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Accrington
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Ashton Under Lyne
Austwick
Bacup
Barnoldswick
Blackburn
Blackpool
Bolton
Bolton Le Sands
Burnley
Burscough
Burton
Bury
Carnforth
Catterall
Chadderton
Charnock Richard
Chipping
Chorley
Clayton Le Woods
Clitheroe
Cockerham
Colne
Darwen
Didsbury
Eccles
Fleetwood
Forton
Garstang
Gisburn
Goosnargh
Heysham
Heywood
Horwich
Hurst Green
Kirkby Lonsdale
Lancaster
Laneshawbridge
Leigh
Longridge
Lytham St Annes
Mawdesley
Mellor
Morecambe
Nelson
Oakenclough
Oldham
Ormskirk
Parbold
Poulton Le Fylde
Preston
Ramsbottom
Rawtenstall
Ribchester
Rochdale
Rossendale
Saddleworth
Salford
Skelmersdale
Slaidburn
St Annes On Sea
Thurnham
Upholland
Wigan
Wrea Green

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Information

County Town: Lancaster
Population: 1,413,500
Area: 1185 Sq miles 3070 Sq k
Lancashire Jobs
Lancashire Tips Page
County Reviews
Rather interesting Lancashire facts
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Visitor reports
Your opinion of Lancashire
Famous Dates
Famous People
Food Legends:Lancashire Hot Pot
Goosnargh Duck
Morecambe Bay Shrimps
Eccles Cakes
Goosnargh Cakes
Bury Black Pudding
Uncle Joes Mint Balls
Seaside Rock
Preston Parched Peas
Sarsaparilla from Lancashire
Fishermans Friends
Pea Soup with Bacon Ribs
The Butter Pie
Marsh Samphire
Mushy Peas
Folk Customs:
Holcombe Hill Egg Rolling
Preston Gulid
Saddleworth Rush Cart
The Bacup Coco-Nutters
Haunted Britain:
Hangings at Heskin Hall
The spectre of Samlesbury Hall
Wycoller Hall’s Weird Hunter-Killer
Cultural Britain:
Bronte Lancashire
Lore & legend:
Bury’s Devilish Schoolboys
The Pendle Witches
Natural Britain:
Arnside and Silverdale
Forest of Bowland
Morecambe Bay
Pendle Hill
River Duddon
River Irwell
River Lune
River Ribble
River Wyre
Rossendale Valley
The Pennines

Events

January
British Homing World Show of the Year
Obsession - Festival Of Food & Wine

February
Half Term at Drumcroon
Showzam Festival

March
Championship Cat Show Preston & Blackpool Cat Club
Easter Sunday Funday and Farmers Market/Craft Fair
Ramsbottom Chocolate Festival

April
Classic Bike Show
Clitheroe Chic Vintique Fair
Continental Market
Great Lancashire Wedding Show
Holcombe Egg Rolling
Lancashire Food Festival
Nutters Dance
Rainbow Ramble

May
Charity Rocks
Chipping Steam Fair
Cuerden Valley Fair
Electric Garden Progressive Rock Festival
Garden & Craft Fair
Garstang Walking Festival
Lancashire & Ribble Valley Garden & Countryside Festival
Lancaster Unlocked
Nigel Haworth’s Fantastic Food Show
Pleasure Fair
Puppet Up!
Steam Days
Volksdevil Annual Gathering

June
Balloon & Fireworks Festival
Bowland Festival
Lune Valley Country Fair
Preston Riversway Festival
Slaidburn Steam Rally
Todmorden Agricultural Show
Totally Transport
Wyre Cycling Festival

July
Balloon & Fireworks Festival
Body Mind & Spirit
Bowland Challenge
Caribbean Carnival
Charity Rocks Festival
Cleveleys Sea Festival
Clitheroe Area WI Show
Fleetwood Bowling Festival
Fleetwood Tram & Transport Festival
Food and Craft Fair
Fylde Vintage Weekend & Farm Show
Garstang Classic Vehicle Show & Steam Rally
Goosnargh & Longridge Agricultural Show
Great Eccleston Agricultural Show
Jazz Day
Manor Farm Music Festival
Preston Mela
Ribble Valley International Piano Festival
RIBFEST
Roman Re-enactments
Royal Lancashire Show
Saddleworth Folk Festival
The Beat Herder Festival
Tockholes Village Gala
Waterfront Wind and Wave Festival
Wigan International Jazz Festival
Wolfwood Fun Dog Show

August
7 Parks Walk
Abbey Fair
Allotments and Leisure Garden Show
Chipping Agricultural Show
Clitheroe Cycling Grand Prix
Exploring Blackpool’s Beach
Extreme Sports Weekend
Galloways Antiques Fair
Garden & Craft Show
Garstang Arts & Music Festival
Garstang Show
Last Night of the Proms
Longest Razor Shell Competition
Pendle Walking Festival
Pennine Lancashire Festival of Food & Culture
Pressed English Cider Festival
Preston Mela
Saddleworth Rushcart Festival
Steam Days
Tractor Pulling Championships
Under the Sea Family Fun
Wyre Estuary Country Park Open Day

