As title, something like a farm shop cafe just off the M6 below Lancaster. Looking for new ideas for the uni run....
Very close to Lancaster - Scorton has a few options but you'd be best to access via J33 anyway - it is a massive section without motorway junction, and roadworks at Barton are causing chaos on the A6.
Around Preston - Cuerden Valley Park cafe is very close to the motorways (so there can be traffic noise depending on wind direction) - interesting straw bale building.
Similar for the Brockholes wildlife place by the Ribble - traffic noise and interesting buildings (parking is also spendy there). You can do a traffic free lap of Preston on the Guild Wheel if you want a pedal.
5 mins further east along A59 is Huntley's farm store.
We used to go to the cafe in Booths in Garstang
https://maps.app.goo.gl/CRiUkfA5kqExGpgQ6
Tesco it ain't!
I'd found Scorton on a Google search, done Brockholes before. Google offered another place
Booths in Lancaster is the nearest supermarket to uni, so I could kill two birds with one stop. Or head down to Aldi and eat at the Water Witch.
You can do a traffic free lap of Preston on the Guild Wheel if you want a pedal.
Almost traffic-free, there's a couple of shortish road sections linking it up (unless it's changed now).
Booths in Lancaster is the nearest supermarket to uni
I quite liked the Booths in Garstang, it's a nice little town too, worth a visit, handy too for the university without having head into Lancaster itself, but yes, either way great for stop offs! I do miss Booths 😭
Ok almost all traffic free 🙂
Not all Booths stores have a cafe - don't think Scotforth does.
Friends took us to The Barn at Scorton with a walk around the Grizedale reservoirs. It was nice. We've also been recommended Owd Nells at Bilsborrow on the canal, currently being renovated. Though it sounds like roadworks would make either of those detours a bit of a pain at the moment.
Don't think there's roadworks that are anything out the ordinary, pretty sure you can still get to the barn easy enough. There's the apple store cafe near scorton as well which is also very nice.
Own nells is currently closed for renovation like you say. It's been bought by the people that run Holmes mill in clitheroe so that should be pretty good.
There's Barton grange garden centre which is worth a look but pretty expensive. And billy bobs barn, which is aimed at kids but does some pretty good breakfast things.
Daisyclough Nurseries between Scorton and A6 have excellent cafe and will do a full English or more esoteric brunch offerings. Bit of a hidden gem used by a few roadie groups (who know how to sniff out a good cafe) but anywhere is Scorton way is good.
Lancaster Booths doesn't have a cafe.
Avoid Barton Grange for your own sanity.
Another vote for The Barn at Scorton, just a shame it's a very long stretch of small country-lane then A-road south to rejoin the motorway.
Off topic, how does your offspring like Lancaster? Currently top of the list for my son (if he pulls his finger out and starts revising sometime soon), seems a good place from what we’ve seen on a couple of visits (management school).
Can’t help with brunch, sorry!
Light ash farm is the best, next to myerscough college. Ham egg and chips.
Off topic, how does your offspring like Lancaster? Currently top of the list for my son (if he pulls his finger out and starts revising sometime soon), seems a good place from what we’ve seen on a couple of visits (management school).
Can’t help with brunch, sorry!
She's loving it, in her first year of Natural Science. Campus is a self contained community, but regular buses into the city. She's not a party/clubbing type, but has found her people and groups and is really happy there.
It just felt the best fit for her when we were doing the uni tours, and I was actually relieved when she missed out on Cambridge. A school friend of hers ended up at Lancaster via clearing after missing out on Durham, and is also very happy there.
Happy to pass on any questions you and your son have. Best of luck with his A levels
Daughter's uni b/f lived close to Wigan, and she went up and visited him a few times and their Sat am breakfast / brunch spot was The Paddock, a few hundred yards off the M6 at J27.
https://thepaddockrestaurant.co.uk/
She liked it enough that I know about it despite there being little chance of ever going, seeing as they are no longer a couple.
@TomB - daughter says your son needs to apply for Bowland College - older but cheaper accomodation in the centre of the campus, better value than the newer stuff further out.
(Possible college based bias, and she can stagger to Physics lectures in 5 minutes!)
Off topic, how does your offspring like Lancaster? Currently top of the list for my son (if he pulls his finger out and starts revising sometime soon), seems a good place from what we’ve seen on a couple of visits (management school).
Can’t help with brunch, sorry!
I loved it when I did my Masters there and my son now has it as his number 2 after we did the offer day (very slick and professional). May or may not be of relevance but they were saying that they give £3k to students who have them as first choice and get a*,a, a.
May or may not be of relevance but they were saying that they give £3k to students who have them as first choice and get a*,a, a.
Daughter got a £1k bursary for her grades as it was her first choice.
Anyway, daughters choice was lunch at the Water Witch. Appears to be the venue of choice for students when parents are paying. Midweek lunch menu good value in this day and age. Some of the best pub fish and chips I've ever had.
