Relish this breathtaking countryside on the five-mile walk, and be rewarded with spectacular views from the summit.

10. Carnforth

Carnforth is a small town in northern Lancashire, close to the boundary with Cumbria. It gained a reputation as a railway town when it was the setting for David lean’s classic 1945 movie, Brief Encounter.

Visit the Heritage Centre to see reconstructed sets from the film and artefacts from the glorious steam age. You can also board a steam train to Scarborough on the West Coast Line heritage railway, and enjoy luxury cream tea in first class!

Carnforth is also a great town for walkers, providing a good base for exploring Warton Crag, a steep limestone hill, also home to a breeding programme for peregrine falcons.

Wherever you visit in Lancashire, you can be sure of a good country pub at the end of a walk, award-winning food at the many farmers’ markets and towns, but don’t take our word for it, go and explore this beautiful county and find out for yourself!

If you’re looking for an ideal touring site to pitch your wagon, a scenic camping site to pitch your tent or fancy treating yourself to a night in one our sought-after glamping pods, there is no better way to explore Lancashire than at Harrison Holiday’s Royal Umpire Park, the perfect destination for your next holiday in North West England.