September
Blackpool Illuminations
Clitheroe Chic Vintique Fair
Fleetwood Music and Arts Festival
Fylde Folk Festival
Guy'- Murphy's Oyster Festival
Heritage Open Days
Hodder Valley Show
Lancashire Pot Fair
Lancaster Jazz Festival
Pendle Walking Festival
Pennine Lancashire Festival of Food & Culture
Ramsbottom Festival
Roots 666
Steam Days
The World Black Pudding Throwing Championship

October
Blackpool Illuminations
Continental Market
Fleetwood Drama Festival
Halloween Tours
Scare Kingdom Scream Park
Spooktacular Playscheme

November
Annual Fireworks Spectacular & Beacon Lighting
British National Dance Championships
Christmas Food and Craft Fair
Oktoberfest
Scare Kingdom Scream Park

December
Freeport Fleetwood Christmas bonanza!
Garstang Victorian Christmas Festival
Whalley Pickwick Festival

Lancashire - 412 places to stay

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Principal towns: Lancaster Wigan Preston Burnley Blackburn Bury Bolton Blackpool Morecambe

Lancashire is possibly best known for family fun, theme parks and thrills and spills entertainment hot spots such as Blackpool Pleasure Beach or Sandcastle Waterworld and its non-stop nightlife. But lying behind this glitzy façade, and in contrast, the ever so slightly dour Industrial Revolution heritage, there’s a warm and relaxing rural side to this county that is vastly underpublicised – one that is wrapped in rich heritage and folklore and enveloped by some really beautiful countryside, and towns that have oodles of character and charm.

Some of the county’s landscapes have in fact inspired famous authors such as Brontes and J.R.R. Tolkein . It has two AONBs - The Forest of Bowland which covers 312sq miles of rural Lancashire and North Yorkshire and includes the famous landmark Pendle Hill . The trial of the Pendle Witches is one of the most famous witch trials in England’s history. On August 20, 1612, ten people were hanged at Lancaster Castle for the murder by witchcraft of seventeen people in the Pendle area of Lancashire. Lancaster Castle might be worth a visit if you are interested in such things. The Castle is owned by Her Majesty the Queen , who is the 'Duke of Lancaster', and as well as being a fortification the Castle is also one of Europe’s longest serving operational prisons. If you want to know what it’s like to be locked up then they’ll kindly oblige by putting you in their ancient dungeons for a spell. They let you out of course. Bowland also provides endless hideouts for keen twitchers or casual birdwatchers – it’s a most important site for breeding the threatened hen harriers in England and is also host to the peregrine falcon and Britain's smallest bird of prey - the merlin. The upland pastures also attract significant populations of wading birds in spring and summer including curlew, lapwing, snipe and redshank. It’s also a perfect retreat for keen fishers. The other AONB is Arnside and Silverdale which features small scale limestone hills, deciduous woodlands and agricultural land which are just perfect for keen walkers or mountain-bikers. There’s something for every skill level.

If you want to bring a bit of history to life, then you’re also spoilt for choice in Lancashire. Many of the beautiful manors and halls have taken part in important historical events. The most interesting venues to include on your tour would be: the 900 year old Skipton Castle - one of the most complete and best preserved medieval castles in England; Gawthorpe Hall , a superb seventeenth century country house in a beautiful riverside setting; Hoghton Tower, a 16th-century Elizabethan fortified manor-house that has acres of lovely gardens to enjoy which also play host to various events including musical recitals, clay pigeon shooting, outdoor theatre and falconry; and Towneley Hall which dates from the 14th and 16th century and includes an Art Gallery and Museum, housing collections of oil paintings, early English watercolours, period furniture, 18th century glassware, archaeology, natural history and exhibitions on loan.

On the subject of history, Lancashire was in fact the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution , which between 1750 and 1850, transformed the life of England and in turn the rest of the world. The county is traditionally associated with cotton and it was here that major advancements were made in the production of cotton, enabling manufacturing to be moved from houses to factories. Lancashire did not survive on cotton alone, it turned its hand to coal mining also.

If you want fill your leisure time in Lancashire with a little more more adrenalin then there’s a myriad of outdoor activities to try including air sports such as hot-air ballooning, parachuting or microlighting, or water-based pursuits - the Lancaster Canal is navigable for 41 miles and entirely lock free - making it popular for the experienced and novice alike. There’s also plenty of riding centres and climbing terrain to boot.

And if that isn’t enough, then there’s nothing left but to head for Britain’s number one attraction - Blackpool Pleasure Beach where there are roller-coasters to turn your hair grey - in fact there are 145 rides and attractions including Valhalla and the Pepsi Max Big – which will probably leave you with no hair at all so beware. If you fancy a second helping then head for Camelot Theme Park - another popular place for the pleasure-seeker to get their kicks.

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On this day:
Tolpuddle Martyrs Sentenced - 1834, Argentine Forces land on South Georgia - 1982
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