Tourism
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Did you know?
Morecame, Lancaster and the Lune Valley are full of royal connections. Lancaster Castle belongs to HM the Queen, the 'sand pilot' who guides people on the famous walk across the sands of Morecambe Bay is by royal appointment and even Morecambe's potted shrimps have a royal seal of approval!
Are you an outdoor type, enjoying the rugged moorland or strolling
along canal banks? Or do you prefer shopping and eating out; visiting genuinely interesting
historial sites or exciting family attractions?
You might like a mixture of all these things. Whatever you like,
come to Lancashire - a county with something to offer everyone.
When you choose Lancashire as your leisure destination, you'll be in good company. It's estimated that 22 million day trips are made to attractions in the county every year. People come from far and wide, locally and overseas, to enjoy the wide green spaces and buzzing urban areas that Lancashire has to offer. And of course, the one thing that's guaranteed, free of charge, is a warm and friendly welcome.
Tourism in Lancashire is big business. Visitors spend approximately £250 million per year and thousands of jobs are supported by the tourism industry.
To boost the already important status of tourism in the county, the Lancashire Tourism Partnership was formed to develop the county as a centre of excellence for diversity and quality in tourism, which will lead to benefits for visitors, for businesses and their staff, and for the environment.
Highlighted below are just some of the activities you might enjoy when you visit us:
Cycling in Lancashire
Pedal power is high on the county's transport agenda and new
cycle paths make cycling easier, safer and more fun. The diversity
of the Lancashire landscape offers both the leisure cyclist and the
more dedicated rider a wide choice of routes through flat open countryside,
coastal salt marshes or hilly terrain, with spectacular views and
panoramic scenery.
A map and a good pair of wheels is all you need to get started, but for maximum enjoyment you can follow one of several linked cycle routes through the most beautiful areas of the county. Not only locals and visitors recognise Lancashire's suitability for cycling. Chorley District proudly hosted the road race, mountain bike and time trials cycling events for the Commonwealth Games. Rivington Pike formed a spectacular backdrop to a thrilling world class competition.
Lancashire Waterways
In years gone by, canals were Lancashire's link to the rest of
the world, transferring coal, limestone, wool and cotton on the first
stages of their journey to their eventual destination. They are also
our link to a more leisurely age - when a daily waterbus from
Kendal to Preston took a staggering 14 hours in 1849, later pruned
to a mere seven hours to compete with stagecoaches. Nowadays canals
are calm waterways where we spend our leisure time, but are full of
reminders of their historical past; native American plants such as
Pineapple May Weed and Evening Primrose grow on the towpaths, remnants
of seeds brought in during the import of cotton.
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal, at 141 miles the longest in Britain, stretches through Lancashire and includes the famous Mile Tunnel in Foulridge where five men died during its dangerous five-year construction. Some of the former mills along its length have been converted into shopping and leisure attractions. In the north of the county, the Lancaster Canal runs from Preston to Tewitfield and is now linked to the main network.
Lancashire offers some of the finest canal fishing in the country, or, if you prefer, you can take day trips or holidays afloat.
Shopping, Wining and Dining in Lancashire
If you love the traditional feel of markets and the fantastic bargains
they offer, then Lancashire has a wealth of choice for you. Some of
the country's oldest markets are to be found in the county -
those at Ormskirk and Chorley date back to medieval times - and
nearly every town, large or small, has its own market, often selling
excellent local produce and offering great value for money.
For bigger stores and facilities you can visit one of the county's many shopping centres such as Preston or Lancaster, where leading high street stores mingle with smaller speciality shops providing an eclectic mix in which to browse at length. Or you can head for one of Lancashire's many mill shops, which often sell big-name goods at knockdown prices.
When all that shopping has exhausted you, head for one of the many restaurants in the county - the wide choice includes almost every culture and many top chefs have chosen to base their restaurants in Lancashire. Enjoy!
Walking in Lancashire
Lancashire is a place where you can really stretch your legs. From
the salt marshes of the coast and the wooded limestone hills of Silverdale
to the grandeur of the West Pennine Moors and Forest of Bowland, there
are well-marked paths awaiting your feet.
From peaks such as Clougha and Pendle Hill you can see vast panoramic views which amply reward the effort in getting there; not that all walking has to be strenuous - you can discover Lancashire at your own pace, exploring its river valleys, woodlands and gentle country lanes. The Coastal Way winds along 137 miles of ever-changing coastline and the Irwell Sculpture Trail has works of art to capture your imagination.
Dubbin those boots and shake out your walking socks…